Knowledge

• Lagos is a city in Nigeria. Nigeria is an NEE and has the highest GDP of any country in Africa. Citys population is over 14 million.
• Lagos Regional Importance-


  -Large migrant population increases cultural diversity.

  -Very well connected to other major towns, making it an important centre for regional trade
• Lagos National Importance-


  -Home to 80% of Nigeria's industry, as well as many global companies
• Lagos International Importance - 


  -Main financial centre of whole west Africa and the 5th largest economy on the continent.

  -International port and airport are important for global trade
• Factors causing Lagos to grow rapidly - Colonised

  -British colonised Lagos in 1860's, making it a centre for trade and attracting many merchants
• Factors causing Lagos to grow rapidly- Ex slaves 


  -Ex-slaves returned in 1800's as slavery was abolished
• Factors causing Lagos to grow rapidly- Independence

  -Lagos gained independence in 1960,causing rapid economic development as Nigerias resources were no longer controlled by Britain
• Factors causing Lagos to grow rapidly- Construction


  -Government then financed lots of construction projects e.g oil refineries, sea ports and factories, creating many jobs and causing rapid urbanisation
• Factors causing Lagos to grow rapidly - Natural increase


  -Recent growth caused by natural increase and migration
• Natural increase in Lagos

  Nigeria's birth rate is roughly 35.2 births per 1000 people, compared to a death rate of 9.6 so population is rapidly increasing
• Migration in Lagos


  Estimated 1200 immigrants enter Lagos every day, either from neighbouring countries or from rural areas in northern Nigeria. Much of this rural urban migration is due to ethnic and religious conflict and high levels of poverty elsewhere in Nigeria and Africa. Many people expect a better quality of life in Lagos #
• Social opportunities- Healthcare 


  -There are more healthcare centres, hospitals and a better range of medicines in Lagos
• Social opportunities 


  Lagos has better access to services and resources than rural Nigeria
• Social opportunities - Education

  -Almost 90% of Nigerian children in urban areas attend primary school- only around 60% in rural areas attend school. The state Lagos is in has almost 20000 schools
• Social opportunities- Electricity 


  -Lagos has better access to electricity than much of Nigeria, the city uses about 40% of the country's electricity supply. Many people can light their homes and cook more easily
• Social opportunities - Water 


  -Water treatment plants provide safe water that is piped directly to areas of the city
• Economic Opportunities 


  Incomes can be 4 times higher in Lagos than in rural Nigeria, so many people migrate in search of better paid jobs
• Economic opportunities - Construction

  -Rapid growth means that there are lots of construction jobs, e.g Building the new commercial centre, Eko Atlantic
• Economic opportunities - Construction

  -Rapid growth means that there are lots of construction jobs, e.g Building the new commercial centre, Eko Atlantic
• Economic Opportunities - Banks

  -Lagos is home to many of the country's banks, government departments and manufacturing industries. There are also 2 major ports and a growing fishing industry
• Economic opportunities - Film

  -Lagos also has a thriving film and movie industry, 'Nollywood' films are very popular
• Rapid growth problems - Slums& Squatter settlements

  -House construction can't keep up with Lagos' population growth, increasing housing prices and making them too costly for people. As a result, 66% of people in Lagos live in slums

  -Houses in slums are often flimsy wooden huts. As they are built illegally, people face if slums are demolished to clean up the city.
• Rapid growth problems- Access to water, sanitation and energy 


  -Water: only 40% is connected to state water supply. Water is in short supply so people pay inflated prices to get water

  -Sanitation: Up to 15 households can share a toilet, waste goes straight to water sources. Contaminated water causes health issues

  -Energy: Doesn't have enough electricity to power whole city at once, so neighbourhoods take in turns. Some get electricity from illegal connections.
• Rapid growth problems- Access to health & education


  -Aren't enough health facilities for everyone and often people can't afford treatment.

  -Aren't enough schools for growing population and many families can't afford to send children to school
• Rapid growth problems - Unemployment & Crime

  -Aren't enough jobs for growing population- people have to find other ways to make money e.g scavenging items from rubbish dump

  -60% work in informal jobs without any legal protection.

  -High levels of crime- many slums
• Rapid population growth- Environmental issues

  -Produces over 9000 tonnes of waste a day. About 40% of rubbish is officially collected and there is large rubbish dumps

  -Waste disposal and emissions from factories are not controlled leading to water & air pollution

  -Traffic congestion really bad, many workers face 2 hour journey's. Limited public transport and poor links to city centre
• Schemes to improve quality of life - Makoko floating school


  -Built to give some of the poorest children in Lagos access to free education.

  -Scheme aimed to increase Makoko's development and improve quality of life of its residents

  -Collapsed after a storm
• Makoko- Social Benefits 


  -Up to 100 students could be educated for free this mean work t that they didn't need to work

  -School was built by unskilled local workers, the skills they learnt equipped them to build and repair their own homes

  -School was also used for local community meetings and activities
• Makoko- Economic Benefits 


  -Education improved local children's job prospects.

  -School provided jobs for local teachers

  -Schools success encouraged the government to launch its 'Makoko regeneration plan'. This aims to develop slums further, e.g building houses and biogas plant to produce cooking gas for local people
• Makoko- Environmental Benefits 


  -School was built using locally sourced materials, meaning its construction didn't harm local environment and repairs are easy

  -School's buoyancy allowed it to adjust to different water levels and protect from floods

  -School ran on solar power so energy in a sustainable way

  -Collected rainwater to meet water needs, so it didn't use resources that the community needed #
• Social problems - Squatter settlements 


  Squatter settlements are found on marshy poorly drained land where no one else wants to build
• Social problems - Settlements

  The settlements lack basic facilities and good sanitation
• Social problems - Water 


  Only 11% of population have access to piped water
• Social problems - Makoko 


  Makoko spreads across both land and water
• Social problems - Sea level

  Residents are very vulnerable to sea level change and flooding
• Social problems - Populated

  Densely populated due to lack of available land
• Social problems - Population

  3/4 of the population live in just one room
• Social problems - Toilet

  2% of the population use a bush as a toilet
• Social problems - Houses on stilts

  In floating communities houses are built on stilts on the edge of the Lago Lagoon
• Social problems - Legal rights

  The people have not planned this settlement and only 7% have legal rights to the land. In addition, the slum houses have little in the way of security