Areas in Surulere, Lagos: Full List and What Each Is Like

The areas in Surulere are Bode Thomas, Adeniran Ogunsanya, Masha and Kilo, Shitta, Aguda, Ijeshatedo, Itire, Lawanson, Ojuelegba, Iponri, Eric Moore and the National Stadium side along Funsho Williams Avenue. Surulere is a local government area of its own on the Lagos mainland, with two Local Council Development Areas inside it, Coker-Aguda and Itire-Ikate. The centre around Bode Thomas is commercial and mid-priced, the western side around Aguda and Itire is denser and cheaper, and the Iponri and Eric Moore side is closest to Lagos Island. This guide takes them one by one; the district as a whole is in the Surulere area guide.

Central Surulere: Bode Thomas, Adeniran Ogunsanya, Masha and Shitta

Bode Thomas is the best-known street in Surulere, a banking and retail road that connects with Eric Moore Road on one side and Adeniran Ogunsanya Street on the other. Blocks of flats stand among the business premises and on the short streets leading off it, and they suit professionals who want central Surulere at the door. Read the Bode Thomas Street guide and the Bode Thomas area page.

Adeniran Ogunsanya is the main shopping street, home to the shopping mall and many of the retail chains, with apartment blocks set back from the road. It is lively by day and into the evening. See the Adeniran Ogunsanya area page.

Masha and Kilo lie between the centre and Aguda, around Ogunlana Drive. They are popular, affordable residential streets of older houses and walk-up flats, a short ride from the shops without the noise of the main roads. Shitta, close by, is quieter still and is liked by families.

The western side: Aguda, Ijeshatedo, Itire and Lawanson

Aguda is a settled residential neighbourhood on the western side of Surulere, within Coker-Aguda Local Council Development Area. It is calmer and more affordable than the centre, and listings often write it as Pako-Aguda after the bus stop. Full detail, including rents by unit type, is in the Aguda, Surulere guide; there is also an Aguda area page.

Ijeshatedo adjoins Aguda on the side towards the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway. It is dense and low-cost, with many tenement and room-and-parlour buildings alongside small blocks of flats, and it suits tenants who put price first.

Itire runs towards Mushin and gives its name to Itire Road and to Itire-Ikate Local Council Development Area. It is a busy, tightly built residential area with some of the lowest rents in Surulere. Ikate here is a Surulere community and has nothing to do with the Lekki neighbourhood of the same name.

Lawanson is the busy residential and commercial area on the way from Itire and Aguda to Ojuelegba. It has a mix of older houses and newer apartment blocks, and buses pass constantly, which suits people without a car.

The junction: Ojuelegba

Ojuelegba is the junction district at the Yaba end of Surulere, where Funsho Williams Avenue passes under the flyover and the roads from Yaba, Lawanson and Itire meet. It is one of the busiest bus interchanges on the mainland, so it is commercial and noisy on the main roads, with cheaper residential streets behind them. See the Ojuelegba area page.

The stadium and Island side: Iponri and Eric Moore

The National Stadium side runs along Funsho Williams Avenue, the former Western Avenue, which is the main road through Surulere and carries the BRT towards Lagos Island. The National Stadium and Teslim Balogun Stadium face each other across it, with residential streets behind.

Iponri is the neighbourhood of older estate blocks near the Costain end of the avenue. It is practical rather than polished, and it is the part of Surulere best placed for Eko Bridge and Lagos Island. See the Iponri area page.

Eric Moore is the area along Eric Moore Road, which leaves Bode Thomas and leads towards Iganmu and Costain, where the roads to Lagos Island and Apapa are picked up. It mixes commercial premises with blocks of flats, and it suits people who work on the Island or in Apapa.

Indicative annual rents in Surulere

These are indicative asking ranges for a full year. Renovated and newly built flats with a prepaid meter, a borehole and parking sit at the top; older walk-ups sit at the bottom.

• Surulere (mini flat): ₦350,000 – ₦700,000 per annum
• Surulere (1-bedroom flat): ₦500,000 – ₦900,000 per annum
• Surulere (2-bedroom flat): ₦700,000 – ₦1,800,000 per annum
• Surulere (3-bedroom flat): ₦1,200,000 – ₦2,800,000 per annum
• Aguda (2-bedroom flat): ₦750,000 – ₦1,400,000 per annum

Streets off Bode Thomas and Adeniran Ogunsanya are at the upper end of those ranges, while Ijeshatedo, Itire, Ojuelegba and Iponri are generally below the district average. To see what is available now, browse properties in Surulere, 2-bedroom flats for rent in Surulere or 3-bedroom flats for rent in Surulere. If you own a flat or a house here, you can list it on Cabans free.

What to check before renting in Surulere

• Flooding: parts of Surulere are low-lying and some streets hold water after heavy rain. Ask neighbours, and view in the wet season if you can.
• Age of the building: much of the stock is decades old. Check plumbing, wiring and the roof, not only the fresh paint.
• Parking: many older compounds have little or none, and street parking is tight around Bode Thomas and Adeniran Ogunsanya.
• Noise and match days: flats near Ojuelegba, the main shopping streets and the stadiums are busy; test the street in the evening.
• Power and water: confirm a separate prepaid meter and whether the borehole serves every flat.
• Agreement and receipts: insist on a signed tenancy agreement and a receipt before paying. See the Lagos renting guide.

Frequently asked questions

What are the areas in Surulere?

The main areas in Surulere are Bode Thomas, Adeniran Ogunsanya, Masha and Kilo, Shitta, Aguda, Ijeshatedo, Itire, Lawanson, Ojuelegba, Iponri, Eric Moore and the National Stadium side along Funsho Williams Avenue.

Which local government is Surulere in?

Surulere is a local government area of Lagos State in its own right, on the mainland. For local administration it also has two Local Council Development Areas, Coker-Aguda and Itire-Ikate.

Which part of Surulere is best to live in?

For shops, banks and restaurants on the doorstep, choose the streets off Bode Thomas and Adeniran Ogunsanya. For a calmer and cheaper residential street, look at Aguda. For the quickest trip to Lagos Island, look at Iponri and the Eric Moore side. Ojuelegba and Lawanson suit people who depend on public transport.

Is Aguda in Surulere?

Yes. Aguda is on the western side of Surulere Local Government Area and falls within Coker-Aguda Local Council Development Area. A different, smaller Aguda exists near Ogba on the Ikeja side of Lagos, so check the street before you view.

Is Ojuelegba part of Surulere?

Ojuelegba is the busy junction district at the Yaba end of Surulere, where Funsho Williams Avenue passes under the flyover. It is one of the main bus interchanges on the mainland, and the residential streets behind it are among the cheaper parts of Surulere.

Is Surulere on the mainland or the island?

Surulere is on the Lagos mainland. It is one of the closest mainland districts to Lagos Island, which is reached over Eko Bridge from the Costain and Iponri side.

How much is rent in Surulere?

Indicatively, a 2-bedroom flat in Surulere rents for ₦700,000–₦1,800,000 a year, with renovated and newly built flats at the top of the range. Landlords usually ask for one to two years in advance, plus agency and legal fees.

Related guides: Surulere area guide, Aguda, Surulere, Bode Thomas Street, Is Surulere mainland or island?, Areas in Yaba, Areas in Lagos Mainland. Area page: Surulere area guide and listings.