By kayode Olopade
The Lagos State Government on Wednesday allocated shops to 180 traders in the newly redeveloped Alaba Transnational Market, formerly known as Alaba Rago Market, along the Mile 2–Badagry Expressway.
The beneficiaries represent the first batch of about 3,000 traders affected by the demolition of the former market as part of the state’s urban renewal and megacity development initiative.
Presenting the allocation letters at the headquarters of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), the Special Adviser to the Governor on e-GIS, Dr. Babajide Olajide, said the redevelopment aligns with the state government’s broader plan to upgrade 21 markets across Lagos.
He listed Katangua, Pelewura, Jankara and other major markets as part of the ongoing modernisation programme aimed at improving trading conditions and upgrading market infrastructure.
Olajide described Alaba Rago as the largest cattle market in West Africa, noting that its strategic importance requires facilities that meet international standards and reflect the aspirations of a 21st-century megacity.
“The redevelopment of this market is a product of collaboration among several government agencies,” he said, naming LASBCA, the Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency, Ministry of Finance, Debt Management Office, Office of the Accountant-General, Office of Public-Private Partnerships, and the United Bank for Africa as key partners in the project.
He explained that traders were offered flexible payment options, including 25 per cent or 50 per cent initial deposits with a six-month window to complete payment, as well as an outright 100 per cent payment option.
The Special Adviser also warned against violations of environmental and traffic regulations, stressing that the government would not tolerate trading activities on the expressway or other unauthorised spaces.
Responding on behalf of the traders, Chairman of the Alaba Rago Central Committee Association, Alhaji Husseini Mohammed, said discussions on the redevelopment began in 2022 following engagements between market leaders and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Mohammed noted that traders had initially proposed to undertake the redevelopment themselves before the state government facilitated financial backing through commercial banks to fast-track the project.
He commended Governor Sanwo-Olu for fulfilling his promise to modernise the market and expressed optimism that the new facilities would enhance business operations and improve the overall trading environment.
The Alaba Transnational Market redevelopment is part of the Lagos State Government’s continuing efforts to strengthen infrastructure, improve urban planning, and position the state as a leading commercial hub in Africa.
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