A Lagos State High Court has ruled in favour of Bridgeways Global Projects Limited in a dispute arising from the proposed relocation of Computer Village from Ikeja to Katangowa.
The judgment restores the company’s legal position in the project and paves the way for mediation between the parties over outstanding issues relating to the stalled development.
Managing Director of Bridgeways Global Projects Ltd., Mr. Jimmy Onyemenam, said the court affirmed the company’s contractual and proprietary rights under the concession agreement.
According to him, the judgment nullified efforts to terminate the concession outside the dispute resolution mechanism agreed upon by both parties.
He said the matter would now proceed to mediation, where issues relating to financial obligations, compensation and the restoration of the company’s entitlements under the project would be addressed.
“The court has affirmed our contractual rights, and we remain committed to ensuring the project is implemented in a transparent and equitable manner for the benefit of traders and the people of Lagos,” Onyemenam said.
The Lagos State Government had in 2017 announced plans to relocate Computer Village, one of West Africa’s largest Information and Communication Technology (ICT) markets, from Ikeja to Katangowa in Agbado/Oke Odo Local Council Development Area.
The relocation was aimed at decongesting Ikeja and developing a modern ICT business hub.
However, the project has recorded little progress over the years despite repeated assurances by the government and developers.
Onyemenam alleged that actions by some government officials and a section of the Computer Village community contributed to delays that slowed the implementation of the project.
The legal dispute arose after the Lagos State Government terminated its contract with Bridgeways in 2024, citing poor performance.
The state government subsequently announced that the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development had assumed responsibility for the project and advised members of the public against making payments to the company.
It also promised to identify and refund traders who had already paid for shops at the proposed market following a verification exercise.
Bridgeways challenged the contract termination at the Lagos State High Court, seeking to protect its contractual rights.
The latest judgment now directs both parties to explore mediation in resolving the remaining issues surrounding the multi-billion-naira project.
The proposed relocation of Computer Village has been under consideration since the final years of the administration of former Lagos State Governor, President Bola Tinubu, and has continued under successive administrations.
In 2021, Bridgeways conducted a groundbreaking ceremony at the Katangowa site and projected completion of the ICT business park within 24 months.
However, construction has remained slow, with significant portions of the site still at the foundation stage.
