LagosBoyGirlLagos the Lag city (aka Lasgidi or Gidi for short) is the city of "brains" and "gentle" hearts. In Lagos, everybody learns faster. Why? Because Lagos is an extremely "fast" city and there is nothing like a first Lagos experience. Although Abuja is the capital of Nigeria, Lagos state is the most populous state in Nigeria and Lagos city is the the third most populous city in all of Africa. Not just that, Lagos is also among the top 7 fastest growing cities in the world today.

Lagos state has a population of about 15 million people and a total land area of about 999.6km.km with the population density around 8000 per squared kilometers. This makes Lagos one of the most densely populated areas in the world today. Lagos state used to be the capital of Nigeria from 1914 to 1991 after which the capital was moved to Abuja.

About 60 years ago, less than 300,000 people lived in Lagos and everyone used to say Lagos was gorgeous. However, today more than 15 million people live on the same piece of land, putting much pressure on the available natural resources. With a total population of 14,862,000 as of 2021 within the city proper, the Lagos metropolitan area has a total population of 21.3 million, making it the second largest metropolitan area in Africa after Cairo.

Lagos, just like many other mega cities in the world today, has a huge slum population. At least 1 in every 3 people living in Lagos today lives in slums. Lagos (without the slums) is the "New York City" of Nigeria where most Nigerians from small towns and villages across the country go to chase their dreams.

Because of the overpopulation and the dangerous traffic of humans and vehicles, about 30% of all road accidents in Nigeria occur in Lagos.

Despite the extreme poverty in some places, Lagos, the city of lakes, remains the heart and soul of Nigeria and Africa as a whole. There are people from every all corners of Africa living in Lagos today. Because of the "fast" life in Lagos, only the strongest and the "smartest" survive. The good thing however is that, if you can survive in Lagos, there is no place on earth you cannot survive.

Despite having a reputation as the most corrupt and perhaps the most "unfriendly" city in all of Africa, most Lagosians are very welcoming and hospitable people especially to foreigners and they tend to be protective of such strangers. Hospitality is not just part of Lagos but the entire country of Nigeria. Several Nigerians, despite the harsh living conditions in some places, are very hospitable people.

What can you do in Lagos as a tourist? Well, there is nothing like a "first Lagos experience" and you can learn about life in Nigeria and Africa as a whole just by visiting Lagos city. The Tourist attractions in Lagos city include the sacred Oba's Palace which is the administrative and spiritual corner stone of the Benin Kingdom. The Oba's vast Palace has stood in the same place for over 700 years and you can learn more about the culture, traditions and a whole lot more about Nigeria and West Africa just by visiting the Oba's Palace.

The National museum of Nigeria is also located in Lagos city. Here you can learn more about Nigerian arts including sculptures, paintings, archeological findings, etc. The Shrine of the great Fela Kuti (the greatest Nigerian multi-instrumentalist musician, composer, and pioneer of Afrobeat music. Fela was also a human rights activist, and a political maverick) is also found in Lagos city.

Add comment