Urban Issues and Challenges
- The world’s urban population is growing rapidly and has surpassed 8 billion. The highest rates
of growth are in developing countries e.g. Uganda, Malawi, Niger. Some countries are
experiencing population decline such as Japan, Russia and Romania. More than 55% of the
world’s population live in urban areas. The number of megacities (10M+ people) is increasing
with at least 33 now. By 2040, there will be more than 40.
- A large number of the largest cities are found in Asia, and some in North/South America.
- Urbanisation is a process where an increasing proportion of the population lives in towns and
cities resulting in their growth. Also known as rural to urban migration.
- Urbanisation occurs due to:
PUSH factors (makes people want to leave rural): A lack of employment opportunities,
overpopulation, poor crop yields, civil war, poor services/facilities, lower wages, poor living
conditions.
PULL factors (attract people to urban): Better paid jobs in cities, higher wages, higher standard
of living, more reliable food, better medical services and life expectancy, better overall facilities.
- These can be split into social, economic and environmental. There are also push factors for
cities such as crime levels, not enough jobs, pollution, etc.
- People who migrate to towns and cities tend to be young so have higher birth rates.
- More people live in urban areas than rural. In Asia urban population is expected to grow to
about 64% by 2050, and in Africa to 58% by 2050.
- Urban growth also occurs due to natural increase (or decrease) – the difference between
number of births and deaths.
- Lagos is Nigeria’s largest city located in the south-west of the country on the coast of the Gulf
of Guinea, close to Nigeria’s border with Benin. It was the capital until 1991 when it switched to
Abuja.
- The population increases by approx. 600k people per year, with an estimated 17.5M people
living there, however this is disputed and it could be over 21M. It is the most populated city in
Africa.
- The city’s physical size is growing too. A population boom occurred in the 1970s due to the oil
industry’s growth. Many people moved there seeking jobs.
- From above it looks like any modern city. It has high-rise offices and miles of sprawling
suburbs. At street level the air is filled with noise from motorbikes, generators and yellow taxis.
- Its regional importance: Lagos is important in providing hospitals, schools, universities,
employment, leisure and recreation opportunities. It is a transport hub with an airport and port
providing raw materials for local industries. It is how to approx. 10% of Nigeria’s population. It is
a thriving arts and culture scene.
- Its national importance: It is a centre of trade and commerce. Around 80% of Nigeria’s industry
is based in Lagos, generating 30% of the country’s GDP. It is Nigeria’s media centre and film
industry. It is home to most banks, financial institutions, etc. Most large corporations and TNCs
have their headquarters here. 70-80% of imports/exports travel through Lagos.
- Its international importance: It is the main financial centre of West Africa. 80% of flights to West
Africa go to Lagos. It has one of the highest standards of living in Africa. Its port is top 5 in
busyness. It has been a major venue for sporting events such as the African Cup. It is the ICT
centre of West Africa, with the largest market in Africa. The Lagos International Trade Fair has
become a major forum attracting people across the continent.
,- Lagos has had extreme growth. Less than 1M people lived there in 1960, in 1990 it reached
4M, and around 15M in 2015. The physical area has grown as well. Since then the city has
grown onto the mainland.
- The main cause of growth is rural-urban migration. Another is the high rate of natural increase
due to the youthful population. It is becoming increasingly urbanised.
- Push factors leading to urban migration:
Education and health services are poor in rural areas. Droughts and floods occur more often
now. Farming pays low wages for very hard work. Few job opportunities are present in rural
areas. Land in the Niger Delta region is polluted by the oil industry. Political unrest creates
insecurity. The terrorist group Boko Haram is active in the north of Nigeria. Shortage of land
available. Oil industry has caused heavy pollution.
- Pull factors leading to urban migration:
Social: More healthcare centres/hospitals and medicine available. 68% of the population in
Lagos has a secondary education. People can use electricity for cooking, lighting and
businesses. Water treatment plants provide safe water. People are more likely to get jobs.
Economic: Rural Nigeria is very poor. Rapid growth means lots of construction jobs. Lagos is
home to many of the country’s banks. There are 2 major ports and a fishing industry. Lagos has
a thriving music and film industry (Nollywood). There are more jobs here than anywhere else in
Nigeria.
