People come to Lagos every day. Their startup is mainland. Mainland. Mainland. Mainland is the real Lagos and island is a bubble. In two seconds, two people have fought.
The next one they’ve made up. Someone just stole and they are shouting. Oy, traffic doesn’t have respect for anybody. You can face traffic coming out of your house. Mainland gives you more space.
Island also has more organized estates. If you like the authentic Nigerian food, mainland has your heart. Things are particularly more expensive on the island. Everything is double.
It All Starts With Budget – This Is The Biggest Factor
So, let me break it down starting from budget. Everything depends on your budget, my love. Yes. Remember when you’re talking about the island, the island stretches all the way. There is VI, Ikoyi all the way down to Epe, so everything still boils down to your budget.
I’ll give an example. A two-bedroom in Ikoyi might be going for 15 million. Same two-bedroom in VI will go for 12 million. Same two-bedroom in Lekki One will go for 9 million. Same two-bedroom in Chevron will now go for 5 million.
This is just giving the range. Same two-bedroom in Ajah which is still the island can now go for like 1 million. Same two-bedroom in Shongotedo can go for 700k. Same two-bedroom in Awoyaya can go for 1 million. Does that make sense? So it’s a stretch. Before we even say where is the best place to live? Everything depends on your budget.
Why Returnees Usually Choose Island First
Why do people usually choose island when people move back? That’s just because island gives more of the feel if you’re coming from the west in terms of things are just more, let’s say a bit more structured in terms of look and feel of the place that you’re used to. There’s more tendency of seeing your community.
Maybe you moved back especially if you’re a young girl or young guy just moving to Lagos. There’s a tendency that if you’re in Lekki or if you’re in Chevron that you might meet your kind of people as well that just moved back. So it’s also a community thing and that’s why it looks like island is popular. No, that’s because when people move back the normal thing to do is like oh where did you move to? I moved to Lekki.
I moved to Chevron. I moved here and then they tend to move where their friends are. That’s why you hear a lot of that and it’s typically close to the kind of things they like. So if you’re into very gourmet kind of food, sushi, wabi wabi that they put on a wine glass not the normal akara you know when you’re looking for akara but they have turned the name to bean cake, that’s Lekki. Everything is exaggerated.
That includes housing as well, you’ll be thinking if you’re looking at staying in an estate you’re not just thinking about your rent, you’re also talking about your service charge. So that’s what you also should be looking at.
Water Quality – Island vs Mainland Reality
Now let’s look at water. Water on the mainland area, some areas on the mainland typically cleaner than water on the island. I think it has to do with drainage. Now how do we manage with water? People like us that live on the island.
One, you either have your own borehole or you buy water from tanker that is really neat or like I do in my estate they treat the water. I also have my filter. So when people say that Lekki water is yellow, it’s true, but that’s why you have to treat your water. If you don’t treat your water, you’re going to get yellow water. Lagos State water quality report
Investment & Rental Income – Where You Make Money Faster
Let’s talk about investment. If you want fast turnaround, mainland gives you that than island. Let me give you an example. A house on the island might be going for 7 million and a young guy just makes money.
He pays this 7 million. The next year he’s not able to pay because his business is not doing well. Whereas on the mainland that same house in some areas (by the way because when I mean mainland is not everywhere like if you’re thinking of Ikeja it’s almost the same price with Lekki phase one). So it depends on the area but when I say mainland typically the general. That same house now that is going for 7 million in Surulere or Yaba that same house might be going for like 3-5 million.
So what happens is that on the mainland you have tenants that have lived in the same house for 20-30 years. There are some people that have had the same tenants for the longest time. Their kids stay there, go to school, get married. It’s like a family house.
The only difference is that they did not buy it. So the turnaround for tenants are more on the island. On the island my rent this year the next year you won’t see them again leaving your house empty for like one or two years. But mainland no you not lack tenants. People come to Lagos every day their startup is mainland mainland mainland so if you have a good location in like Yaba, Unilag side all those thing you’ll get your money faster than island.
Mainland = Real Lagos, Island = Bubble
Another thing about living on the island to mainland, my friend said mainland for her is the real Lagos and island is a bubble. Mainland is the real Lagos. Like if you want to enter Lagos city like in two seconds two people have fought, the next one they’ve made up.
You might just literally be on the road and someone just proposed, someone just stole and they are shouting thief and the next thing somebody’s driving one way. Like a lot can happen in one second. So that is the real Lagos. A lot of people that grew up in Lagos grew up on the mainland because island is typically new. Those are the real Lagosians.
Work Location & Traffic – This Decides Everything
Now talking about work I keep telling people everything depends on where you work. If you work in VI and you live in Shangotedo the Lord is your strength. If you work in VI and you live in Ketu the Lord is your strength. The first thing you have to ask yourself is are you working remotely? If you’re working remotely, my dear, you can live anywhere.
As long as the place is cool, safe, and you can afford it to your own preference, you can live anywhere. But if you’re working on the island and you have to do that Third Mainland bridge every day, it’s not easy. Imagine leaving the office at 5 and sometimes you’re not getting home till 10-11 p.m. you get the traffic. It’s crazy. Lekki traffic doesn’t have respect for anybody you can face traffic coming out of your house.
Food – Authentic Nigerian Food Lives On Mainland
If you like the authentic Nigerian food, mainland has your heart for that. If you want the proper amala, the proper swallow, mainland authentic food. On the island, they will cook rice and put one leaf on it and give it a name. But the mainland authentic food, even when I go to the mainland for something, I always buy food. Yes, mainland makes the authentic food.
Space For Raising Kids – Mainland Wins Big
Mainland gives you more space. Buildings are more spacious, big compound. If you have kids and you want them to play outside, a lot of parents find it better on the mainland because of this space. On the island it’s kind of like a struggle for your kids to have where to play except you are living in an estate.
Mainland gives you that big compound. Island can be restricted. Land is so expensive. They utilize everything meaning smaller. Some houses it’s almost as if you talk your neighbor will hear you talk. Mainland houses has more space.
The rooms are big. Mainland houses are quite spacious compared to the island. But mainland houses are older. If you’re buying a house on the mainland, you have to renovate it. You have to put the cost of renovation and that can sometimes be a lot.
Estates & Servicing – Why I Chose Island
The island also has more organized estates than the mainland. I love estate. I just want to pay and move in. I don’t have to deal with generator. I don’t have to deal with how my lights works. I don’t have to deal with NEPA treatment. Mainland estates are not that organized. I haven’t really seen a lot of estates that do fully serviced – light, water, everything.
Schools & Churches – Both Sides Have Pros
Mainland has very nice schools. Island has very nice schools. But island takes advantage of the island vibes to overpackage their schools. Mainland church you find the hey die by fire noise dance the black church that you’re used to while island churches everything is hill song the format everything is different.
Everything Is Double On Island – Island Price Is Real
Things are particularly more expensive on the island, everything is double. Supermarket, braiding of hair, everything double the price. They call it island price.
Final Answer – Where Should You Live?
The big question where to live, it’s all depends on you. It’s your vibe. Come to Nigeria. Do Airbnb on the mainland and on the island. That way you have a feel and decide where you want to be. If you’re coming for work, work has already decided for you.
I’m an island girl because I like calm. I like quiet. The island gives me a lot of delivery options. I can stay in the comfort of my home and order global menu. I like estate. I’m an estate kind of girl where I just pay and move in and let the management take care of every other thing.
So let me know what kind of vibe are you? Are you like the old school enjoyment, authentic food, African real kind of way of raising fun kids playing in the compound or are you a come inside the house and play game kind of parents? Calm.
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