Bourdillon Road is the prestige road of Old Ikoyi, in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State, and the best-known residential address in the country. It starts at Falomo roundabout and runs to the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge end of the district, where it meets Alexander Road. Luxury apartment towers and large houses on big plots line it. It sits at the very top of the Ikoyi market: detached houses are indicatively ₦20,000,000–₦60,000,000 a year, and many properties are quoted in dollars.
Where Bourdillon Road starts and ends
Four routes meet at Falomo roundabout: Awolowo Road, Alfred Rewane Road, which is still widely called Kingsway Road, Falomo Bridge to Victoria Island, and Bourdillon Road. From the roundabout, Bourdillon Road runs through Old Ikoyi as a tree-lined dual carriageway.
Its far end is a roundabout at the Ikoyi landing of the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge. Alexander Road meets it there, and Gerrard Road, which leads towards Parkview Estate and Banana Island, is close by. The bridge crosses the water to Admiralty Way in Lekki Phase 1, so Bourdillon Road is both a residential address and the main approach to the bridge from the Falomo side.
How Old Ikoyi relates to Parkview, Banana Island, Osborne Foreshore, Dolphin Estate and the Awolowo Road side is set out in areas in Ikoyi, and the district as a whole in the Ikoyi area guide.
What is on Bourdillon Road
For most of its history Bourdillon Road was a road of large colonial-era and post-independence houses set well back on wide plots, and a number of those remain, behind high walls, as private residences and official or corporate guest houses. It has long been home to some of the most prominent political and business families in the country, which is a large part of its reputation.
Over the last two decades many plots have been redeveloped into luxury apartment towers and low-rise blocks of very large flats, maisonettes and penthouses. These buildings are fully serviced, with round-the-clock power, lifts, pools, gyms, concierge and layered security, and they are aimed at senior executives, diplomats and wealthy families. The road is therefore a mix of tall new towers and older low-rise compounds.
Commercial use is limited compared with Awolowo Road. There are some corporate offices, a few restaurants and service businesses, mostly towards the Falomo end, but the road remains primarily residential, and the streets off it are quieter still.
What property is like, and what it costs
Houses on Bourdillon Road have an indicative range of their own. For apartments, use the ranges for the district:
- Detached houses on Bourdillon Road: ₦20,000,000 – ₦60,000,000 per annum
- Ikoyi 2-bedroom flat: ₦4,500,000 – ₦12,000,000 per annum
- Ikoyi 3-bedroom flat: ₦9,000,000 – ₦18,000,000 per annum
Bourdillon Road sits at the upper end of every Ikoyi range, and its newest towers go beyond them. The reasons are straightforward: the plots are among the largest on the Island, the density is low, the location is central, the security is strong and the name itself carries a premium that no other road in Lagos quite matches. The most affordable way into the district is on the Awolowo Road side or in Dolphin Estate, not here.
Within the road, age and specification decide the price. A new tower with full services and lagoon or city views is at the top. An older block of flats with fewer amenities is lower, though still expensive by any other Lagos standard. Large houses are scarce, rarely advertised openly and often let to companies and diplomatic missions. Rents and sale prices for the best properties are commonly quoted in dollars, and service charges on the towers are substantial and paid on top of the rent.
To see what is available now, browse properties in Ikoyi, flats for rent in Ikoyi or houses for rent in Ikoyi. Owners thinking of selling can read how to list a house for sale in Ikoyi.
Getting around from Bourdillon Road
Victoria Island is over Falomo Bridge at one end of the road, and Lekki Phase 1 is over the Link Bridge at the other, so few Lagos addresses are better placed for the Island business districts. The mainland is reached by Alfred Rewane Road and Osborne Road to the Third Mainland Bridge. Because the road feeds the Link Bridge, it carries commuter traffic between Lekki and Ikoyi, and both ends, Falomo roundabout and the bridge roundabout, queue at peak hours. Almost everyone here drives or is driven.
Who Bourdillon Road suits
- Senior executives, diplomats and corporate tenants whose housing is paid for by an employer
- Wealthy families who want space, privacy and security in the centre of the Island
- Buyers who want a trophy address that holds its value through market cycles
- Developers and investors in ultra-luxury apartments
Buyers comparing the top of the market should also read the Banana Island guide and Ikoyi vs Lekki.
What to check before you rent or buy
- Service charge: on a tower it can be a large sum; get the written breakdown and the reserve fund position.
- Currency: confirm whether the rent is fixed in naira or in dollars, and at what rate it is paid.
- Traffic at the gate: check how easy it is to enter and leave the compound at rush hour, especially near the bridge end.
- Building management: ask who manages the building and speak to an existing resident if you can.
- Title, for a purchase: much of Old Ikoyi is on federal or state leases; have a solicitor verify the title, the remaining term, any consent required and, for an apartment, the structure of the unit title.
Own a property on or around Bourdillon Road? List your property on Cabans.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Bourdillon Road?
Bourdillon Road is in Old Ikoyi, in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State. It starts at Falomo roundabout, where it meets Awolowo Road, Alfred Rewane Road and Falomo Bridge, and it runs to the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge end of the district, where it meets Alexander Road.
Which local government is Bourdillon Road under?
Bourdillon Road is under Eti-Osa Local Government Area, like the rest of Ikoyi. The area falls within Ikoyi-Obalende Local Council Development Area.
Why is Bourdillon Road so expensive?
It combines the things that are scarcest in Lagos: large plots, low density, mature trees, a central Island location, strong security and a long-standing reputation as the address of the most prominent families in the country. Supply is fixed, so prices are set by a small number of very wealthy buyers and tenants.
How much is rent on Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi?
Detached houses on Bourdillon Road are indicatively ₦20,000,000–₦60,000,000 a year, and the largest cost more. For apartments, the indicative Ikoyi ranges are ₦4,500,000–₦12,000,000 for a 2-bedroom flat and ₦9,000,000–₦18,000,000 for a 3-bedroom flat, and the luxury towers on Bourdillon Road are at or above the top of those ranges.
Is Bourdillon Road the same as Old Ikoyi?
Bourdillon Road is the best-known road in Old Ikoyi, the original low-density part of the district. Old Ikoyi also includes the quiet streets around it and around Gerrard Road, Alexander Road, Glover Road, Cooper Road and Queens Drive.
Does Bourdillon Road lead to Lekki?
Yes. The far end of Bourdillon Road is at the Ikoyi landing of the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge, the tolled cable-stayed bridge that crosses to Admiralty Way in Lekki Phase 1.
Related guides
Browse the area on Cabans: Bourdillon Road area page, Ikoyi area page. Related guides: Areas in Ikoyi, Ikoyi area guide, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, Victoria Island, Is Ikoyi mainland or island?, Areas in Lagos Island.
Take the next step
Keep your research practical: search for property in Ikoyi, compare live options for flat for rent in Ikoyi, or list your property on Cabans to reach active buyers and renters.
Not ready yet? Get an email when new listings go up in Ikoyi.