Lagos

Lagos has the tallest skyline in Nigeria. The architectural styles in Lagos are diverse and range from tropical and vernacular to colonial European and ultramodern buildings or a mixture. Brazilian style architecture brought by the creoles is evident in buildings such as Water House and Shitta Bey Mosque.[56][57][58] Skyscrapers and most high rise buildings are centered on the islands, while the mainland has some high rise buildings.[59] In recent years, the Lagos State government has renovated existing parks and green areas, with a long-term goal of expansion. Many good quality buildings are interspersed across the city.[60][61][62][63][64]

The Island is a loose geographical term that is used to define the area of Lagos that is separated from the "Mainland" by the main channel draining the lagoon into the Atlantic Ocean, which forms Lagos Harbour. The Island is mainly a collection of islands that are separated from each other by creeks and are connected by bridges. The smaller sections of some creeks have been dredged and built over. This part of Lagos is the area where most business activities and entertainment events take place, as well as where most of the upscale residential areas are concentrated. The Local Government Areas (LGAs) that are considered to be on the Island include Lagos Island and Eti-Osa. The major upscale Island neighborhoods within these LGAs include Ikoyi and Victoria Island. Three major bridges join the Island to the Mainland. They are the Carter Bridge, which starts from Iddo; the Eko Bridge (formerly called the Second Mainland Bridge); and the Third Mainland Bridge, which passes through densely populated mainland suburbs to the Lagos Lagoon. The Ikoyi link bridge links Ikoyi and Lekki Phase 1, both of which are part of the Island.[65]

Construction on the Fourth Mainland Bridge will commence in 2022, according to Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.[66][67]

Lagos Marina

Lagos Island contains a central business district.[68] This district is characterized by high-rise buildings. The Island also contains many of the city's largest wholesale marketplaces (such as the popular Idumota and Balogun Markets).[69] It also has the National Museum of Nigeria, the Central Mosque, the Glover Memorial Hall, Christ's Church Cathedral (CMS) and the Oba's Palace (Iga Idunganran).[70] Another major part of Lagos Island is Marina. It borders the idumota and Balogun markets and houses major Banking institutions. Though formerly in a derelict condition, Lagos Island's Tinubu Square is a site of historical importance; it was here that the Amalgamation Ceremony that unified the North and South protectorate to form Nigeria took place in 1914.

Aerial view of Ikoyi

Ikoyi is situated on the eastern half of Lagos Island and joined to it by a landfill.[71][72] Ikoyi is also connected to Victoria Island by Falomo bridge, which carries the main road over Five Cowrie creek.[73] Falomo garden, a green public space which was developed by the state government in conjunction with Fidelity Bank in 2017, is located under the bridge.[74] Ikoyi housed the headquarters of the federal government of Nigeria and other buildings owned by the government, including the old federal secretariat complex. The complex today is on reestablishment.[75]

In Ikoyi there are military and police barracks, a top-security prison, and a federal high court of Nigeria. Ikoyi also has hotels, nightclubs, a recreational park, and one of Africa's largest golf courses. Originally a middle class neighborhood, in recent years it has become a fashionable residential enclave for the upper middle class to the upper class. There are also commercial activities in Ikoyi, which are spotted in an increasing number of offices, banks, and shopping complexes. The commercial section is concentrated in the South-West.

Eko Atlantic a project at the mouth of Lagos Lagoon under construction, extending and further developing Victoria Island (imaged from Tarkwa Bay Beach)

Victoria Island with its annex is situated to the south of Lagos Island and known with a zip code of 101241[76] as assigned by NIPOST.[77] It has expensive real estate properties and for that reason, many new luxury condos and apartments are blooming up everywhere. Along with Ikoyi, Victoria Island occupies a major area in Lagos that boasts several shopping districts. On its seashore along the Atlantic front, there is an environmentally reconstructed Bar Beach.[78]

