VI's beachfront extension: royal estate, new towers, short commute
Price band
LGA
Distance to CBD
Distance to airport
Nearest major road
Area type
01
Overview
Oniru is the stretch of land between central Victoria Island and the Lekki Toll Gate, better known to estate agents as Victoria Island Extension or the ONIRU Private Estate. It is owned and managed by the Oniru royal family of Iruland, whose palace stands on Palace Road, and it has grown over three decades from sand-filled swamp into one of the most sought-after residential addresses on the Lagos Island axis.
The appeal is simple geography. Oniru sits within a 5 to 10 minute drive of VI's office towers, yet it is quieter, more residential and, on average, a little cheaper per square metre than the VI core. It also has the ocean: Oniru Beach and the beach-club strip off Water Corporation Drive and Ligali Ayorinde Street have made the area the Island's weekend playground, with Landmark Centre, Hard Rock Cafe and a string of lounges and restaurants along the waterfront.
Housing ranges from early-2000s terraces and detached houses inside the gated estate to the new generation of high-rise serviced apartments on Ligali Ayorinde, Water Corporation Drive and Palace Road. Twin Waters, the Four Points by Sheraton and the Oriental Hotel on the Lekki–Epe Expressway are the landmarks most visitors recognise.
Oniru attracts young and mid-career professionals, expatriates who want a beach-side lifestyle with a VI commute, and investors chasing short-let and serviced-apartment demand. Schools such as the British International School and hospitals such as Healing Stripes are inside the area, and Lekki Phase 1's wider amenities are across the toll gate. For buyers priced out of Ikoyi and VI's waterfront but unwilling to move past the toll, Oniru is usually the first stop.
02
History
The Oniru family are the traditional rulers of Iruland, the Yoruba community whose territory covered much of what is now Victoria Island and its eastern swamps. When the colonial Lagos Executive Development Board acquired Victoria Island in 1948, displaced residents were resettled at Maroko, a low-lying settlement on the family's eastern lands that grew into one of Lagos's largest informal communities.
On 14 July 1990 the military administration of Colonel Raji Rasaki evicted Maroko's estimated 300,000 residents and demolished the settlement. In the settlement that followed, the Oniru royal family received roughly 700 acres of the cleared, sand-filled land as compensation. Under the late Oba Idowu Abiodun Oniru, who reigned until 2019, the family laid out the ONIRU Private Estate with interlocking paved roads, drainage channels, perimeter fencing and a management company, and began selling and leasing plots from the late 1990s.
The first wave of development produced terraces, detached houses and small gated courts. From the 2010s, rising land values pushed the estate vertical, with serviced apartment towers on Ligali Ayorinde and Water Corporation Drive and the arrival of Landmark Centre, Twin Waters and the Four Points hotel. Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan Lawal succeeded to the throne in 2020. The partial demolition of Landmark Beach in 2024 to make way for the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway is the most recent change to Oniru's shoreline.
03
Location & Neighbours
Oniru occupies the eastern third of what most people call Victoria Island. Its western boundary is the Sandfill area around Ahmadu Bello Way's eastern end and the Eko Hotel roundabout; its eastern boundary is the Lekki Toll Gate, beyond which Lekki Phase 1 begins. To the south lies the Atlantic shoreline, with the eastern edge of Eko Atlantic City and the beach-club strip. To the north, Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue and the Five Cowrie Creek waterfront separate it from Ikoyi, with the Lekki–Ikoyi Link Bridge taking off just east of the area.
The Lekki–Epe Expressway runs through the middle of Oniru and is its main spine. Palace Road, Ligali Ayorinde Street, Water Corporation Drive, Landbridge Avenue and Akiogun Road form the internal grid, connecting the gated residential core to the hotel and beach zone on the ocean side.
04
Who Lives Here
Oniru's residents skew younger and more professional than Ikoyi's. Bankers, tech and consulting staff, oil-service employees and creatives in their late twenties to forties make up a large share of tenants, drawn by the combination of a short commute and a social scene on the doorstep. Expatriates on medium-term contracts like the serviced towers, and Nigerian returnees often choose the area for its familiar, apartment-led lifestyle.
Inside the gated estate, the mood is more settled: families in terraces and detached homes, many of whom bought plots in the early 2000s, with children at the British International School or Lekki Phase 1 schools. The beach clubs, Landmark's restaurants and weekend events mean the area never feels sleepy, but the estate roads themselves are calm, tree-lined and walkable by Lagos standards.
