urban issues and challenges

• Lagos

  • Better access to services and resources than rural Nigeria
  • More healthcare centres, hospitals and better range of medicines
  • Around 90% of Nigerian children in urban areas attend primary school, only around 60% in rural areas
  • Better access to electricity than much of Nigeria, uses about 40% of the country's electricity supply
  • Water treatment plants provide safe water piped directly to some areas
• Incomes


  Can be four times higher in Lagos than in rural Nigeria
• Economic opportunities in Lagos

  • Rapid growth means lots of construction jobs
  • Home to many of the country's banks, government departments and manufacturing industries
  • Two major ports and a growing fishing industry
  • Thriving film and music industry- 'Nollywood'
• Lagos' population has rapidly increased to around 20 000 people per km², creating challenges
• Slums and squatter settlements in Lagos

  • House construction can't keep up with population growth, increasing house prices
  • 66% of people in Lagos live in illegal settlements (slums)
  • Houses in slums are often flimsy wooden huts, people face eviction if slums are demolished
• Access to clean water, sanitation and energy in Lagos

  • Only about 40% of the city is connected to the state water supply, people pay inflated prices to informal sellers
  • Up to 15 households can share a toilet, waste often goes straight into local water sources
  • Lagos doesn't have enough electricity to power the whole city at once, some get electricity from illegal connections
• Access to health and education in Lagos

  • Not enough healthcare facilities for everyone, many can't afford treatment
  • Not enough schools for the growing population, many families can't afford to send children to school
• Unemployment and crime in Lagos

  • Not enough formal jobs, people have to find other ways to make money
  • About 60% of the population work in informal jobs without legal protection
  • High levels of crime, many slums patrolled by gangs called 'area boys'
• Environmental issues in Lagos

  • Huge population produces over 9000 tonnes of waste a day, only 40% officially collected
  • Waste disposal and emissions from factories not regulated, leading to water and air pollution
  • Severe traffic congestion, limited public transport and poor links to city centre
• Urban change has brought environmental opportunities to Liverpool


  • Decline of industry left many areas run down and open spaces as wasteland
  • Planners are developing and preserving open spaces like public parks and gardens
  • Liverpool ONE includes a five-acre park in the city centre
• Cycle and pedestrian routes in Liverpool

  • Green spaces made more accessible to encourage people out of cars and reduce emissions
• Cultural mixing in Liverpool

  • Ethnic diversity has brought a range of foods, festivals and cultural experiences, e.g. Liverpool's Chinatown
• Recreation and entertainment in Liverpool

  • Albert Dock restored and developed with shops, restaurants and museums
  • Echo Arena sport and concert venue built on a brownfield site
  • £1 billion spent regenerating the city centre to create Liverpool ONE
• Employment in Liverpool


  • Tourism and service sectors offer 160,000 jobs
  • Development of 'Baltic Triangle' turned derelict factories into spaces for creative industries
  • Some traditional industry remains, e.g. car manufacturing and container port
• Integrated transport systems in Liverpool

  • Merseytravel operates bus, train and ferry networks, prepaid cards can be used across all
• Urban change has caused environmental challenges in Liverpool


  • Derelict buildings were vandalised, many areas became run down
  • Pressure to build on greenfield sites increases, destroying natural habitats
  • Building on brownfield sites requires clearing and decontaminating land first
  • Increasing population produces more waste but less space to store it
• Urban deprivation in Liverpool

  • Industrial decline left inner city very deprived, Anfield and Toxteth among most deprived areas in England
• Housing inequality in Liverpool

  • Regeneration has increased inequality, wealthier areas have better access to housing, education and healthcare
  • Old housing being cleared and replaced with modern but often too expensive for former residents
• Education and employment inequality in Liverpool


  • Many children in deprived areas leave school without basic qualifications, leading to low incomes and high unemployment
• Unhealthy lifestyles in Liverpool


  • Unhealthy behaviour more common in deprived areas, life expectancy 15 years lower in Knowsley than neighbouring St Helens
• The Anfield Project


  • £260 million investment to regenerate Anfield, over £36 million already spent
  • 300 derelict houses refurbished, plans for 600 new homes
  • Anfield Sports and Community Centre refurbished, new health centre and school opened
  • New high street planned including £10 million hotel, existing businesses given opportunity to stay
• Environmental features of the Anfield Project

  • Stanley Park has seen major improvements, £4.5 million environmental scheme to narrow roads and create wider, tree-lined pavements