Ajah/Lekki

The Lekki Peninsula shares some prestige with its Ikoyi and Victoria Island neighbors. Development has stretched the piece of land further such that the Ibeju axis, though closer to Epe (which is on the outskirts of Lagos) is almost always described as part of Lekki. The expanse of land starts from the Lekki toll gate, which was the focal stage of the famous #EndSars protest in October 2019, and ends in Ibeju-Lekki and boasts of communities slowly inching their way to suburb status such as Ajah, Awoyaya, Sangotedo, Abijo, and Eputu. There is quite a bit of places to see – the Lekki Conservation Centre; The Novare Mall; The Lekki Free Trade Zone – Dangote, Africa's richest man is building his refinery in this FTZ; Lagos Business School; Eleko Beach; Elegushi Beach; La Camaigne Tropicana – a beach/tourist getaway, Pan-Atlantic University. The area has a Catholic monastery.[79]

Across the main channel of the lagoon from Lagos Island, there is a smaller settlement called Iddo. Iddo is also a railroad terminus and it is now situated in the Lagos Mainland Local Government Area after it was connected to the Mainland like a peninsula.[80]

A huge population of Lagosians also live on the Lagos Mainland, and most industries are located there. The Mainland is known for its music and nightlife, which used to be located in areas around Yaba, Ikeja and Surulere. However, in recent years more nightclubs have sprung up on the Island, making the Island (particularly Victoria Island, Ikate, and Lekki Phase 1) the main nightlife attraction. Mainland LGAs include Surulere, Apapa, and Lagos Mainland. Metropolitan Lagos suburban LGAs include: Agege, Amuwo Odofin, Mushin, Oshodi-Isolo and Ikeja (site of Murtala Muhammed International Airport and the capital of Lagos State).[81]

Major areas on the Mainland include Ebute Metta, Yaba and Ejigbo. Some rivers, like Badagry Creek, flow parallel to the coast for some distance before exiting through the sand bars to the sea.

A 2019 paper published in PLOS One estimated that under Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5, a "moderate" scenario of climate change where global warming reaches ~2.5–3 °C (4.5–5.4 °F) by 2100, the climate of Lagos in the year 2050 would most closely resemble the current climate of Panama City. The annual temperature would increase by 1.6 °C (2.9 °F) and the temperature of the warmest month by 1.5 °C (2.7 °F), while the temperature of the coldest month would be 2.9 °C (5.2 °F) higher.[87][88] According to Climate Action Tracker, the current warming trajectory appears consistent with 2.7 °C (4.9 °F), which closely matches RCP 4.5.[89]

Moreover, according to the 2022 IPCC Sixth Assessment Report, Lagos is one of 12 major African cities (Abidjan, Alexandria, Algiers, Cape Town, Casablanca, Dakar, Dar es Salaam, Durban, Lagos, Lomé, Luanda and Maputo) that would be the most severely affected by sea level rise. It estimates that they would collectively sustain cumulative damage of USD 65 billion under RCP 4.5 and USD 86.5 billion in the high-emission scenario RCP 8.5 by the year 2050. Additionally RCP 8.5 combined with the hypothetical impact from marine ice sheet instability at high levels of warming would involve up to 137.5 billion USD in damage, while the additional accounting for the "low-probability, high-damage events" may increase aggregate risks to USD 187 billion for the "moderate" RCP4.5, USD 206 billion for RCP8.5 and USD 397 billion under the high-end ice sheet instability scenario.[90] Since sea level rise would continue for about 10,000 years under every scenario of climate change, future costs of sea level rise would only increase, especially without adaptation measures.[91]

Financial district of Lagos

Lagos is a major financial and banking centre. The four largest banks in West and Central Africa are headquartered in Lagos,[98] and another nine banks in Lagos are among the 20 largest banks in the region. Zenith Bank, Access Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank and First Bank have capital of more than USD 2 billion each.[98] Banking headquarters are located on Victoria Island and Lagos Island.

The insurance industry in Nigeria is comparatively modestly developed, with an industry turnover of around USD 1 million per year.[99] As with the banks, the headquarters of the insurance companies are predominantly located in Lagos.

Apapa port

The Port of Lagos, formally known as the Lagos-Elbert Mathews Memorial Port, is Nigeria's leading port and one of the largest and busiest in Africa. Due to the large urban population, Lagos is categorized as a medium-port megacity using the Southampton System for port-city classification.[100] It is administered by the Nigerian Ports Authority.

