10 surprising facts about ikeja you probably didn't know

ikeja is one of those places that sounds familiar until you actually try to describe it. it's not lagos, but it's not exactly small-town nigeria either. i landed here thinking i'd get a quiet break from the madness, but ikeja has its own kind of chaos. here are 10 facts that caught me off guard-and a few i had to double-check because they sounded too wild to be true.

1. it's the capital of lagos state

yeah, not everyone knows this. ikeja is technically the capital, even though victoria island and lekki steal most of the shine. the government house is here, and so is the lagos state secretariat. i walked past it once thinking it was a fancy hotel.

2. computer village is africa's largest tech market

if you need a phone charger, a drone, or someone to fix your cracked laptop screen in 10 minutes, this is the spot. it's loud, crowded, and full of hustlers, but also full of legit tech wizards. i lost my airpods here once and found them two hours later at a stall run by a guy named "engineer ben."

3. lagos international airport is technically in ikeja

mma (muritala muhammed airport) is in ikeja, not victoria island or lekki. that blew my mind. i always thought i was landing in a different part of lagos. turns out, i've been in ikeja the whole time and didn't even know it.

4. it has a secret green lung: the ikeja golf club

right in the middle of the city is an actual golf course. green grass, ponds, the works. i'm not a golfer, but i wandered in once pretending i was meeting someone. it felt like stepping into another country.

5. rent is cheaper than vi, but still not cheap

i checked airbnb and local listings. a decent one-bedroom in ikeja goes for about 400-600k naira a year. in vi, you're looking at triple that. still, don't come here expecting dirt-cheap living. check current prices on property24 nigeria.

6. it's safer than central lagos at night

this is anecdotal, but locals swear ikeja is calmer after dark. less nightlife, sure, but also less chaos. i walked around alausa at 9pm and didn't get hassled once. that's a win in lagos terms.

7. the alausa secretariat area is a mini-downtown

government buildings, malls, restaurants, and a few rooftop bars. it's where people actually go to work in ikeja. i spent an afternoon there and realized it's the closest thing this city has to a business district.

8. there's a military cantonment with its own vibe

the ikeja garrison is massive. it's got housing, schools, and even a small market. some parts feel like a gated suburb. i wasn't allowed in without a pass, but from the outside, it looked like a parallel universe.

9. the local food scene is underrated

forget fancy restaurants. the best food i had was at a bukka near computer village. rice, stew, and goat meat for under 1,000 naira. locals call it "mama nkechi's."

10. it's a transit hub, not a final stop

most people pass through ikeja on their way somewhere else. but if you stick around, you'll find pockets of calm, tech energy, and street life that feels more real than the polished corners of lekki.

random overheard gossip from a danfo driver

"ikeja don cast o. all these new buildings, but no light. we dey manage generator like say na luxury."

"you know computer village? na there dem dey make and repair everything. even the iphone wey you dey use-dem don open am here before."

current weather & nearby cities

right now, it's hot and sticky-typical lagos weather. if you need a break, ibadan is just two hours away by road, and it's noticeably cooler. abuja's a quick flight if you're craving a more orderly capital vibe.

cost of living snapshot

Item	Average Cost
Meal at local bukka	800-1,500 naira
One-bedroom rent/year	400,000-600,000 naira
Taxi across town	1,500-3,000 naira
Data (3GB)	1,000-1,500 naira

final thoughts

ikeja isn't the flashiest part of lagos, but it's got soul. it's where tech meets tradition, and where the chaos feels a little more manageable. if you're visiting lagos, don't just pass through-spend a day here. you might be surprised what you find.

photo of turned-on pendant LED lamps in room