Nigerian Cities A History Of Africa’s Big Apple The dynamic economic powerhouse of the continent, Lagos is rising up with an innovative and ambitious vision to pave the way for national development, growth and vibrancy.
NIGERIA
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Lagos is the world’s fastest growing city, with an increase in population growth from 1.4 million in 1970, to an estimated mind-boggling 21 million today, heralding it as the most populous city in the whole of Africa. According to data from the United Nations, the population in Lagos is predicted to increase by 77 people every hour from 2010 to 2030, and is set to be the largest city in the world by 2100. With thousands of people pouring into the city every day, in search of opportunity and a better life, Lagos is making sure that it can accommodate and sustain the influx, and have fun while they’re doing it. Out of Nigeria’s 36 states, Lagos has always been the nation’s centre of power. It has been demonstrated that if Lagos was a country, it would be among Africa’s largest economies; indeed its economy is currently larger than the whole of Kenya’s put together. Initially emerging as a port city, Lagos has been always been a land for traders and settlers with a tendency towards industrialism. Currently, it is the largest and busiest seaport on the continent, with its main hubs of commerce and financial business located on the two small islands of Lagos and Victoria, where headquarters for the majority
of national and international commercial banks, financial institutions and major corporations have been set up and consolidated. Political competence and efficient guidance have been key drivers to the city’s growth and economic stability. Governors, such as Bola Tinubu to Babatunde Fashola (Nigeria’s current Minister of Works and Houses), Akinwunmi Ambode and present incumbent, Babajibe Sanwo-Olu have been driving the same productive vision and political machine towards modernisation and progress. Their forward-thinking leadership has placed infrastructure development of the fastest growing city at the forefront of all their policies. With an emphasis upon private-sector input, the city has been transformed physically and productively, providing a dynamic contribution to Nigeria’s economy. Since 2007, development of Lagos’ urban infrastructure really took off, new power plants, Africa’s first suspension bridge, roads, highways, skyscrapers and bridges have been built, metamorphosing Lagos into the megacity it is today. Fiscal security has also been restored via effective tax implementation put into place by Lagos Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), leading the city to