Lagos, its ports, airports, free trade zone and light rail system

The Port of Lagos / Apapa is the oldest and largest port in the country, both in terms of land area and cargo volume handled. More than half of Nigeria's maritime trade is handled here, and the port also acts as a transshipment point for landlocked countries such as Chad and Niger. Around 1,000 ships with 5,700,000 tonnes of cargo call at the Lagos port complex annually.[101]

Tin Can Island Port is located west of Apapa near the Lagos Port Complex. It was established in 1975.

In early 2023, the deep sea port of Lekki was commissioned 50 km east of Lagos. This thus does not belong to the urban area of Lagos, but to the state of the same name.

Filming set in Lagos

Lagos is the center of the West African film, music, and TV industries. The film industry in the Surulere locality ranks second or third in the world, ahead of or behind Hollywood, depending on the survey.[102] PricewaterhouseCoopers Int. forecasts that the Nigerian entertainment industry will grow 85% to $15 billion.[103] Since the success of the Nigerian thriller "The Figurine", Nigerian film has increasingly turned to high-quality productions that are also commercially successful. This, in turn, has led to consistently new box office revenue records in Nigeria (2009's "The Figurine," 2013's "Half of a Yellow Sun," 2016's "The Wedding Party").[104]

In Nigeria, newspapers are available in digital format and are predominantly produced in Lagos. The most widely read newspaper in Lagos, by its own account, is Punch. The Vanguard newspaper is one of the few dailies that is not only available online but also in print. Other publications include The Guardian, The Nation, The Sun and the Nigerian Tribune. The latter was founded in colonial times, in 1949.

The most watched television station in Lagos (and in Nigeria) is the 24-hour news channel Channels TV, based in Lagos. Some of its presenters use an overly correct standard British English that compatriots like to mock. The same can be said of Arise TV and the state broadcaster NTA. The private African Independent Television focuses on entertainment and infotainment. Programmes in pidgin English or in Yoruba have moved to digital streaming services and offer action films, comedies and heartbreak productions.

Pharmacy in Ikeja

Nigeria hosts about 60 percent of the pharmaceutical production capacity in Africa (status 2022).[105] The larger pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria are located in the North of Lagos.[106] Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd appears to be the pharmaceutical producer with the most employees.[107] Next in line are Fidson Healthcare Plc,[108] May & Baker Nig. Plc[109] and Swiss Pharma Nigeria.[110]

Dangote refinery as of October 2022

Until now, paradoxically, oil exporter Nigeria had to import its oil derivatives (mainly gasoline) and oil processing by-products such as polypropylene. For this reason, the Dangote Group built an oil refinery in the Lekki district, which is expected to be operational in 2022 (as of December 2021).[111] Job advertisements for this were placed in November 2021.[112] The refinery is expected to process 650,000 barrels of oil per day when fully operational, and 327, 000 barrels of gasoline, 244,000 barrels of diesel, 56,000 barrels of aviation fuel, 800 megatons of propane, 2,500 megatons of polypropylene, and 100 megatons of sulfur.[113] 9,000 direct jobs and 25,000 indirect jobs will be created by the refinery.[114]

Since 2022, a new fertiliser production plant has been producing 3 million tonnes of fertiliser a year (roughly equivalent to Germany's fertiliser consumption).[115] With no more Russian fertiliser coming onto the world market in 2022 due to the Ukraine war, Nigeria is stepping into a gap in the market. "The fertiliser market is a seller's market," company owner Dangote raves. "People are begging for us to sell and we are choosy about who we sell to."[115][116]

Entrance of the Lekki Free Trade Zone

The Lekki Free Trade Zone is a free trade zone in the eastern part of Lekki, covering a total area of about 155 square kilometres. It has an area of 30 square kilometres and is to be developed into a multifunctional district integrating industry, trade and commerce, real estate development, warehousing and logistics, tourism and entertainment.

