Banana Island | |
|---|---|
city | |
 Architectural drawing of Lagoon City | |
  Banana Island Location in Lagos | |
| Coordinates: 6°28′N3°27′E / 6.467°N 3.450°E | |
| Country |  Nigeria |
| State | Lagos State |
| City | Lagos |
| LGA | Eti-Osa |
| Neighbourhood | Ikoyi |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (WAT) |
Banana Island is an artificial island off the foreshore of Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria. Its name derives from the curvature of its shape. The island is a planned, mixed development with residential, commercial and recreational buildings.
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The original Banana Island construction project entitled Lagoon City was the brainchild of the late Chief Adebayo Adeleke, a University of London trained Civil Engineer (MICE), and CEO of City Property Development Ltd.
Adeleke had originally commissioned a new urban development in Maroko, Victoria Island, but that project had been acquired by the Lagos State government. Following a lengthy 10 year court case, Lagos State government offered other parcels of land as consideration for the Maroko development.
Many[ who? ]scoffed at Chief Adeleke's decision to select the Ikoyi Island perimeter, however they were unable to appreciate the foresight of the Chief,[ citation needed ]who promptly engaged the Westminster Dredging Company[ citation needed ]to dredge the foreshore, and create six interlinked and symmetrical islands.[ citation needed ]
He wanted to create a development that would "Make Nigeria Proud",[ citation needed ]and engaged Minoru Yamasaki the architect of Manhattan's World Trade Centre 'Twin Towers' building.[ citation needed ] Starchitect[ clarification needed ] Yamasaki's replica twin towers comprised the flagship iconic building on the main island.[ citation needed ]
As soon as he had reclaimed the land and the idea was unveiled, others[ who? ] attempted to wrestle the land from him, and the project was 'acquired' again with no consideration being paid to City Property Development Limited.[ citation needed ] Since 1983, the 'acquisition' is currently being challenged in various courts,[ citation needed ] and there are Caveat Emptor warnings in place to warn prospective buyers that their investment could be at risk in future. There is also litigation pending in the UK and European courts regarding this matter.[ citation needed ]
The subsequent developers were principally interested in maximising the yield of the land at the expense of the aesthetic innovative design foreseen by Chief Adebayo Adeleke. Consequently the land was filled[ citation needed ] in to create a banana shaped island, hence Banana Island. Banana Island, is an area of Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria, 8.6 kilometres east of Tafawa Balewa Square. Part of the Lagos Local Government Area of Eti-Osa in Central Lagos.[ citation needed ]
Banana Island is a man-made island in Lagos State, Nigeria that is slightly curved in shape – like a banana. It is located in the Lagos Lagoon and is connected to Ikoyi Island by a dedicated road which is linked to the existing road network near Parkview Estate. The island was constructed by the Lebanese-Nigerian Chagoury Group in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, [1] and is considered to be on-par with the 7th arrondissement of Paris, La Jolla, California (in San Diego), and Tokyo's Shibuya and Roppongi neighbourhoods. [2]
It occupies a sand-filled area of approximately 1,630,000 square metres and is divided into 536 plots (of between 1000 and 4000 square metres in size), mainly arranged along cul-de-sacs, designed as to enhance the historically residential nature of Ikoyi. Residents are provided with utilities, including underground electrical systems (versus the overhead cabling common throughout Lagos), an underground water supply network, a central sewage system/treatment plant, street lighting and satellite telecommunications networks. [3]
The Island is a planned, mixed development, with dedicated areas for residential, commercial and recreational activities. On the residential side of the Island, planning permission is not granted for dwellings over 3 storeys high. The developers also intend to develop a main piazza, a club-house, a primary and secondary school, a fire and police station and a medical clinic. They are also negotiating to build a 5-star hotel on the island, along with an array of smaller Guest Houses.
Banana Island hosts several high end residential developments such as Ocean Parade Towers [4] - a series of 14 luxury tower blocks strategically situated at one end of the island to take advantage of 180 degree panoramic views overlooking the lagoon. Similar to many of the developments on the island, it has dedicated leisure facilities such as a private health club - with tennis courts, squash courts and a swimming pool surrounded by extensive gardens. [5] At launch flats in Ocean Parade sold for over US$400,000. [6]
Several leading Nigerian and International corporates such as - Etisalat Nigeria, [7] Airtel Nigeria, [8] Ford Foundation Nigeria [9] and Olaniwun Ajayi & Co [10] - are also based on Banana Island.
Lagos or Lagos City is the most populous city in Nigeria, with an estimated population of 21 million in 2015. The estimated population for Lagos was more than 26 million in 2023; and around 30 million for the Lagos metropolitan area. Lagos is the most populous urban area in Africa. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 following the government's decision to move their capital to Abuja in the centre of the country. Lagos is a major African financial centre and is the economic hub of Lagos State and Nigeria at large. The city has been described as the cultural, financial, and entertainment capital of Africa, and is a significant influence on commerce, entertainment, technology, education, politics, tourism, art, and fashion. Lagos is also among the top ten of the world's fastest-growing cities and urban areas. The megacity has the fourth-highest GDP in Africa and houses one of the largest and busiest seaports on the continent. The Lagos metropolitan area is a major educational and cultural centre in Sub Saharan Africa. Due to the large urban population and port traffic volumes, Lagos is classified as a Medium-Port Megacity.