05
Real Estate
Oniru's housing stock falls into three bands. Inside the ONIRU Private Estate are 3- to 5-bedroom terraces, semi-detached and detached houses on 400 to 1,000 sqm plots, many with BQs and small gardens, built from the late 1990s onwards. Along Ligali Ayorinde, Water Corporation Drive, Palace Road and the expressway frontage are mid- and high-rise serviced blocks of one- to three-bedroom flats, increasingly sold furnished for the short-let market. Finally, a handful of waterfront and hotel-branded towers such as Twin Waters set the top of the market.
The clear trend is densification. Older single-family compounds on the main estate roads are being bought, demolished and replaced by eight- to fifteen-storey blocks with pools, gyms and full power backup. Off-plan sales with staged payment plans are common, and developers market two-bedroom units heavily to investors. Supply has grown quickly, so buyers should scrutinise build quality, service-charge levels and the developer's track record.
Land is traded per square metre. Typical asking prices in 2025/2026 are around ₦1.5M to ₦2M per sqm for inner plots and more for waterfront or expressway-facing sites, so a 1,000 sqm plot carries an asking price in the region of ₦1.5B to ₦2B. Title is generally a sub-lease from the Oniru family estate rather than a direct Certificate of Occupancy, and consent fees to the estate apply on transfer, which buyers should budget for.
For investors, Oniru offers a yield sweet spot: rents close to VI levels, purchase prices a little below, and strong short-let occupancy driven by the beach clubs and Landmark events. Capital growth has been steady as the area matures, though service charges of ₦1M to ₦3M a year on serviced units eat into net returns.
Typical asking figures, updated 2026
Type
Typical asking price
Flat Rent
₦6.5M – ₦25M / yr (1–3 bed); serviced 3-bed up to ₦35M
House Rent
₦25M – ₦40M / yr (4–5 bed terrace or detached)
Flat Sale
₦180M – ₦500M (2–3 bed)
House Sale
₦450M – ₦1.2B
Land Sale
₦1.5M – ₦2M per sqm (≈ ₦1.5B – ₦2B per 1,000 sqm plot)
Shortlet Nightly
₦70k – ₦250k / night
06
Popular Estates
ONIRU Private Estate is the gated core: paved, drained roads with controlled gates off the Lekki–Epe Expressway, a mix of terraces, detached houses and newer low-rise blocks, managed by the royal family's estate office.
Palace Road runs past the Oba's palace and hosts a string of serviced apartment buildings popular with short-let operators.
Ligali Ayorinde Street and Water Corporation Drive form the waterfront tower belt, with Twin Waters, hotel-branded apartments and direct access to Landmark Centre and the beach clubs.
Landbridge Avenue is known for the British International School and a quieter residential character.
Crown Court, Mabel's Court and Crescent Park are small gated courts within the estate offering terraces with shared security and facilities.
The Grandview and Vantage Court are examples of the newer branded mid-rise developments aimed at professionals and investors.
Victoria Island Extension frontage along the expressway mixes offices, hotels such as Four Points by Sheraton and the Oriental, and large mixed-use sites.
07
Transport
Oniru's single biggest transport asset is that residents heading to VI or Ikoyi travel against the main traffic flow. The Lekki–Epe Expressway runs straight through the area, so central VI is 5 to 10 minutes west and Lekki Phase 1 is 5 to 10 minutes east once you clear the Lekki Toll Gate, which sits on Oniru's eastern edge. The Lekki–Ikoyi Link Bridge, tolled, lifts traffic over Five Cowrie Creek and puts Ikoyi within 10 minutes.
Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue on the creek side is the alternative route into VI and is the road of choice when the expressway is jammed. The Eko Hotel roundabout at Oniru's western end is a reliable choke point during rush hour and on event nights at Eko Hotel or Landmark.
Danfo minibuses and yellow taxis ply the expressway with stops at Sandfill, Oniru and the toll gate; ride-hailing is the default for most residents and arrives quickly because of the high density of drivers in VI. The Five Cowrie ferry terminal at Falomo is a short drive away for lagoon routes to Ikorodu and Badore. The airport is roughly 28 km away, typically 50 to 90 minutes by road depending on Third Mainland Bridge conditions.