- Urbanisation has resulted in increased development in Nigeria. Higher life expectancy and
wealth.
- The informal economy is where you work unofficially such as a street vendor or recycling
waste, so don’t pay tax. However this means there’s no required working conditions, treatment
and wages.
- There are no government benefits for the unemployed so any opt for the informal economy.
- The Olusosun landfill is a 100-acre dump in Lagos. It is the largest in Africa. It received 10K+
tons of rubbish per day. It sometimes releases toxic fumes. Around 1,000 homes exist at the
site. The residents sort 3,000 tonnes of waste by hand per day picking out valuables to sell.
When it is dry natural gases build up which often leads to fires which are hard to put out. These
could be harnessed to produce natural energy.
- The coastal location has been a key factor in Lagos’s development as a megacity. It has
become a thriving seaport. Lagos Lagoon provides a sheltered harbour for ships making it
easily accessible.
- Over 7 million passengers passed through its airport in 2015. It is home to Nigeria’s largest
airline, Arik Air.
- Its growing proportion of the workforce is employed in the tertiary industry, and a few in the
primary industry.
- Lagos makes a significant contribution to Nigeria’s economy. 30% of GBP with only 10% of the
population. The majority of Nigeria’s manufacturing is based in Lagos, as well as many services
industries such as finance.
- Lagos is constructing a new city on the coast called Eco Atlantic, which will be home to 250K+
people.
, - As a result of urbanisation the wealth gap in Lagos has widened. Over 60% of the population
live in squatter settlements (slums) such as Makoko. Many homes are built on stilts above
Lagos Lagoon. Most residents earn as little as £1 per day in the informal economy.
- To keep up with rapid growth the city is constructing a rapid transport network, building new
power stations. Only the richest households have water piped to their homes. Others rely on
public taps, boreholes or buying it from street vendors.
- A squatter settlement is any collection of buildings where the people have no legal rights to the
land they built upon. The lack of housing and rapid urbanisation has forced people to build their
own homes.
- In Lagos, many of these are built in water. They provide housing for the poorest and offer basic
shelter. They are typically constructed from scrap material such as wood, plastic sheeting and
corrugated metal. They are also known as informal settlements, shanty towns, slums, and more.
- There are 13 of these in Lagos including Badia, Makoko, Mushin, and more.
Problems with squatter settlements -
- Population density is very high due to the lack of available land to build on. Makoko has 6
distinct districts, four of which being on water on floating stilts at the edge of Lagon Lagoon. It is
estimated over 250K people live in Makoko.
- The homes are built from weak materials such as wood and metal sheets. They do not have
basic facilities and sanitation. The water is very contaminated and filled with litter and waste.
- Most of the residents work in the informal economy or make a living by fishing.
- Despite its problems people in Makoko are very proud and protective of their homes.
Residents have taken steps to improve services such as pipes paid and paid for by enterprising
residents to bring clean water from boreholes in the neighbouring town.
- Makoko Floating School designed by an architect has become the community’s most popular
and famous building.
- Doctors Without Borders opened a floating clinic in 2011 however it stayed open less than a
year. Now Makoko is served by informal, unregistered clinics attending to basic ailments.
Traditional birth attendants deliver babies in an atmosphere of high levels of maternal mortality.
- The authorities want to demolish it to improve the image of the city, although the residents
have nowhere else to go. Some areas have been demolished such as in 2012 when Badia, a
swampland settlement ended in 15,000+ losing their homes.
- The most common way of obtaining water in Lagos is from street vendors selling it in
containers, despite it being surrounded by water. Only 10% of the population have piped water
that has been treated. The other 90% rely on wells or sink boreholes to reach underground
water supplies, or street vendors. In 2016 the daily demand was over double the water
production. Water in the lagoon is not suitable to drink as it is salty and heavily polluted.
- Water supply began to be regulated in 2012, regulating water supply vendors and issuing
licenses for boreholes. The greatest challenge is providing safe drinking water at a reasonable
price.
- Groundwater can be polluted by sewage or contaminated by salt water, which makes well and
boreholes risky. This issue will increase with sea level rise.
- Open drains transport surface run-off into rivers and the lagoon.
