Court delivers judgement on relocation of computer village
A Lagos State High Court has ruled in favour of Bridgeways Global Projects Limited in a dispute over the proposed relocation of Computer Village from Ikeja to Katangowa.
The judgment restores the company’s legal position in the long-running project and is expected to revive discussions on the proposed Katangowa ICT Business Park, which has remained stalled for several years.
Bridgeways Managing Director, Jimmy Onyemenam, said the court affirmed the company’s contractual and proprietary rights over the project.
He added that the ruling set aside efforts to end the concession agreement outside the dispute resolution process agreed upon by both parties.
According to him, the case will now move to mediation, where issues relating to financial obligations, compensation and the restoration of the company’s entitlements under the project will be addressed.
The Lagos State Government first announced plans in 2017 to relocate Computer Village, one of West Africa’s largest ICT markets, from Ikeja to Katangowa in the Agbado/Oke Odo Local Council Development Area.
However, the project has seen little progress over the years despite the government’s plans.
Onyemenam also alleged that some government officials and a few members of the Computer Village community contributed to delays that affected the project’s implementation.
He said Bridgeways remains committed to ensuring the project is handled in a transparent and fair manner that will benefit traders and Lagos residents.
The legal battle followed the Lagos State Government’s decision in 2024 to terminate its contract with Bridgeways, citing poor performance by the company.
State officials also announced that the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development had taken over the management of the project and warned the public against making payments to the company.
The government also said traders who had already paid money to Bridgeways for shops at the proposed market would be identified and refunded after a verification exercise.
Bridgeways challenged the termination at the Lagos State High Court, where it sought to protect its contractual rights.
The latest judgment now clears the way for mediation as both parties work toward resolving the remaining issues surrounding the multibillion-naira project.
The proposed relocation of Computer Village has been in discussion since the final year of former Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu’s administration and continued under successive governments.
In 2021, Bridgeways held a groundbreaking ceremony at the Katangowa site and promised to complete the project within 24 months.
However, construction has remained slow, with many parts of the site still at the foundation stage.