08
Schools
The British International School on Landbridge Avenue is Oniru's best-known school, a boarding and day secondary following the English national curriculum through IGCSE and A-levels. For younger children, Buttercups Nursery and Primary is a long-established option in the area, and several small Montessori and preparatory schools operate on the estate roads.
A much wider choice sits within 10 to 20 minutes. In Victoria Island there are the American International School of Lagos, Lycée Français Louis Pasteur, Corona School and Kuramo College. Across the toll gate in Lekki Phase 1 families use Lekki British School, Greensprings School, Meadow Hall, Corona School Lekki, the Italian International School Enrico Mattei on Admiralty Way and Caleb International School, among others.
At tertiary level, the Nigerian Law School campus on Ozumba Mbadiwe is next door, and the Lagos Business School is roughly 30 minutes east on the Lekki–Epe Expressway.
09
Healthcare
Healing Stripes Hospital, a multi-specialist private facility within Oniru, and Barnes Hospital are the two local names most residents quote. Pharmacies including HealthPlus and MedPlus operate on the expressway frontage and at Landmark Centre.
Victoria Island's private hospitals are a short drive away: Reddington Hospital on Idowu Martins Street, Euracare on Younis Bashorun Street and Paelon Memorial Hospital. Across the toll gate in Lekki Phase 1 there are Britannia Hospital, George's Memorial Medical Centre, Medison Specialist Women's Hospital and LouisMed Hospital, and Evercare Hospital in Lekki is reachable in 20 to 30 minutes. Lagoon Hospitals and St Nicholas Hospital on the Ikoyi and Lagos Island side are within 15 to 20 minutes via the Link Bridge.
10
Leisure & Shopping
Oniru is the Island's leisure district. Landmark Centre on Water Corporation Drive is the hub: event halls, restaurants, Hard Rock Cafe and a beachfront promenade that hosts concerts, markets and festivals. Landmark Beach itself was partly cleared in 2024 for the coastal highway, but The Good Beach and Oniru Beach remain the main sand-and-sunbed venues, with jet skiing, volleyball, yoga sessions, bootcamps and weekend DJs.
For shopping, Ebeano Supermarket and Adiba Supermarket cover groceries on the estate side, with Shoprite and SPAR a few minutes away and The Palms Shopping Mall, with its cinema and international brands, across the toll gate in Lekki. Oniru Market is the local open market for fresh produce.
Hotel facilities are a big part of local leisure: Four Points by Sheraton and the Oriental Hotel have pools and gyms open to members, and several serviced towers on Ligali Ayorinde offer residents' pools and fitness centres. The Lekki–Ikoyi Link Bridge is the area's favourite running route, and Muri Okunola Park and the Eko Atlantic promenade are within a short drive. Queens Event Centre and the Landmark halls host many of the city's larger weddings and conferences.
11
Dining
The Landmark waterfront is Oniru's restaurant row. Hard Rock Cafe is the best known, and Shiro serves Asian fine dining next door. Circa Non Pareil offers rooftop dining with views across the beach and towers, The House is a favourite for cocktails and small plates, and Oceans5 by Riviera pairs seafood with a waterside setting. The beach clubs themselves run grills and bars through the weekend.
Along the expressway and on Palace Road and Ligali Ayorinde there is a dense mix of Lebanese, Chinese, Indian and Nigerian restaurants, cafés and bakeries, many inside the ground floors of the serviced towers. The Four Points and Oriental hotels both have all-day restaurants that draw a local crowd. For everyday Nigerian food, the bukas near Oniru Market and the Sandfill bus stop serve amala, jollof and pepper soup at ordinary prices, and suya spots line the service lane of the expressway at night.
12
Nightlife
Oniru has quietly become the centre of Lagos nightlife, overtaking parts of VI and Ikoyi. The beach clubs on Water Corporation Drive and behind Landmark turn into open-air parties on Friday and Saturday nights, with DJs, live acts and bottle service, and Hard Rock Cafe hosts regular live music. Rooftop lounges such as Circa and the bars on Ligali Ayorinde attract a professional crowd after work.
Landmark's event halls and the nearby Eko Hotel convention centre mean big concerts and festivals frequently land in the area, and the road network around the Eko Hotel roundabout slows to a crawl on those nights. Club Quilox and the Adeola Odeku lounges in VI are five minutes away, while the 34.26 and Medusa lounges in Lekki Phase 1 are just across the toll gate.
