Lagos| The most populated city in the world and one of the world’s largest cities. Located on the Western Coast of Nigeria, there are over 21 million residents living in a 356 861 hectare area. Everyone seems to be going somewhere fast, always on the move, always on the go. The city is characterized by a motivated atmosphere. Lagos was founded by the Awori, who are a tribe of the Yoruba people, in the 13th century. The city has been Nigeria's premier city since at least 1861. Lagos was part of the United Kingdom’s West African Settlements from 1866 to 1874. In 1914, Lagos was named Nigeria's political capital, retaining that status until 1991 when Abuja formally became Nigeria's new federal capital territory.

Lagos prides itself as a megacity. The real estate market is continually on the rise in the city. Estimates show that Lagos grows 2-3% each year, which equates to more than 630 000 new residents every year in numbers. The city is bounded by the state of Ogun to the north and east, by the Bight of Benin to the south, and by the Republic of Benin to the west.  Lagos spreads over what used to be the four main islands: Lagos, Iddo (now attached to the mainland), Ikoyi (now attached to Lagos Island), and Victoria (now the tip of the Lekki Peninsula). The city is dominated by islands, sandbars, and lagoons. A system of bridges connects some of Lagos’s islands to each other and to the mainland. The city currently stands as the 6th largest in the world by city population.

Development in Lagos is taking place by converting coastal wetlands into urbanized communities. The growth of urbanization will ultimately impact on soil erosion, biodiversity, infrastructure demands, and public health. There are 14,3 Million citizens in Lagos. The city is known for its beach resorts & nightlife. It is also known for being a financial centre, being home to most banks and other financial institutions such as the Stock Exchange. The city handles 80% of the Nigeria's imports. The city's population consists of between 70–80% of the Yorùbán tribe; 15% Nigerians and the remainder are non-Africans. There are 4 dominant languages spoken in Lagos: standard Yoruba and its dialects, Igbo, pidgin English or indigenous Nigerian English and English.

The biggest urban challenge

In general Lagos has by far the highest road density in Nigeria. The uncontrolled commercial development on the islands has produced persistent traffic bottlenecks. The average commuter in Lagos spends over 3 hours in traffic every day. It makes Lagos one of the most congested cities in the world. 40% of the new cars in Nigeria are registered in Lagos, which occupies just one per cent of the country’s total area.

There is a wider Strategic Transport Master Plan which includes:

• an integrated transport system that links road, rail and waterway networks;

• a new airport further away from the urban environment;

• the development of mixed-use urban developments combining residential and commercial areas to reduce the number of journeys people need to make;

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