Impact of Rapid Urban Growth in Lagos (Edexcel GCSE Geography A): Revision Note

Inequality in Lagos

• The growth of Lagos has led to a widening of inequality

• Inequalities in Lagos arise in wages, housing, access to services, access to open land, safety and security

• There are 6,300 millionaires that live in Lagos, 330 people have a fortune of more than $10 million, 20 are worth more than $100 million; and there are 4 billionaires

• Most residents earn as little as $1.50 a day and many are employed in the informal economy, which means there is no minimum wage

Housing

• Over 60% of the population lives in squatter settlements around the city and are typically found on unfavourable land, such as swamps and the lagoon

• The largest squatter settlement is Makoko, where the homes are built on wooden stilts within the low-lying lagoon itself due to the risk of flooding

• The houses (huts) are built illegally, with communal toilets, and the waste goes directly into the lagoon waters, polluting the water

• 75% of families live in just one room, meaning people live in cramped conditions, which can spread disease

• They all have limited access to fresh water, electricity, sewage and education

• 55% of people use pit latrine toilets, allowing sewage to seep directly into the ground, which can pollute drinking water 

• Houses are poorly built and prone to flooding

Water and sanitation supplies

• Drinking water is often contaminated, leading to diarrhoea

• Only 14% of people in Lagos have piped water; many dig their own boreholes/wells or have to buy from water vendors

  • This water can also be contaminated if vendors get it from contaminated sources

• Poor wastewater treatment has led to increases in cholera and dysentery 

  • There is a lack of a proper sewerage system in the city, with sewage being disposed of in open drains which flow into the rivers and lagoon

Energy supplies

• Street lighting is limited, posing a danger to people from passing traffic or violent attacks, particularly on women

• Many people rely on wood or paraffin to cook with, adding to air pollution and health risks

• Lagos has frequent blackouts, with many wealthy people and businesses relying on generators for their electricity

• Electricity cables are hi-jacked by a number of people and present a danger of overloading and fires

Congestion and pollution

• Squatter settlements are overcrowded with narrow streets and little to no street lighting

• Air pollution rates are 5 times higher in Lagos than the international recommended limit

• Industrial areas such as Ikeja have poor air and water pollution controls

• Commuters can spend up to 3 hours a day in traffic, increasing levels of air pollution in the city

• Air pollution lowers life expectancy, especially for people with respiratory diseases such as asthma

• Lagos is the largest producer of solid waste in Nigeria

• It is estimated that 500 ‘rag pickers’ work at the Olusosun landfill, picking through an estimated 13,000 tonnes of waste a day

Employment

• Unemployment is low, at under 5%, but there are no unemployment benefits

• Many residents of squatter settlements are forced to work in the informal economic sector, such as street vending, car washing or waste recycling

  • These jobs are often dangerous, poorly paid and unregulated

  • Street vendor stalls can be bulldozed to make way for new developments

• Lagos has high crime levels, especially in drug trafficking and gangs

  • The organised gangs of street teenagers and adult males are called the 'Area Boys' or 'agbero' who roam the streets and control slums

  • They extort money from passers-by, traders, motorists, passengers, pickpockets, and sell drugs

Health and education

• There is a limited availability of schools and hospitals

  • Lack of motivation for teachers due to poor behaviour of students

  • Poor school conditions and high dropout rates as the cost of exams is expensive

• Healthcare is not free

  • There are a limited number of doctors and nurses and pay is poor

  • The stagnant water of the lagoon is a breeding ground for mosquitoes, leading to the spread of diseases of malaria