Ketu is a busy residential, market and transport district on Ikorodu Road, in Kosofe Local Government Area on the north-eastern Lagos mainland. It lies between Ojota and Mile 12, with Alapere and Ogudu on the side towards the Third Mainland Bridge. It has a BRT station, motor parks and a large fruit and foodstuff market, and behind the main road are dense residential streets where a 2-bedroom flat indicatively rents for about ₦550,000–₦1,000,000 a year. It suits people who commute by public transport and want a moderately priced, well-connected base.
Where is Ketu, and which LGA is it in?
Ketu is in Kosofe LGA, and its local council is Agboyi-Ketu Local Council Development Area. Which side of the lagoon it is on is covered in Is Ketu mainland or island?; this guide is about living there. The areas around it are:
- Ojota: the next district along Ikorodu Road towards Maryland and Yaba, with the interchange and the big motor parks. See the Ojota area guide.
- Mile 12: the next stop the other way, towards Ikorodu, and home to the largest foodstuff market in Lagos. See the Mile 12 guide.
- Alapere and Ogudu: on the side towards the Third Mainland Bridge. See the Ogudu guide.
- Ikosi and Magodo: reached along Ikosi Road, inland from the Ketu bus stop. See the Magodo area guide.
What is Ketu like?
Ketu is crowded and commercial on the main road and residential behind it. The bus stop, the BRT station, the market and the motor parks keep Ikorodu Road busy from before dawn until late at night. The streets behind hold tenement houses, older blocks of flats, bungalows and a growing number of newer blocks, with schools, churches, mosques and small shops among them. Ikosi Road has more offices, banks and eateries, and the housing becomes quieter as you move along it towards Ikosi and Magodo.
- Markets: Ketu market is known for fruit and foodstuff, and Mile 12 Market is a short bus ride away. Food is cheaper here than in most of Lagos.
- Daily needs: banks, pharmacies, private hospitals, schools and eateries are all close by.
- Power and water: public electricity is unreliable, so most buildings run a generator or an inverter, and most compounds use a borehole.
- Flooding: the ground falls away towards Agboyi and the Ogun River, and the lower streets on that side can flood badly in the rains. Streets on higher ground are less affected. Check the exact street.
- Noise and crowds: homes close to the main road and the market are noisy; the inner streets are calmer.
Indicative annual rents in Ketu
These are indicative ranges for a full year. Renovated and newer flats with a prepaid meter, a borehole and parking sit at the top of each range; older compound flats on the inner streets can be found below these figures.
- Self-contain: ₦200,000 – ₦400,000 per annum
- 1-bedroom flat: ₦350,000 – ₦650,000 per annum
- 2-bedroom flat: ₦550,000 – ₦1,000,000 per annum
- 3-bedroom flat: ₦750,000 – ₦1,500,000 per annum
Landlords usually ask for a year in advance, and the agency fee, legal fee and caution deposit come on top; move-in costs in Nigeria shows how to add these up before you start viewing. To see what is available now, browse flats for rent in Ketu and houses for rent in Ketu.
Buying property in Ketu
Ketu is fully built, so buyers are mostly looking at existing houses and blocks of flats, and at commercial property near the main road and the market. Small landlords like it because tenant demand is constant, and traders and transport businesses like it for the location. Prices depend heavily on the street, on how high the ground is and on the documents, so compare several similar properties before you make an offer, and be wary of anything that looks cheap on the low ground towards Agboyi.
Have a lawyer search the title at the Lagos State Lands Bureau, and have a surveyor confirm that the plot is free of government acquisition and clear of drainage and river setbacks. Read how to verify a C of O in Lagos and buying a house in Lagos, then browse properties for sale in Ketu.
Getting around from Ketu
- Ikorodu Road towards the Island: through Ojota, Maryland, Anthony and Fadeyi to Yaba and Lagos Island. The BRT runs on this road and has a station at Ketu.
- Ikorodu Road the other way: to Mile 12 and on to Ikorodu; the BRT continues in this direction too.
- Through Alapere and Ogudu: to the Third Mainland Bridge, the usual drivers' route to Lagos Island, Ikoyi and Victoria Island.
- Through Ojota: to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway link for Alausa, Ikeja and Berger, and along Kudirat Abiola Way to Oregun.
- Ikosi Road: inland to Ikosi, Shangisha and Magodo.
The motor parks load for other states as well. Ikorodu Road is slow towards the Island in the morning and towards Ikorodu in the evening, and the Ketu and Mile 12 bus stops are bottlenecks in their own right. Walk from the flat to your bus stop, and travel to work at your normal hour, before you commit.
Who Ketu suits
- Workers who commute by bus or BRT to Ikeja, Maryland, Yaba or Lagos Island
- Traders tied to Ketu market or Mile 12 Market
- Families who want lower food costs and schools close by
- People who work in Ojota, Oregun, Alausa or along Ikorodu Road
- Small landlords looking for steady tenant demand
It is not the place for quiet, low-density living; on this side of the city, that means Ogudu GRA or Magodo. To compare more widely, see areas on the Lagos mainland.
What to check before renting or buying in Ketu
- Flooding: ask which way the street drains and what happened in the last heavy rains; look for water marks on fences and walls.
- The exact street: visit on a market day and in the evening to judge noise, crowds and access.
- Power and water: confirm the meter, the generator arrangement and that the borehole works.
- Parking and access: check how a car gets in and out at rush hour.
- Who you are paying: confirm the landlord's identity and the agent's authority before money changes hands, and insist on a written agreement and receipts.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Ketu in Lagos?
Ketu is on the north-eastern Lagos mainland, on Ikorodu Road. Ojota is the next district towards Maryland and Yaba, Mile 12 is the next towards Ikorodu, and Alapere and Ogudu are on the side towards the Third Mainland Bridge.
Which local government is Ketu under?
Ketu is under Kosofe Local Government Area. For local administration it falls under Agboyi-Ketu Local Council Development Area. Ojota, Ogudu, Mile 12 and Magodo are in the same local government.
How much is rent in Ketu?
Indicative annual rents in Ketu are about ₦200,000–₦400,000 for a self-contain, ₦350,000–₦650,000 for a 1-bedroom flat, ₦550,000–₦1,000,000 for a 2-bedroom flat and ₦750,000–₦1,500,000 for a 3-bedroom flat. Older compound flats on the inner streets can be found below those figures.
Is Ketu a good place to live?
Ketu suits people who commute by bus or BRT and want a moderately priced base with quick access to Ojota, Ikeja, Yaba and Lagos Island. The trade-offs are crowds and traffic on Ikorodu Road, market congestion, unreliable public electricity and streets that flood after heavy rain, especially on the lower ground towards Agboyi.
How far is Ketu from Mile 12?
Mile 12 is the next major stop after Ketu on Ikorodu Road, heading towards Ikorodu. It is a short bus ride, and Mile 12 Market, the largest foodstuff market in Lagos, is where many Ketu traders and households buy in bulk.
What is Ketu known for?
Ketu is known for its busy bus stop and BRT station on Ikorodu Road, for its fruit and foodstuff market, for motor parks with buses to other states, and for being next door to Mile 12 Market.
Related guides
Browse the Ketu area guide, the Kosofe area guide and the Ojota area guide. Related guides: Ketu location guide, Ojota area guide, Mile 12 location guide, Ikorodu location guide, CMD Road, Magodo and renting a house in Lagos. Have a property here? List your property on Cabans.
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