13
Places of Interest
The Oniru Palace on Palace Road is the seat of the Oba of Iruland and the historical heart of the estate. Oniru Beach and the Landmark waterfront are the main public attractions, with views of the Great Wall of Lagos and the Eko Atlantic skyline to the west. Twin Waters, the Four Points by Sheraton and the Oriental Hotel are the architectural landmarks on the expressway.
The Lekki Toll Gate at the eastern boundary became nationally significant during the October 2020 EndSARS protests and remains a recognised Lagos landmark. Places of worship include several churches along Palace Road and within the estate, the Oniru central mosque, and larger congregations such as the Lekki Central Mosque and This Present House in neighbouring Lekki Phase 1. Terra Kulture and the Nike Art Gallery are each within 10 to 15 minutes for theatre and art.
14
Security
The ONIRU Private Estate is gated with manned entry points off the expressway, estate security patrols and a residents' association that funds CCTV and street lighting on the main roads. Serviced towers add their own 24-hour guards and access control. Maroko Police Station and the Bar Beach division cover the wider area, and the heavy hotel and event presence means a visible police and private-security footprint most evenings.
Concerns are the usual island ones: phone theft from cars in slow traffic around the toll gate and Eko Hotel roundabout, and occasional disputes around beach-club crowds late at night. The estate's interior streets are regarded as safe, and residents walk and jog within the gates.
15
Pros & Cons
Pros
5 to 10 minutes from VI's business core, against the main traffic flow.
Beachfront lifestyle with Landmark, beach clubs and restaurants on the doorstep.
Gated estate roads that are quieter and more walkable than central VI.
Large supply of modern serviced flats with pools, gyms and full power backup.
Strong short-let and corporate rental demand for investors.
British International School and local hospitals within the area.
Cons
Rents and prices are close to VI levels; service charges are high.
Event and beach-club traffic clogs the toll-gate and Eko Hotel roundabout on weekends.
Rapid high-rise construction brings noise, dust and variable build quality.
Land title is usually a sub-lease from the royal estate, with consent fees on transfer.
Coastal-highway works have reduced public beach access since 2024.
16
FAQs
Where exactly is Oniru in Lagos?
Oniru is the eastern part of Victoria Island, between the Eko Hotel roundabout and the Lekki Toll Gate, in Eti-Osa Local Government Area. It is also called Victoria Island Extension or the ONIRU Private Estate and sits on the Atlantic side of the Lekki–Epe Expressway.
Is Oniru a good place to live?
For professionals who work in VI or Ikoyi and want a beach-side social life, it is one of the best locations on the Island. It is quieter inside the estate than central VI, while still minutes from restaurants, hotels and the beach. Families with young children may prefer Lekki Phase 1 or Ikoyi for more space.
How much is rent in Oniru?
Typical asking rents in 2025/2026 are around ₦6.5M–₦8M a year for a one-bedroom flat, ₦15M–₦25M for two- and three-bedroom serviced flats, and ₦25M–₦40M for four- and five-bedroom terraces or detached houses inside the estate.
How much does it cost to buy a flat in Oniru?
Two- and three-bedroom flats in serviced buildings typically ask ₦180M–₦500M, with off-plan units at the lower end and finished waterfront units higher. Four-bedroom terraces and detached houses generally range from ₦450M to over ₦1B.
Who owns Oniru Estate?
The land belongs to the Oniru royal family of Iruland, who received it as compensation after the 1990 Maroko clearance and developed it as the ONIRU Private Estate. Most property is held on long sub-leases from the family estate, and transfers attract estate consent fees.
Is Oniru cheaper than Victoria Island?
Generally yes, slightly. Comparable flats tend to rent and sell for a little less per square metre than in VI's waterfront core, though new towers on Ligali Ayorinde and Water Corporation Drive now price at VI levels. The biggest saving is usually on houses inside the gated estate.
Which beaches are in Oniru?
Oniru Beach and The Good Beach are the main public beach clubs, alongside the Landmark waterfront, which lost part of its beach to the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway in 2024. They offer sunbeds, restaurants, water sports and weekend events.
Enquire about Oniru
Speak with a CW Real Estate advisor for pricing, availability, and viewings in this neighbourhood.
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