Urban Issues and Challenges: Lagos Flashcards
What is urbanisation?
result of migration as people move from the countryside into the cities
How does migration and natural increase contribute to urbanisation?
causes population to increase, rural urban migrants tend to be youthful (increases birth rate)
Name 3 push factors to move into a city
- limited opportunities (lack of employment) 2. poor transport infrastructure
poor harvests
Name 3 pull factors to move into a city
better paid employment, better schools and healthcare, better public transport
What is the global distribution of megacities?
29 megacities (mainly in Asia), growth in HICs is slowing down, growth in LICs is increasing
Where is Lagos?
Western Africa, South-West coastal area of Nigeria
What is Lagos’ regional importance?
-transport hub
-home to 10% of Nigeria’s population
What Lagos’ national importance?
-generates 25% of N’s GDP
-80% of N’s imports pass through the docks
What is Lagos’ international importance?
11th largest economy in Africa, venue for many sporting events
Why has Lagos grown?
migration + natural increase - high rate of migration over last 50 years has created a youthful population (increasing birth rate)
What is the estimated population of Lagos?
17 million
SOCIAL OPP - education
over 10 universities (Lagos University Teaching Hospital), state schools operated by government
SOCIAL OPP - access to water
wells or boreholes (Water Master Plan), street vendors - over 12 million have supply of clean water
SOCIAL OPP - transport
Lagos Blue Rail Line - transport 250,000 passengers daily to overcome congestion
ECONOMIC OPP - informal sector
offers to jobs to those uneducated - e.g. Olusosun rubbish dump (5000 workers, sense of community, reduces landfill)
ECONOMIC OPP - tertiary jobs
-locally will improve living conditions due to high wages, multiplier effect
-government will receive more taxes, improves funding for other aspects
Why is urban growth a challenge?
lack of affordable property (causes squatter settlements)
What are the challenges in Makako?
lack of sanitation, 19% unemployed, no legal rights of land (vulnerability)
Why is water supply a challenge?
only 11% have access to clean, piped water
Why is sanitation a challenge?
most can’t flush toilets, use PIT LATRINES where sewage usually pollutes drains and rivers
Why is energy a challenge?
reliance on back-up generators (unreliable, not available to all)
Why is healthcare a challenge?
not always free, many contagious diseases (malaria, typhoid), due to population increase investments can’t keep up
Why is unemployment a challenge?
-below 10%
-forces people to make money legally or illegally - sometimes increases crime rates, makes it more difficult for areas to develop
Why is crime a challenge?
street gangs (e.g. Area Boys) - creates an unsafe and insecure environment, less employment are brought into areas with poor reputations
What are the main environmental challenges?
-air pollution
-water pollution
-waste
-traffic congestion
Why is water pollution a challenge?
health impacts (cholera)
Why is air pollution a challenge?
hazardous to health (asthma)
Why is waste a challenge?
contribute to air pollution, hazardous to health
Why is traffic congestion a challenge?
air pollution, stops workers getting to work
What is causing air pollution?
industry, cars, construction dust - particulate matter, nitrous oxides
