An eight-lane arterial road stretching over 1,500 metres long has been completed in Eko Atlantic City, an innovative real estate development initiative that is emerging on Victoria Island by the Lagos coastline. Project promoters describe the highway as the first of its kind not only in the bustling city, but likewise in the country.
The controversial Eko Atlantic City is said to have reached advanced stages in the first five million square metres of the project.
The estate, which is divided into eight districts, is planned for mixed-use with commercial, residential, entertainment and leisure activities to make the city a 24/7 lively environment. City amenities and services will include an international school, plant nurseries, hospital, and a state-of the art shopping mall.
The promoters disclosed in a statement that the eight-lane boulevard’s road design and construction has been built to world’s best practice with paved sidewalks, tree-lined and streetlights completed with an ocean view.
“One of the considerations when developing the Eko Atlantic city was to guarantee a traffic-free zone. This has now been achieved with the major road network recently completed. The extensive road network is now clearly defined with an area in excess of 200,000 sq. metres. Most significantly Eko Boulevard, the focal point of the Business District, is fully completed from Ahmadu Bello Way in Victoria Island to the Ocean Front Sea Wall.
We are extremely proud to have achieved another major milestone in the development of Eko Atlantic City. This futuristic city is not just for residential and commercial activities but a tourist attraction. We strongly believe the new boulevard will enhance business activities, facilitate intercity transportation as well as attracting tourists from all over Africa,” discloses the statement, adding:
“In addition, the city’s infrastructure network makes it the most technically advanced city in Nigeria and Africa. It comes with a fully integrated autonomous and reliable infrastructure networks with all the following installed under the extensive paved sidewalks – storm-water drains, sewer drains, water supply piping, power cables and IT network.”
The Eko Atlantic City also offers 15 connecting bridges, 14 of which are said to have been completed. All the bridges, it was gathered, employ a post-tensioning system for their bridge deck reinforcement. The technique uses cable under stress rather than reinforcing rods, which is a common approach worldwide.
The city, which will soon become a home to over 450,000 people and 300,000 commuters, has also made considerable progress in the city-wide canal network with 4,000 metres of canal side sheet piling already installed.
The development project is the brainchild of The Chagoury Group, which is based in Nigeria and was founded in 1971 by Gilbert R. Chagoury and Ronald Chagoury. The portfolio of activities includes construction and property development, flour mills, water bottling and purification, glass manufacturing, healthcare, insurance, hotels, furniture manufacturing, telecommunications, IT, catering and international financing.
In 2006 South Energyx Nigeria Limited, a group subsidiary, was awarded the concession to reclaim land, develop infrastructure and act as the exclusive authority over the development of Eko Atlantic city, next to Victoria Island in Lagos. South Energyx Nigeria Limited was specifically created to oversee the planning and development of Eko Atlantic, the new city of Lagos.
This is good news. Kudos to the Chaguorys. With more tenacity, we might soon have a Lagos smart city and the convenience of urban living where everything works. The hope is that the source of energy that will power the entire modern city would have been factored into the planning of the city, so that the new city would not start having epileptic power supply right at inception of its development.
This is good news. Kudos to the Chaguorys. With more tenacity, we might soon have a Lagos smart city and the convenience of urban living where everything works. The hope is that the source of energy that will power the entire modern city would have been factored into the planning of the city, so that the new city would not start having epileptic power supply right at inception of its development.