Lagos

• Location - ON THE COAST ( good for trade) In the country of nigeria (a NEE) in the continent of Africa. Located in the northern hemisphere. To the south ie Gulf of guinea and north is niger.
• Importance -

  • regionally - large migrant population increases cultural diversity and is connected to other majour towns (good for regional trade)
  • nationally - lagos is home to 80% of nigerias industry and contributes to 30% of nigerias GDP
  • internationally - lagos is the main financial centre for the whole of west africa and 5th largest economy on the continent. The international port and airport are important for global trade
• Factors causing lagos to grow (old reasons) -

  • British colonised lagos (1860s) making it a centre for trade attracting many merchants ( people who trade)
  • ex slaves returned home to lagos in 1800s when slavery was abolished
  • government financed construction protects eg- oil refineries/ also creating jobs
• Factors causing lagos to grow (recent reasons) -

  • natural increase - nigerias birthrate is 35 births but deathrate of 9 per 1000 people
  • migration- 1200 immigrants enter lagos every day
• Logos - social opportunities -

  • better access to services and resources
  • more healthcare centres,hospitals,medicines in lagos
  • 90% of nigerian children in urban areas attend primary school (only 60% in rural areas do)
  • lagos has better access to electricity - the city uses 40% of the countrys supply
  • water Treatment plants provide safe water
• lagos - economic opportunities-

  • incomes can be 4x higher in lagos than rural nigeria - people migrate for better pay jobs
  • rapid growth = construction jobs
  • lagos home to countries banks , gov. departments and manufa industries
  • two majour ports and growing fishing industry
  • popular film industy ‘Nollywood’
• population density - rapidly increased to 20,000 people per km
• Rapid growth problems - slums and squatter settlements

  • not enough houses and increasing house prices not everyone can afford
  • 66% of people in lagos live in slums (illegal settlements)
  • slums houses are flimsy unsave wooden huts and are built illegally - people face eviction cos slums can be demolished to clean the city
• Rapid growth problems- access to clean water , sanitation , energy

  • water - only 40% of city gets clean water (creates informal jobs of people selling water at really high prices) - sanitation - up to 15 households can share 1 toilet and waste can go into local water sources cos of no sewers in slums causing contaminated water and disease (chlorea) - energy - lagos has not enough energy for everyone so neighbourhoods take turns with it. in slums some people get energy illegally (very dangerous)
• Rapid growth problems - health and education

  • not enough healthcare facilities and many people cant afford treatments
  • not enough schools for demand of population (eg only 1 primary school in makoko slum) and families cant afford school for their kids
• Rapid growth problems - unemployment and crime

  • not enough formal jobs - people have to find other jobs (eg scavenging in rubbish to sell)
  • 60% of population work in informal jobs
  • high crime - many slums (eg makoko) are patrolled by gangs who commit crimes and ‘police’ the slums themself
• Makoko squatter settlement-

  • made from 6 villages and 4 are on water
  • around 1\4 million people
  • 1 primary school
  • waste goes into lagoon (their water supply which causes diseases)
  • 1 toilet shared by 15 households
  • bad healthcare
  • informal jobs
• Lagos opportunities (social) to remember -

  • 90% in primary school / only 60% in rural
  • 20,000 schools and 10 Unis
  • live longer - better healthcare
  • more medicines
  • 2 new power stations
  • 40% of nigerias electricity
  • 40% of city have clean water
  • largest port in nigeria
• Lagos opportunities (economic) to remember-

  • 5th largest economy in africa
  • 30% of nigerias GDP
  • fishing industry
  • Nollywood
  • largest sea port in africa
  • construction jobs due to migration
• Rapid growth problems - environmental

  • population produces over 9000 tonnes of waste per day
  • only 40% of rubbish officially collected
  • large rubbish dumps (eg Olusosun) with toxic waste
  • Waste disposal and emissions from factories not regulated - water and air pollution
  • extremely bad traffic congestion - many workers face 2 hour commutes
  • limited public transport and poor links to city centre
• Environmental problems to remember -

  • 9000 tonnes of waste per day
  • only 40% officially collected
  • large dumps with toxic waste ( eg Olusosum)
  • 10,000 illegal industries due to bad regulations (pollution)
  • air pollution levels 5x higher in lagos than reccomended limit = breathing problems and pollution of water = cholera - centre of lagos is an island with only 3 bridges to it ( going slow= more air pollution )
• Causes of environmental problems in lagos -

  • abandoned mine workings
  • large rubbish dumps
  • industries unregulated
  • outlets directly into rivers from favtories
• Environmental problem solutions-

  • air and water pollution (uncontrolled industries) - banned import of small generators and communities encouraged to share one large generator
  • traffic congestion- bus rapid transit project - 22km of bus route and 220 buses so 200,000 passengers daily. number of cars go down = less pollution and this provided 10,000 jobs for people
  • this overall cut Co2 emissions by 13%
• Urban planning in lagos - Makoko floating school

  • built in 2013
  • aims to give poor children free education and improve quality of lives
  • included classrooms, playground, community space, solar panels, collected rainwater to drink , compost toilets - however in 2016 it collapsed in a storm but Makokos residents rebuilt it using their new skills
• urban planning in lagos - Makoko floating school facts -

  • 100 students educated for free
  • provided teaching jobs
  • collected rainwater
  • improved job prospects for kids
  • ran on solar panels
  • Also used for community meetings
  • built with locally sourced materials
  • local workers gained new skills to build it