Lagos is a megacity with an estimated population of 17.1 million people, although some sources suggest that the figure is closer to 21 million. It is one of the fastest growing cities in Africa with around 1.1 million people added each year, giving it a population growth rate of 3.3% annually, and is the third largest African city after Cairo in Egypt and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Background of Lagos

Lagos was a small fishing village - it was named in 1472 by Portuguese settlers which means 'lakes', named because of the water that surrounded the area. The city fell under the control of Benin in the 16th century and served as a frontier town, and during the 17th century became an important trading centre, and in fact a hub for the Atlantic slave trade.

Lagos was declared a colony in 1862 by British prime minister Lord Palmerston, who assumed formal Protectorate of Lagos. However, it was governed by the Gold Coast (which is modern day Ghana), before becoming a separate colony in 1886. Its importance as a trading centre strengthened as the Royal Navy offered protection against pirates. At this point Nigeria became part of the British Empire.

In 1906 Lagos was made the capital of Southern Nigeria, and when the separate states of Southern and Northern Nigeria merged into a single state in 1914, Lagos became the capital city of Nigeria. You can see what Lagos was like at the time from these images...

Abuja, a new capital city

Lagos remained the capital city until 1991 when it was replaced by Abuja (pictured below), which was seen as a better choice than Lagos for a number of reasons...

• Neutrality and national unity - Abuja is in the centre of Nigeria, and its neutral location didn't favour any particular ethnic group or region
• Lagos' overcrowding and limited expansion - Lagos had become increasingly congested and lacked space for further development. The government recognized the need for a new capital that could accommodate future growth and development, which Abuja could
• Strategic location and climate - Abuja's location in the centre of Nigeria offers ease of access, a cooler climate, and less humidity than Lagos, which are better for the functioning of the government and for the health and well-being of its employees

How has Lagos grown?

1960s: Growth was centred near to Lagos Island and the mainland directly closest to the island (the CBD, so therefore where most of the jobs were). The island was connected to the mainland by a bridge and settlements grew along transport routes in this area.

1990s: Lagos started to grow northwards and westwards in a linear pattern along transport links from the CBD, and pockets of growth also appeared on the Lekki Peninsula. Coastal areas around the lagoon also became heavily urbanised, and informal settlements sprung up as people found work in the fishing industry.

2010s onwards: Lagos continued to expand out further north and west, as well as huge growth in the Lekki Peninsula in the east of the city (pictured below). Lagos now stretched 40km from the furthest area east to west and far further to the north.

Population growth in Lagos

Despite not being the capital city anymore, Lagos is still the most important city in Nigeria, and as a consequence is experiencing rapid population growth, with estimates for the greater Lagos area reaching around 28 million. The city is growing by about 3,000 people daily, or roughly 1.1 million annually. This growth is driven by a combination of natural increase (more births than deaths), migration (both internally and from other parts of Africa), and economic opportunities.

• Natural increase - Lagos has a high birth rate and a relatively low death rate, leading to a significant natural increase in population
• Migration - many people migrate to Lagos in search of employment and economic opportunities, particularly from rural areas within Nigeria
• Economic growth - Lagos is a major economic hub in Nigeria and West Africa, attracting businesses and individuals seeking opportunities in the formal sector
• Historical factors - the discovery of oil in the Niger Delta in 1956 and the subsequent economic boom in the 1970s spurred rapid urbanisation and population growth in Lagos

Population growth by decade:

• 1950 = 325,000 inhabitants
• 1960 = 762,000 inhabitants
• 1970 = 1.4 million inhabitants
• 1980 = 2.6 million inhabitants
• 1990 = 4.8 million inhabitants
• 2000 = 7.3 million inhabitants
• 2010 = 10.4 million inhabitants
• 2020 = 14.4 million inhabitants
• 2030 (est) = 20.6 million inhabitants

You can see this growth in more detail on the graph below...

The population today

Lagos covers a land surface area of 1,200 sq km (less than 0.5% of Nigeria), yet contains around 10% of the Nigerian population - which is 6,871 people per sq km, making it a very crowded city (which you can see from the image below). Around 70% of Lagos' inhabitants live in informal settlements and poverty is high, despite the city having a large economy, with average earnings of £368 per month.

Lagos is a diverse city with over 250 ethnic groups. The dominant ethnic group is the Yoruba - they are the indigenous people of the area and form the majority of the population, and Lagos is located within Yorubaland, the homeland and cultural region of the Yoruba people in West Africa. There are also significant populations of Hausa, Igbo, and Fulani people.

In terms of religion, although Islam is the dominant religion in Nigeria, with over 50% of the population, Christianity is a close second with around 45%. However, this varies across the country and south-western states tend to be more Christian than Muslim - in Lagos around 68% of the population describe themselves as Christian.