- The world’s urban population is growing rapidly and has surpassed 8 billion. The highest rates
of growth are in developing countries e.g. Uganda, Malawi, Niger. Some countries are
experiencing population decline such as Japan, Russia and Romania. More than 55% of the
world’s population live in urban areas. The number of megacities (10M+ people) is increasing
with at least 33 now. By 2040, there will be more than 40.
- A large number of the largest cities are found in Asia, and some in North/South America.
- Urbanisation is a process where an increasing proportion of the population lives in towns and
cities resulting in their growth. Also known as rural to urban migration.
- Urbanisation occurs due to:
PUSH factors (makes people want to leave rural): A lack of employment opportunities,
overpopulation, poor crop yields, civil war, poor services/facilities, lower wages, poor living
conditions.
PULL factors (attract people to urban): Better paid jobs in cities, higher wages, higher standard
of living, more reliable food, better medical services and life expectancy, better overall facilities.
- These can be split into social, economic and environmental. There are also push factors for
cities such as crime levels, not enough jobs, pollution, etc.
- People who migrate to towns and cities tend to be young so have higher birth rates.
- More people live in urban areas than rural. In Asia urban population is expected to grow to
about 64% by 2050, and in Africa to 58% by 2050.
- Urban growth also occurs due to natural increase (or decrease) – the difference between
number of births and deaths.
- Lagos is Nigeria’s largest city located in the south-west of the country on the coast of the Gulf
of Guinea, close to Nigeria’s border with Benin. It was the capital until 1991 when it switched to
Abuja.
- The population increases by approx. 600k people per year, with an estimated 17.5M people
living there, however this is disputed and it could be over 21M. It is the most populated city in
Africa.
- The city’s physical size is growing too. A population boom occurred in the 1970s due to the oil
industry’s growth. Many people moved there seeking jobs.
- From above it looks like any modern city. It has high-rise offices and miles of sprawling
suburbs. At street level the air is filled with noise from motorbikes, generators and yellow taxis.
- Its regional importance: Lagos is important in providing hospitals, schools, universities,
employment, leisure and recreation opportunities. It is a transport hub with an airport and port
providing raw materials for local industries. It is how to approx. 10% of Nigeria’s population. It is
a thriving arts and culture scene.
- Its national importance: It is a centre of trade and commerce. Around 80% of Nigeria’s industry
is based in Lagos, generating 30% of the country’s GDP. It is Nigeria’s media centre and film
industry. It is home to most banks, financial institutions, etc. Most large corporations and TNCs
have their headquarters here. 70-80% of imports/exports travel through Lagos.
- Its international importance: It is the main financial centre of West Africa. 80% of flights to West
Africa go to Lagos. It has one of the highest standards of living in Africa. Its port is top 5 in
busyness. It has been a major venue for sporting events such as the African Cup. It is the ICT
centre of West Africa, with the largest market in Africa. The Lagos International Trade Fair has
become a major forum attracting people across the continent.
,- Lagos has had extreme growth. Less than 1M people lived there in 1960, in 1990 it reached
4M, and around 15M in 2015. The physical area has grown as well. Since then the city has
grown onto the mainland.
- The main cause of growth is rural-urban migration. Another is the high rate of natural increase
due to the youthful population. It is becoming increasingly urbanised.
- Push factors leading to urban migration:
Education and health services are poor in rural areas. Droughts and floods occur more often
now. Farming pays low wages for very hard work. Few job opportunities are present in rural
areas. Land in the Niger Delta region is polluted by the oil industry. Political unrest creates
insecurity. The terrorist group Boko Haram is active in the north of Nigeria. Shortage of land
available. Oil industry has caused heavy pollution.
- Pull factors leading to urban migration:
Social: More healthcare centres/hospitals and medicine available. 68% of the population in
Lagos has a secondary education. People can use electricity for cooking, lighting and
businesses. Water treatment plants provide safe water. People are more likely to get jobs.
Economic: Rural Nigeria is very poor. Rapid growth means lots of construction jobs. Lagos is
home to many of the country’s banks. There are 2 major ports and a fishing industry. Lagos has
a thriving music and film industry (Nollywood). There are more jobs here than anywhere else in
Nigeria.
