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

The areas in Yaba are Sabo, Alagomeji, Adekunle, Akoka, Abule Oja, Onike, Iwaya, Makoko, Jibowu and the Tejuosho side towards Ojuelegba, with Ebute Metta and Oyingbo adjoining them to the south. All of them are in Lagos Mainland Local Government Area, and Yaba has its own Local Council Development Area within it. They differ more than the single name suggests: Akoka is a university quarter, Sabo is the commercial centre, Onike is quiet and residential, and Makoko is a waterfront community. This guide takes them one by one; the wider picture of the district is in the Yaba area guide.

Central Yaba: Sabo, Alagomeji and Adekunle

Sabo is the commercial centre of Yaba, built around Sabo Market and the Herbert Macaulay Way corridor. Much of the technology cluster that gave Yaba its reputation — co-working spaces, start-ups and training schools — is on or near this stretch, alongside banks, eateries and small shops. Flats here are convenient rather than quiet, and they suit young professionals, traders and students who want everything within walking distance. See the Sabo area page.

Alagomeji continues south from Sabo along Herbert Macaulay Way. The side streets are more residential, with older family houses, low blocks of flats and a growing number of rebuilt apartment buildings. It suits renters who want central Yaba without living on the busiest commercial stretch; the Alagomeji area page has more.

Adekunle is the southern end, where Herbert Macaulay Way meets the approach to the Third Mainland Bridge. That makes it the quickest part of Yaba for a drive to Ikoyi, Lagos Island or Victoria Island, and the most exposed to bridge traffic. Housing is older and mixed, and it shades into Ebute Metta.

The university side: Akoka and Abule Oja

Akoka is the north-eastern part of Yaba and the home of the University of Lagos main campus and the Federal College of Education (Technical). Demand comes from students, lecturers and university staff, so self-contains and mini flats are the commonest units and they let quickly at the start of each session. Bariga and Shomolu are the neighbours on the other side. See the Akoka area page.

Abule Oja is the neighbourhood outside the University of Lagos gate. It is smaller and busier than Akoka, with student housing, eateries, printing and business centres packed into a few streets. It suits students who want to walk to lectures; families generally look elsewhere.

The residential middle: Onike and Iwaya

Onike lies between Sabo and the university. It is one of the quieter parts of Yaba, with residential streets of family houses and blocks of flats, and it suits academics, professionals and small families who want calm without leaving the district.

Iwaya runs from Onike towards the lagoon. It is denser and cheaper, with many tenement and room-and-parlour buildings, and the streets nearest the water are low-lying. Ask about flooding and view after rain before paying.

The lagoon edge: Makoko

Makoko is the long-established fishing community on the lagoon shore, part of it built on stilts over the water. It is not a conventional rental market — there are few formal tenancies or titled plots — and it appears on this list because it is part of Yaba and of the same local government, not because agents let property there.

The Ikorodu Road side: Jibowu

Jibowu is the corner of Yaba on Ikorodu Road, known for its inter-state bus terminals, its BRT stop and the Yaba station of the Red Line close by. It is a mixed residential and commercial neighbourhood of older tenements and newer blocks of flats, and it suits commuters who want public transport at the door. Full detail, including rents by unit type, is in the Jibowu, Yaba guide.

The Ebute Metta side: Oyingbo and Ebute Metta

South of Alagomeji and Adekunle, Yaba runs into Ebute Metta, one of the oldest planned districts on the mainland, divided into East and West and shaped by the railway. Oyingbo, with its large food market, sits at its southern end near Iddo. The streets are a grid of old family houses and tenements, rents are lower than in Yaba proper, and the Island is a short trip away. People often search for these as part of Yaba; strictly they are neighbours under the same local government. See is Ebute Metta mainland or island? and the Oyingbo area page.

Indicative annual rents in Yaba

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

• Yaba overall: 2-bedroom flat ₦450,000 – ₦1,800,000 per annum
• Akoka: 2-bedroom flat ₦500,000 – ₦1,200,000 per annum
• Jibowu: 2-bedroom flat ₦450,000 – ₦1,500,000 per annum
• Ebute Metta: 2-bedroom flat ₦200,000 – ₦500,000 per annum

Budget for one to two years in advance plus the agency fee, legal fee and caution deposit. To see what is available now, browse properties in Yaba, 2-bedroom flats for rent in Yaba or all flats for rent in Yaba. If you own a flat or a student block here, you can list it on Cabans free.

What to check before renting in Yaba

• Flooding: the streets nearest the lagoon in Iwaya, parts of Akoka and the Ebute Metta side are low-lying. Ask neighbours, not just the agent.
• Noise: flats on Herbert Macaulay Way, around Sabo Market and near the Jibowu terminals are busy from early morning.
• Power and water: confirm whether the meter is prepaid and separate, and whether the borehole serves every flat.
• Session timing: around the university, the best self-contains go before the session starts, and landlords are firmer on price then.
• Agreement and receipts: insist on a signed tenancy agreement and a receipt from the landlord or a named agent before paying. See the Lagos renting guide.

Frequently asked questions

What are the areas in Yaba?

The main areas in Yaba are Sabo, Alagomeji, Adekunle, Akoka, Abule Oja, Onike, Iwaya, Makoko, Jibowu and the Tejuosho side towards Ojuelegba. Ebute Metta and Oyingbo adjoin Yaba to the south and are in the same local government area.

Which local government is Yaba in?

Yaba is in Lagos Mainland Local Government Area of Lagos State, and it has its own Yaba Local Council Development Area. Sabo, Alagomeji, Akoka, Onike, Iwaya and Makoko are all under the same local government.

Which part of Yaba is best to live in?

It depends on why you are moving. Akoka and Abule Oja are best for University of Lagos students and staff; Sabo and Alagomeji suit young professionals who want the technology offices, restaurants and transport on the doorstep; Onike is the quieter residential choice; and Jibowu suits commuters who rely on the BRT and the Red Line.

Is Akoka part of Yaba?

Yes. Akoka is the north-eastern part of Yaba, where the University of Lagos main campus stands. It is in Lagos Mainland Local Government Area, with Bariga and Shomolu as its neighbours on the other side.

Is Ebute Metta part of Yaba?

Ebute Metta is a separate, older district immediately south of Yaba, but the two run into each other around Adekunle, Alagomeji and Oyingbo and share the same local government. Rents in Ebute Metta are lower; a 2-bedroom flat there is indicatively ₦200,000–₦500,000 a year.

How much is rent in Yaba?

Indicatively, a 2-bedroom flat in Yaba rents for ₦450,000–₦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: Yaba area guide, Jibowu, Yaba, Is Yaba mainland or island?, Areas in Lagos Mainland, Surulere area guide, Is Bariga mainland or island?. Area page: Yaba area guide and listings.