Why Lagos Is Cracking Under Nigeria’s Burden

Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory should each shoulder the nation’s weight. Yet Lagos has become the lone pressure valve, attracting millions in search of work, education and a better life. Once a small island settlement of the Awori people, Lagos now houses over 40 million residents on just 3,577 sq km. Roads built for far fewer vehicles are gridlocked, housing can’t keep pace with demand, and informal settlements clog waterways. Indigenous communities watch ancestral lands and fishing creeks sold or built over with little consultation. Eko’s heritage and land rights risk being erased as the city stretches beyond its planned borders. Relief for Lagos won’t come from new roads alone. Nigeria must invest in regional growth poles—north, southeast, south-south and beyond—so opportunity is spread evenly and Lagos no longer bears the burden of a nation.

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