MTN in Lagos

Software companies in Lagos work mainly in the telecommunications, banking, and education/employment services sectors. They are concentrated in the Lekki and Ikeja districts.[117]

MTN maintains the first and still predominant 4G network in Nigeria. Airtel is another 4G provider. 9Mobile and Dataflex are Internet providers. Flutterwave is in the virtual bank card business. Opay is a platform for online bookings. Paystack is used by Nigerians who regularly receive payments from abroad. Andela trains software engineers and places them in the Nigerian job market. ULesson maintains a platform on which secondary school learning content is presented. Hotels.ng allows hotel bookings to be made throughout Africa.[118][119][120][121]

Yaba has increasingly been a focal point with several software companies and engineering services companies set up around University of Lagos and Yabatech communities including Flutterwave and Andela. Several start-up incubators and entrepreneurs hubs are also located in the area which is sometimes called Yabacon valley in reference to Silicon Valley.[122][123][124][125]

"Nord Automobiles Ltd" has two assembly plants in Lagos: in Sangotedo and in Epe. The company manufactures its own plastic parts and plans to take on steel pressing in the future. The company offers eight different models.[126] However, company founder and CEO Oluwatobi Ajayi is struggling with insufficient demand and the increase in the price of imported components due to the devaluation of the local currency, the naira, in 2023. He is looking for solutions with a German partner.[127]

Lagos has two major congress halls, the Eko Convention Center and the Landmark Centre.[128] The Eko Convention Center has 5,151 m² and 13 meeting rooms. It hosts for example the Lagos Fashion Fair.[129] The Landmark Centre has 1,004 m² and 8 meeting rooms.[130] The Landmark Centre hosts annual meetings like "Medic/Medlab West Africa", "Beauty West Africa" or "agrofood".[131]

Nigeria's largest brewery, fancily named Nigerian Breweries and a Heineken subsidiary, is located in the Lagos-Surulere district. The Guinness brewery produces its famous strong beer in the Ikeja district. Apparently, the average Nigerian drinks larger quantities of this beverage than the average Irishman.[132] Both breweries also produce non-alcoholic (Guinness also halal) malt beer, which is part of the "Lagos' way of life".[133]

Logistics hub, close to Epe

In Ketu-Ereyun, between Epe and Ikorodu, Lagos State builds a "Food Logistics Park" - the biggest logistics hub for food in Sub-Saharan Africa. The site is 1.2 million square meters big and the construction is expected to be finished in 2024.[134][135]

Until now, Nigeria paradoxically exported unhusked rice but had to import husked rice, the country's staple food. - The hulling mill in Imota, just outside Lagos, has recently started processing the rice domestically and is expected to improve the balance of trade and the labour market, as well as save unnecessary costs for transport and middlemen. When fully operational, the plant, the largest south of the Sahara, is expected to employ 250,000 people and produce 2.5 million 50-kg bags of rice annually.[136]

The Apapa sugar refinery,[137] part of the Dangote Group, increased its turnover to 288.3 billion naira (€590 million) in the third quarter of 2022 - a 47% increase from the third quarter of 2021. The sugar refinery has a capacity of 1.44 million metric tonnes per annum and supplies end users as well as bulk buyers such as Nestlé Nigeria Plc, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc and the Nigerian Bottling Company.[137]

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu opened the new Ikosi International Fruits Market in the Ketu district on 25 May 2023.[138] The new fruit market comprises 1,004 shop units.[139] It is located in close proximity to the interchange of Expressway 1 and Ikorodu Road, Lagos' two major arterial roads. It has its own water and electricity supply, canteen and parking facilities. The facility is monitored by security personnel.[139]

The Lagos sawmill moved from its old but bursting-at-the-seams location in Oko Baba to Timberville, just outside Lagos, in 2022, where modern facilities are available.

Lagos has sandy beaches by the Atlantic Ocean, including Elegushi Beach[140] and Alpha Beach. Lagos also has a number of private beach resorts, including the Landmark Beach[141] and the Inagbe Grand Beach Resort.[142]

On Wole Olateju Crescent, in the immediate vicinity of Lekki Bridge,[143] there are several companies that offer boat tours and rent kayaks or jet skis.

Lagos hotels ranging from three-star to five-star rating, with local hotels such as Eko Hotels and Suites, Federal Palace Hotel, and franchises of multinational chains such as Intercontinental Hotel, Sheraton, and Four Points by Sheraton.

Nightclubs are mainly found on Victoria Island, where the well-to-do and foreign guests hang out, and around Adeniran Ogunsanya Street in Surulere.

