lagos case study

location?

the southwestern coast of nigeria, gulf of guinea

population?

21 million, with the population increasing approximately 600,000 each year

regional importance of lagos?

large migrant population increases cultural diversity, city is a transport hub with an airport and port providing material for local industries & important centre for regional trade, home to 10% of nigeria’s population

national importance of lagos?

nigeria’s centre of trade and commerce, lagos is home to around 80% of nigeria’s industry and generates about 30% of its GDP, centre of nigeria’s film industry, city is home to most banks, financial institutions and stock exchange

international importance of lagos?

main financial centre of west africa, 80% of flights into west africa go into lagos airport, international port and airport important for global trade

growth of lagos?

many ex slaves returned to lagos in the 1800s as slavery was abolished, natural increase & high rate of migration results in youthful population resulting in high birth rate, government financed many projects creating jobs & causing rapid urbanisation, rural-urban migration is driven by push & pull factors

push factors?

low wages, poor services, land shortage, religious conflict

pull factors?

higher paid job opportunities, better education and healthcare, expectation of better quality of life

social opportunities in lagos?

healthcare is better in lagos, 68% of the population in lagos has secondary education, over 10 universities in lagos, many people access freshwater by digging wells or from public taps, the city uses about 40% of the country’s electricity supply

economic opportunities in lagos?

rapid growth means lots of construction jobs, thriving film and music industry, incomes can be x4 higher in lagos than in rural nigeria so many migrate in search of better paid jobs

housing challenges in lagos?

house construction can’t keep up with the population growth which increases house prices - as a result 66% of people live in illegal settlements like makoko, 75% of families live in one room meaning cramped conditions which can spread disease, they have limited access to freshwater, electricity, sewage & education, houses in slums are often wooden huts that are illegally built so people face eviction if sums are demolished to clean up the city

key facts about makoko?

home to approx. 250,000 people, houses are raised on stilts above a lagoon & made from wood & metal sheeting, no running water or sanitation, people travel around by canoe & many work in fishing

challenges of water, sanitation and energy

up to 15 households share a toilet & waste often goes straight to local water sources, drinking water in lagos often contains bacteria that can lead to diarrhoea & cholera, only 14% of people in lagos have piped water, lagos doesn’t have enough electricity to power the whole city at once, which leads to frequent blackouts, many people rely on wood or paraffin to cook with adding to air pollution and health risks

challenges of health & education in lagos?

not enough healthcare facilities for everyone & many people can’t afford treatment as healthcare isn’t free, limited number of doctors and nurses & pay is poor, poor school conditions & high dropout rates as exams are expensive, not enough schools for growing population e.g. one primary school in the makoko slum

challenges of unemployment & crime in lagos?

unemployment is low - just below 10% however no unemployment benefits, many slum residents are forced to work in informal economic sector such as street vending, car washing, waste recycling - these jobs are dangerous and low paying, kidnapping is a threat in lagos particularly for foreigners

environmental issues in lagos?

squatter settlements are overcrowded with narrow streets & little to no street lighting, animals share living spaces which spread disease, sewage finds its way into drinking water which spreads diseases like cholera, lagos is the largest producer of solid waste in nigeria, commuters can spend up to 3 hours a day in traffic which increases levels of air pollution in the city - this lowers life expectancy

management of environmental issues?

authorities encourage residents of makoko to recycle plastics, metals & paper, people are encouraged to use public transport or car share to reduce congestion & air pollution

management of traffic?

alternative transport options such as rail are being created, 7 new lines on a new light-rail network are being constructed

management of employment?

improved education allows better job prospects, helicopters for police to spot crimes such as armed mugging, burglaries & carjackings

management of education?

rebuilding of decaying schools, building more schools in areas where access to education was limited, initiatives where school exams are paid by the government so intelligent students from squatter settlements can complete their education

key facts about the makoko floating school (urban planning)

it was built in 2013 to give poor children in lagos access to free education - up to 300 children were able to be accommodated, the scheme aimed to increase makoko’s development & improve quality of life of its residents

how did the makoko floating school improve quality of life?

education improved local children’s job prospects, the school provided jobs for local teachers, the school’s success encouraged new developments e.g. building new homes, a specialised health facility, low-income housing

what did the makoko floating school run on?

solar power - energy needs were met sustainably, rainwater which was collected and stored to meet water needs without using up resources