Urban issues : Lagos

Question 1

Describe the location of Lagos

Answer 1

South-Western Nigeria
On the coast of the Gulf of Guinea
Close to border with Benin
Nigeria is in Central Western Africa

Question 2

Give the regional importance of Lagos

Answer 2

Most Nigerian manufacturing industry is located in Lagos.

Question 3

Give the national importance of Lagos

Answer 3

Lagos is a main financial centre for West Africa.

Question 4

Give the international importance of Lagos

Answer 4

Population over 16 million, seventh fastest growing city in the world.

Question 5

Opportunity of healthcare in Lagos

Answer 5

Underfunded and crowded in Nigeria but there is greater access to it in Lagos

Question 6

Opportunity of education in Lagos

Answer 6

10 Universities in Lagos
68% educated in secondary school in Lagos but only 60% educated to primary level in Nigeria
Opportunity to get qualifications, making people more employable.

Question 7

Opportunity of water supply in Lagos

Answer 7

75% in Lagos v 42% in rural Nigeria
Wells and boreholes are used to provide water.
Lagos Water corporation providing 12 million people with drinking water
More people have access to safe drinking water, fewer deaths at a young age.

Question 8

Opportunity of energy in Lagos

Answer 8

80% of urban population rely on diesel generators
Rural areas don’t have lighting and power
2 new power stations are going to be built to light the streets at night.
Still face frequent power cuts

Question 9

Opportunity of urban industrial areas in Lagos

Answer 9

Lekki Free Trade Zone (created 100,000 jobs) and Aje oil field.
Encourages TNCs to base offices, provides jobs for workers of varying skills, locals have more money to spend on education, increases skilled workforce. Leads to positive multiplier effect. Requires FDI (foreign direct investment).

Question 10

Opportunity of informal economy

Answer 10

Allows unskilled and uneducated people to earn money and improve quality of life. Requires simple tools and little to set up.
Employs 40% of workforce

Question 11

Examples of urban industrial areas in Lagos

Answer 11

Lekki Free Trade Zone and Aje oil field

Question 12

Example of informal economy in Lagos and explanation

Answer 12

Oluson rubbish dump. Workers sift through 3000 tons of waste to find valuable items to sell. 500 people work there.

Question 13

Challenges of squatter settlements
Lack of sanitation
Lack of legal rights
Poor health

Answer 13

Densely populated, built on marshy land no one else wants
Lack of water and sanitation - Only 11% have clean water. Malaria and dysentry spread easily. Communal toilets shared by 15 households.
Water from wells and boreholes - contaminated.
Lack of legal rights - 2012 government evicted people for ‘Venice of Africa’ plan. Little security.
Poor health - low life expectancy. Malaria, malnutrition due to lack of sanitation.

Question 14

Challenges of providing water supply and pollution

Answer 14

Only 10% have access to safe, piped water. Demand gap of 330 million gallons a day.
Most obtain water from wells and boreholes (contaminated) or street vendors.
2012 - Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission began trying to regulate street vendors and license boreholes to provide everyone with safe water.
Old infrastructure, insufficient planning for government.
Dysentery and diarrhoea caused by sewage that enters water supplies

Question 15

Challenges of providing sanitation

Answer 15

Most people use pit latrines as they don’t have access to flushing toilets. Sewage either drains into the soil (contaminates groundwater) or enters open drains and rivers.
This is an even larger issue in densely populated squatter settlements which are built over water.

Question 16

Challenges with providing energy

Answer 16

Large organisations rely on diesel back-up generators due to frequent power cuts.

Question 17

Challenges of providing healthcare

Answer 17

Available but not always free. Sometimes long queues for doctors. Vaccinations for children are available but aren’t free.
Not enough investment for increasing population.

Question 18

Challenges of providing education

Answer 18

Free education for all young children.
Secondary schools are limited and have to be paid for.
Not enough universities. Industries work with universities to provide relevant courses.

Question 19

Challenges of reducing unemployment

Answer 19

Below 10% of people are unemployed.
No unemployment benefit so people are forced to work in formal or informal sector.
Informal sector employs 40% of workforce.
Informal sector is unregulated, dangerous conditions, poorly paid.

Question 20

Opportunity of formal sector in Lagos

Answer 20

Wider range of job opportunities in Lagos with higher pay, not found in rural areas.
Tertiary jobs - people earn more in formal sector, taxes are paid, local infrastructure is improved.

Question 21

Challenges of reducing crime

Answer 21

Crime rates are high particularly drugs, vandalism and theft.
Violent clashes between gangs known as ‘Area Boys’.
Kidnapping is a threat for foreigners.
Cyber-fraud and scams among the financial community in Lagos.

Question 22

Describe the Makoko floating school

Answer 22

Makoko floating school - Built in 2014. Hosts 60 children at a time. Also used as a community centre. Children in squatter settlements such as Makoko are often cut off from services. Education allows them to become more employable, ending the poverty cycle. School was also environmentally friendly and employed local unskilled workers. Transferable skills which allowed them to then go and build their own houses. Solar cells were used to make it sustainable.

Question 23

Challenges of pollution in Lagos

Answer 23

Air pollution is 5x higher than recommended international limit. Water pollution is also a large issue due to poor infrastructure. Unregulated vehicles.

Question 24

Challenges of traffic congestion

Answer 24

Average commuter spends 3 hours in traffic. Results in high levels of air pollution, loss of money to businesses. Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport introduced a bus rapid transit system, transporting 200,000 commuters a day to the CBD. ‘Danfos; operate but are often very busy. Plans to create an integrated transport system.