Lagos State is a state in southwestern Nigeria. Of the 36 states, it is both the most populous and smallest in area. Bounded to the south by the Bight of Benin and to the west by the international border with Benin, Lagos State borders Ogun State to the northeast making it the only Nigerian state to border only one other state. Named for the city of Lagos—the most populous city in Africa—the state was formed from the Western Region and the former Federal Capital Territory on 27 May 1967.
Victoria Island (VI) is an affluent area that encompasses a former island of the same name neighbouring Lagos Island, Ikoyi and the Lekki Peninsula by the Lagos Lagoon. It is the main business and financial centre of Lagos State, Nigeria. Victoria Island is one of the most exclusive and expensive areas to reside in Lagos. The town and island lie within the boundaries of the Eti-Osa Local Government Area (LGA).
Ikoyi is the most affluent neighborhood of Lagos, located in Eti-Osa Local Government Area. It lies to the northeast of Obalende and adjoins Lagos Island to the west, and at the edge of the Lagos Lagoon. Popular with the extreme upper class residents of Nigerian society, Ikoyi is arguably one of the wealthiest communities within Nigeria.
Ebute Metta is a neighbourhood of Lagos Mainland, Lagos, in Lagos State, Nigeria.
Lagos Lagoon is a lagoon found in the city of Lagos, Nigeria, the most populous city in Africa. The name Lagos means 'lakes' in Portuguese, therefore Lagos Lagoon is an example of a tautological place name. The lagoon lies between the Atlantic Ocean and Lagos State. It is one of the ten lagoons in Lagos State and the largest in the Gulf of Guinea which spans over 6,000 square kilometers (2,300 sq mi).
Eti-Osa is a Local Government Area of Lagos State in Nigeria. Lagos State Government administers the council area as Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA, Eti-Osa East, and Iru Victoria Island LCDA. Within Eti-Osa are several important areas of Lagos State, including Lagos' Victoria Island. Before the Nigerian Capital moved to Abuja, Eti-Osa Local Government Area served alongside Lagos Island Local Government Area as the seat of the national capital. Eti-osa used to be the poorest neighborhood in Lagos State until development changed it to become one of the most prosperous areas where the richest Nigerians live in Lagos.
Chagoury Group is a Nigerian multinational business conglomerate headquartered in Lagos, Lagos State. Founded in 1971 by Gilbert R. Chagoury and Ronald Chagoury, their businesses include construction and property development, flour mills, water bottling and purification, glass manufacturing, insurance, hotels, furniture manufacturing, telecommunications, transportation, IT, catering and international financing.
Maroko was a community in Eti-Osa, Lagos State, Nigeria. It was adjacent to Ikoyi and east of Victoria Island. It was a low-income area that attracted a lot of migrants since it was in close proximity to economically robust areas. Flooding and sand-filling affected Maroko during its life.
Eko Atlantic, officially Nigeria International Commerce city, also known as Eko Atlantic City, or the initials E.A.C. and E.A., is a planned city of Lagos State, Nigeria, being constructed on land reclaimed from the Atlantic Ocean. Upon completion, the new peninsula is anticipating at least 250,000 residents and a daily flow of 150,000 commuters. The development is also designed to help in stopping the erosion of Lagos city's coastline.
FMA Architects Ltd is an international architecture, planning and interior design firm headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria.
Eko Hotels and Suites is a five-star conference centre hotel in Lagos.
Lekki is a city in Lagos State, Nigeria. It is located to the south-east of Lagos city. Lekki is a naturally formed peninsula, adjoining to its west Victoria Island and Ikoyi districts of Lagos, with the Atlantic Ocean to its south, Lagos Lagoon to the north, and Lekki Lagoon to its east; however, the city's southeast, which ends around the western edge of Refuge Island, adjoins the eastern part of Ibeju-Lekki LGA.
Parkview Estate is a luxurious suburb of Ikoyi in Lagos.
Shakirudeen "Sola" Giwa is a Nigerian politician and lawmaker in the 8th Lagos State House of Assembly Inaugurated on June 8, 2015.
Dolphin Estate is a gated community in Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria.
Ilubirin Estate is a public foreshore housing project being built on reclaimed land in Ikoyi Island, Lagos at the foot of the Third Mainland Bridge, facing the Lagos Lagoon waterfront on Lagos Island
Airtel Networks Limited (Airtel Nigeria), commonly known as Airtel, is a leading mobile network operator in Nigeria. According to the Subscribers statistics released by Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on 30 August 2019, Airtel Nigeria has 26.8% mobile telephone market share and 46.8 million subscribers. The company is a subsidiary of Airtel Africa, the holding firm for Bharti Airtel's operations in 14 countries in Africa.
4 Bourdillon is one of the tallest residential buildings in West Africa. It is located on the corner of Bourdillon and Thompson Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. It is a Twin Tower of 25 Floors comprising 41 apartments. The 41 Units have 3 and 4 Bedroom Flats and 5-Bedroom Duplex Flats and Duplex Penthouses.
