Lagos: Growing Really Fast
The most populated city in Nigeria and Africa is Lagos. Its capital is in Ikeja and the state was discovered in 1967. In terms of development and industrialization, if Lagos State is the second in Nigeria then there will be no first. Although a relatively small state and the only one to be bordered by only one other state, Lagos State has seen a high level of prosperity in its years of existence.
This article will expose you to the high level of growth that Lagos State has experienced since its early years as a small settlement to its current position as an industrialized behemoth.
Lagos: Growing Really Fast
Development of Lagos.
1. Introduction and Early Years
2. Population
3. Finance
4. Infrastructure
5. Education
6. Tourism.
Lagos: Growing Really Fast
1. Introduction and Early Years
Lagos State is a state that is surrounded by water bodies of various sizes. This made it to be a major fishing area and the state also became a hub of transportation. Lagos is populated by various ethnic groups and although the Yorubas are the majority of people in the region, you’ll find Igbos, Hausas, Ibibios and people of many other ethnic groups in this state.
Before all these happened and in the earliest state of development, Lagos, which was known as Eko at the time was occupied by the Aworis and more than fifty years later, they were conquered by the Binis who became the new occupants of the state. After this sequence of events, foreigners paid a visit to Eko, specifically the Portuguese and gave the city the name Lagos.
2. Population
If you plan on linking the population of Lagos to its size, you’re in for the shock of your life as the relatively small state has the highest population in the country, reaching up to about 17.5 million people. This number was flagged as wrong and unreliable by the National Population Commission of Nigeria and the population was later set to be about 21 million people in the state. This number is subject to change due to various factors, however you would be amazed to know that this city is the number one most populated city in Nigeria. This population is really shocking coming from a state that was almost completely occupied by a single tribe (The Aworis) in its early years. Population growth in Lagos is nothing short of explosive and this is due to migration of various ethnic groups to this country, foreigners and the birth rate.
3. Finance
With the high influx of people into the city of Lagos, it’s no surprise that it’s financial state is sky high. However, it’s most likely higher than you think. When ranking the economy of Lagos state, the easiest way to get an estimate is to assume that Lagos State is a country and rank its economy among the countries in Africa. Following this ranking, you would think Lagos State would be low in rank however, Lagos State would be ranked among the top five largest economies if it were named a separate country in Africa. This rank would suppress the economy of more than twenty countries in Africa.
Although this ranking gives you a wider picture, it doesn’t give the exact value of Lagos’ economy. The exact economy of Lagos State cannot easily be obtained but as at 2017, Lagos State had an estimated total revenue of about ₦334 billion which is equivalent to $920 million and this was recorded about 7 years ago. Now, another amazing piece of information is that the internally generated revenue of Lagos in 2023 was ₦400 billion! This revenue was recorded in the first half of the year. If the revenue of the second half is added, the numbers would be alarming. You can imagine how much growth the state has experienced.
This alarming financial value of Lagos state is gotten from various sources however, one of the major sources of revenue in Lagos is the mineral resources. Various mineral resources are located in Lagos as it is a water bound region. You can find Clay, Bitumen, Glass Sand and even Crude Oil.
4. Lagos: Growing Really FastZ: Infrastructure
Lagos State has also experienced significant growth in the area of infrastructure and development of various facilities. Development of various transport facilities has been underway in the state and now, there are many ways to move from one place to another both within and outside Lagos rapidly.
Some notable transport systems which have been built in Lagos to aid easy movement include Murtala Muhammed Airport, Bus Rapid Transit regulated by LAMATA, Lagos State Rail Mass Transit and the 38km long Fourth Mainland Bridge. All of this transport systems have been upgraded continously since they were formed. Take Murtala Muhammed Airport as an example, the airport was expanded to allow more people to gain access to the lobby area, thereby increasing the number of people who would be traveling by air transport. Many other upgrades to infrastructure are ongoing and even new ones are being developed.
5. Education
Lagos State has come a long way in the educational sector. The state has a large number of universities (public and private), polytechnics and colleges of education. The number of secondary and primary schools is almost uncountable.
The University of Lagos (Unilag) which was founded in 1962 is the first university in the state. Since then, many more higher institutions have been built and currently, Lagos State has 11 other universities, 6 polytechnics and 15 colleges of education. There is a high chance of the development of more in the nearest future.
6. Tourism
Close proximity to large bodies of water has led to the formation of various beaches in Lagos State. These beaches are very good sources of tourism in Lagos and they contribute greatly to the revenue of the state. Beside the beaches, many other tourist centers can also be seen all over Lagos. Some more popular tourist centers are Atlas Cove, Tafawa Balewa Square, Tinubu Square and so on. Other tourist centers are still in development around the state.
Conclusion
Visit the various beaches in Lagos and spend quality time appreciating nature, observing the waves and feeling your toes curl around the beach sand. Lagos is an enjoyable city to be in and you’ll have no sense of boredom in it.
