Living on the Island

Lagos, as popularly known to be surrounded by water bodies which made it to be divided into 2 parts. The Mainland and the Island. The Island consists of major places like Lekki, Victoria Island (V.I) and Ikoyi while the Mainland consists of many other local government which sum up Lagos. If you are a Lagosian, you should be familiar with the popualar perception, as it is often perceived as a step up when you relocate from the Mainland to the Island. Many consider it as a form of economic aspiration as you climb up the social ladder and cement your position in the middle class. However, scaling up the social ladder did come with some cost especially if it involved moving to the Island.

In this article, I will be taking you through the pros and cons of living on the Island.

The Island

The island, fondly called the Highbrow area of the state. There is a mad rush to live and work on the Island due to the beauty and organization. It is structured with good schools even with top-notch international standards with American standards or British syllabus. In many estates there is a centralized power generation, making the electricity situation very good in this area. Living the luxurious life is not a problem on the island, there are lots of relaxation places, malls, lounges, Beaches, restaurants, café, eateries, shopping malls, Cinemas, Gardens. The island was structured to have a touch of living in European Countries. Whether you’re living in Lagos for grooving or Work purposes. The Island has it all.

Disadvantages of the Island

Rent and Fees: If you plan to move to the Island then you should know rent over there is typically higher than what obtains on the Mainland. People on the Island pay far more not just in rent but in agency fees. They also have to dole out more cash with the landlord hiding under the weakness of the Tenancy Act to charge two year rentals (even though this is illegal) The cost of renting an apartment with Basic amenities ranges from N500,000 upwards per annum.

Utilities: Perception like some say is reality. Markets also view this concept as logical basis for pricing. Electricity bills, water, refuse bins, supermarkets, salons etc. all seemed to cost a lot more on the Island. Things often cost slightly higher on the Island than on the mainland, largely due to the perception that those who live on the Island are richer than most who live on the island. Other utilities such as water and refuse disposal can also be expensive for those living on the island.

Tolls: Daily commute on the Lekki-Epe Expressway and the Ikoyi link bridge means as a family man or woman you could spend up to N20,000 on monthly tolls.

Security: Security in Lagos is pretty much challenging no matter where you live. However, living on the island typically attracts a higher security cost. The guards at your house will likely cost more. You also contribute regularly to Estate or community security. It is also likely that you spend some money on security systems for your homes and properties as is typically the case in highbrow areas. These things can be very expensive.

School Fees: There are great choices of schools from the Nigerian Standard, to American Syllabus and even the British standard of education. But, These schools are very expensive for the average Nigerian. You made more in terms of tuition and other associated cost. There was always pressure to keep abreast with what other kids were doing. If there is a class vacation abroad, you somehow had to get your kids to attend even if it meant borrowing money.

Nature: Water on the island is another cause for concern. There are hardly clean water from the taps and Boreholes which causes a break in lack of basic amenities. The rainy season in these areas have become synonymous with flooding and is a constant treat to living during these periods.

Distance and Transportation: For most people who live on the mainland, heading to the island is quite a distance. Apart from the actual physical distance but because of the unavoidable traffic, This sometimes attracts petty theft and Robbery on high ways.

Living in Lagos whether mainland or the Island is just based on your budget, Lagos Island is pretty much expensive to live in but when it comes in terms with what your getting, it’s worth every bit. While the Lagos Mainland, its like getting more for less or for average. Most of the basic things are given to you without draining your pocket and you can live comfortably, but wherever you choose, there’s no doubt that you will enjoy your stay.

Rental financing companies such as Kwaba has made it extremely easy to secure apartment anywhere across this two main sectors of Lagos without paying a dime. We can help you secure an all expenses paid apartment anywhere on this Island while you pay back monthly in convenient installments.