2.2.6 CASE STUDY - Lagos

one major city in an LiDC

Where is Lagos?

• Located in southwest Nigeria, Africa, along the Atlantic coastline (good for trading, imports and exports)

• A megacity with a population of 16 million

How has Lagos been affected by rapid urbanisation?

• Rapid population increase with numbers growing by 3.4 million between 2000 - 2010.

• Sprawls up 24 km inland

• Extends along bridges

• Traffic congestion

• Inadequate housing/ informal housing

Explore the influence of Lagos within its region.

• Growth rate in migration of 4%, 40% of which is due to rural-urban migration

• R-U migration are due to pull and push factors

• rural areas become abandoned

• cost of living becomes less affordable

• formation of slums like Makoko

• traffic congestion and air pollution

• easy spread of diseases

• decline in quality of life

Explore the influence of Lagos within the country

• 25% of Nigeria’s GDP

• 90% of all sea port activites

• access to coast = 80% imports and 70% exports generated in Lagos

• boost economy and crucial

• holds important infrastructure like the Oba palace, Christs Cathedral, University of Lagos

• attracts workforce, tourists and students

Explore the influence of Lagos in the wider world

• export its natural resources to countries that rely on them

• refined petrolleum, tanks and armoured vehicles, wheat

• cultural hub, for tourism like the national museum of Nigeria

• 7 million passengers each year through its airport

Explore the impact of national migration on the city’s growth and character.

• 4% increase per year

• 2000 people per day

• 40% from the countryside

• Rapid urbanisation and internal growth

• overpopulation

• air pollution

• increase demand in essentials and housing

Explore the impact of international migration on the city’s growth and character

• from LiDCs like Benin and Togo

• 95% residents came from other places

• expansion of cultures, connection with the rest of the world

• overpopulation

• air pollution

• increase demand in essentials and housing

Explore Lagos’ culture, ethnicity, housing, leisure and consumption

• Rich culture - Nollywood, national museum, Lekki conservation centre

• 250 ethnic groups- dominant is Yoruba, many international citizens

• Contrasting housing of slums like Makoko to Banana Island (only 353 luxury land plots, costing around $2 mil for 3 bedroom apartment)

• Freedom park, Harlem beach resort, Funtopia water park

• Luxury shops and restaurants on Victoria island, largest shopping mall = The Palms

What are the contemporary challenges Lagos face?

• Housing availability

• Transport provision

• Waste management

Expand on Lagos’ housing availability.

• 6000 homes were built in 2008-2011 but 2000 people move in per day

• increased demand for housing

• 69& of homes are for low income families but still unaffordable for most

• formation of slums like Makoko (around 250,000 people)

• lack of secure tenure : only 7% of those renting in Makoko have legal title of ownership

• July 2012 - goverment bulldozed 3000 people’s homes in attempt to slow down its growth

• Many people still live on boats, refusing to leave as they have no other option

Expand on Lagos’ transport provision.

• no city-wide rail system

• only 3 bridges from mainland to Victoria island

• fuel subsidy = cheap petrol (only $2.75 a gallon)

• 2016 named as one of the world’s most air polluted cities

• hours long traffic jams

• e.g. 24 km tailbacks

Expand on Lagos’ waste management.

• 10,000 metric tonnes of waste per day

• 12% of waste is plastic because of the lack of clean water

• only 40% of rubbish collected by state government

• pollution of waterways = eutrophication and death of fish

• 28 landfill sites leach into water

• easy spread of diseases like E-coli

Explain one sustainable strategy to overcome one of the city’s challenges.

Eko Atlantic is Nigeria International Commerce city, a planned city constructed on land reclaimed from the Atlantic ocean.

Housing 250,000

daily flow of 150,000 commuters