- Urbanisation has resulted in increased development in Nigeria. Higher life expectancy and
wealth.
- The informal economy is where you work unofficially such as a street vendor or recycling
waste, so don’t pay tax. However this means there’s no required working conditions, treatment
and wages.
- There are no government benefits for the unemployed so any opt for the informal economy.
- The Olusosun landfill is a 100-acre dump in Lagos. It is the largest in Africa. It received 10K+
tons of rubbish per day. It sometimes releases toxic fumes. Around 1,000 homes exist at the
site. The residents sort 3,000 tonnes of waste by hand per day picking out valuables to sell.
When it is dry natural gases build up which often leads to fires which are hard to put out. These
could be harnessed to produce natural energy.
- The coastal location has been a key factor in Lagos’s development as a megacity. It has
become a thriving seaport. Lagos Lagoon provides a sheltered harbour for ships making it
easily accessible.
- Over 7 million passengers passed through its airport in 2015. It is home to Nigeria’s largest
airline, Arik Air.
- Its growing proportion of the workforce is employed in the tertiary industry, and a few in the
primary industry.
- Lagos makes a significant contribution to Nigeria’s economy. 30% of GBP with only 10% of the
population. The majority of Nigeria’s manufacturing is based in Lagos, as well as many services
industries such as finance.
- Lagos is constructing a new city on the coast called Eco Atlantic, which will be home to 250K+
people.
, - As a result of urbanisation the wealth gap in Lagos has widened. Over 60% of the population
live in squatter settlements (slums) such as Makoko. Many homes are built on stilts above
Lagos Lagoon. Most residents earn as little as £1 per day in the informal economy.
- To keep up with rapid growth the city is constructing a rapid transport network, building new
power stations. Only the richest households have water piped to their homes. Others rely on
public taps, boreholes or buying it from street vendors.
- A squatter settlement is any collection of buildings where the people have no legal rights to the
land they built upon. The lack of housing and rapid urbanisation has forced people to build their
own homes.
- In Lagos, many of these are built in water. They provide housing for the poorest and offer basic
shelter. They are typically constructed from scrap material such as wood, plastic sheeting and
corrugated metal. They are also known as informal settlements, shanty towns, slums, and more.
- There are 13 of these in Lagos including Badia, Makoko, Mushin, and more.
Problems with squatter settlements -
- Population density is very high due to the lack of available land to build on. Makoko has 6
distinct districts, four of which being on water on floating stilts at the edge of Lagon Lagoon. It is
estimated over 250K people live in Makoko.
- The homes are built from weak materials such as wood and metal sheets. They do not have
basic facilities and sanitation. The water is very contaminated and filled with litter and waste.
- Most of the residents work in the informal economy or make a living by fishing.
- Despite its problems people in Makoko are very proud and protective of their homes.
Residents have taken steps to improve services such as pipes paid and paid for by enterprising
residents to bring clean water from boreholes in the neighbouring town.
- Makoko Floating School designed by an architect has become the community’s most popular
and famous building.
- Doctors Without Borders opened a floating clinic in 2011 however it stayed open less than a
year. Now Makoko is served by informal, unregistered clinics attending to basic ailments.
Traditional birth attendants deliver babies in an atmosphere of high levels of maternal mortality.
- The authorities want to demolish it to improve the image of the city, although the residents
have nowhere else to go. Some areas have been demolished such as in 2012 when Badia, a
swampland settlement ended in 15,000+ losing their homes.
- The most common way of obtaining water in Lagos is from street vendors selling it in
containers, despite it being surrounded by water. Only 10% of the population have piped water
that has been treated. The other 90% rely on wells or sink boreholes to reach underground
water supplies, or street vendors. In 2016 the daily demand was over double the water
production. Water in the lagoon is not suitable to drink as it is salty and heavily polluted.
- Water supply began to be regulated in 2012, regulating water supply vendors and issuing
licenses for boreholes. The greatest challenge is providing safe drinking water at a reasonable
price.
- Groundwater can be polluted by sewage or contaminated by salt water, which makes well and
boreholes risky. This issue will increase with sea level rise.
- Open drains transport surface run-off into rivers and the lagoon.
