Elegushi, British envoy endorse Imperial Business City

The infrastructural investment of the Lagos state government along the Lekki/ Ajah corridor has been applauded by the Elegushi of Ikate Land and Environ, Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi, the Kunsenla III.

The Monarch, who spoke while receiving the Director, Department of International Trade, British High Commission in Nigeria, Ahmed Bashir in his palace last Monday, said government’s investments along the axis are justifiable, given that a World Bank report rated the corridor as the fastest developing corridor in West Africa, saying the corridor that used to be a rural area has now grown to become an urban mega city.

The Oba said the Elegushi Royal Family has thrown its weight behind the development of the Imperial International Business City (IIBC) project, assuring that the project is expected to give birth to the development of a brand new city on 200 hectares of land to be attained by dredging of the Lagos Lagoon, which will in effect expand the ancient Ikate city and also extend Lekki phase 1. The dredging will be between two and 2.5 metres above sea level to avoid flooding, which is a common feature on the Lekki axis.

The IIBC being built on the Lagos lagoon, will run from the end of Freedom Road to the end of NICON town; streching, from freedom road to Kunsenla Road, to Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi Road, through Lekki Phase 1 ( Lekki Third Roundabout). Its access routes will be through fourth Roundabout of Lekki-Epe high way, by Spa Supermarket before Jakande bus stop.

“We always go with the trend and the best. We talk about change in Nigeria and I think its high time the change gets started. This IIBC project is all about leaving a legacy and by doing this in this corridor, we would have shown that Nigerians can achieve same feat , as is achieved in other developed climes,” Oba Elegushi said.

Also, Bashir said the Commission can collaborate with the developers of IIBC in areas of Infrastructural development on the project such as energy, efficient transport and ICT.

At the meeting Bashir assured Oba Elegushi that the UK Department of International Trade will lend a helping hand and allow the developers to leverage on its experience and contact in making the IIBC dream a reality.

The Department, he also revealed, will introduce the project developers to willing investors from the UK. He said that Lagos state is a fast developing economic nerve centre of Africa; hence, such laudable projects should be encouraged if the state is to meet the housing needs of its growing population and its demands for wold class infrastructural developments. This he stressed also fits perfectly with the plan of the UK government in helping emerging economies grow faster and also fully develops its potentials.

The Royal Father assured that the IIBC upon completion, will not pose any infrastructural challenge to the Masterplan of the axis, but rather complement it, adding that already, there are two extra roads that are about to be constructed by government- a coastal road and an inland road. This is aside the proposed fourth mainland bridge to be built which will also serve the corridor.

The Managing Director of ChannelDrill Resources, Femi Akioye, said since IIBC is a new city being built from the scratch, the firm has decided to make it a fully planned city with distinct zones and building regulations. Each zone, he said, will have low, medium and high density areas with water view.

“The Lekki-Epe corridor is reputed as the fastest growing city, not only in Nigeria, but in the whole of West Africa, with the biggest seaport, airport, refineries and other infrastructure coming up.

“The people who will work there must live somewhere, and this is a motivation for developers. The future demand of the Lekki Free Trade Zone will only increase demand for comfortable homes within the metropolis,” Akioye said.

Expressing optimism on the prospects of the IIBC, the ChannelDrill boss, said the new city will correct some of the mistakes recorded in the development of Lekki Phase 1. The project, he further explained, gives the developers the opportunity to build smart and go-green for the future.

Akioye assured that the city will be well planned and will be Africa’s first eco-friendly city. This will be achieved with the creation of lakes and waterways within the city, as well as underground drains, the first smart shopping mall in the country and the first six-star hotel in Africa to be built.

Other infrastructure to be put in place by ChannelDrill includes a 250-metre entrance road. The road network will include walkway and bicycle way; waterway and lakes; underground drainage, sewage treatment, potable water and water treatment plant, independent gas fired electricity and cooking gas piped to every house, including fibre optics cable. Others are cloud enabled communication network and smart city/house infrastructure for willing subscribers; mini-marina and water park, Mini Gulf course; Shopping Mall; among others.