Rooftop restaurants on the Atlantic beach or on the lagoon offer not only culinary delights and a view, but also a welcome breeze from the sea for the heat-stricken visitor.[144] Lagos was already a place where you could eat your fill for a day and buy souvenirs on top of it.

Even before the devaluation of the local currency, the naira, in June 2023, Lagos was a place where 10 USD (9.10 euros) could keep you full for a day and buy souvenirs to boot.[145][146] The stress-resistant and experienced bargain-hunter buys brand-name clothes for a knockdown price at the ecomarket and the adjoining Martin Street.[147]

The Lekki Arts and Crafts Market (known to Lagosians as Oba Elegushi Market) is a large market that displays a wide variety of African arts and crafts. It is considered the largest art market in Nigeria.[148]

Freedom Park

Freedom Park is a memorial and recreational park in the middle of Lagos city centre on Lagos Island, Nigeria, which used to be Her Majesty's Broad Street Prison. It was designed by architect Theo Lawson. The park was built to preserve the history and cultural heritage of Nigerians. The monuments in the park commemorate the colonial heritage of Lagos and the history of Her Majesty's Broad Street Prison. It was erected to mark the 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations in October 2010. The park is a national memorial, a historical landmark, a cultural site and an arts and recreation centre. Now a tranquil place for individuals, visitors and collective contemplation, the park is open to the public daily. Today, Freedom Park has become a gathering place for various social events and recreational entertainment.[149]

Tinubu Square (formerly Independence Square) is an open space on Broad Street, Lagos Island, Lagos State, Nigeria, named after slave trader, merchant and aristocrat Efunroye Tinubu.[150] It used to be called Ita Tinubu before it was renamed Independence Square and later Tinubu Square by the leaders of the First Nigerian Republic after Nigerian independence.[151] Tinubu Square is the most popular square in Nigeria.

Tafawa Balewa Square is a 50,000-capacity stadium that was a racecourse under the British and where independence was proclaimed in 1960.[152] At the entrance to the square are sculptures of four white horses and seven red eagles. After Abuja replaced Lagos as the capital, the "TBS" fell into disrepair. Attempts by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to renovate the stadium have not yielded results (as of 2023).[153]

Ndubuisi Kanu Park is a public green space much loved by all for relaxation.

Canope walkway at the Lekki Conservation Centre

The Lekki Conservation Centre is essentially the Lagos Zoo. It consists of a fenced-off strip of vegetation that attempts to replicate rainforest, mangroves and savannah. There are monkeys, numerous birds, snakes and crocodiles. There is a small museum with stuffed animals. On sundays however it is used for lengthy religious service. According to a tourism website, the LCC is the second-most popular site[154] in Lagos to see (after the Nike Gallery, see chapter "Art").

Lufasi Nature Park is the Lekki Urban Forestry and Animal Shelter Initiative.[155] It preserves nature and protects wildlife and endangered species. Nollywood film crews often use this park as a set.

The Oba's Palace in Iga Idungaran, Lagos

• National Theatre, Iganmu (see chapter "Monumental buildings").
• The Civic Centre is an iconic building on the shores of the Lagos Lagoon.
• The iconic Lekki Bridge is the first cable-stayed bridge built in Nigeria.
• The Oba's (Kings) Palace at Iga Idunganran - This is an ancestral palace for the Oba of Lagos - the custodian on the traditions and customs of the people of Eko.

Lekki bridge

• Cathedral Church of Christ, Lagos
• Synagogue Church Of all Nations

• Herbert Macaulay memorial statue,
• Welcome to Lagos statue showing three Lagos white cap chiefs. In local parlance, they are noted as warning you not to "suegbe, didinrin nor ya mugun" while in Lagos,
• Sir Mobolaji Bank-Anthony statue,
• Eyo of Eko statue.

• Takwa Bay - A popular bay from where you can observe shipping traffic in and out of the Lagos port as well as enjoy some water sports. If you have a personal yacht this is where to go.
• Festac town.[156]

Despite its active nightlife and prevailing joie de vivre, Lagos, like all cities in Nigeria, is "not LGBT-friendly". Nigeria's 2014 legislation in this regard is among the most draconian systems of repression[157] against queer people in the world. Homosexuals, but also their "supporters" such as people who have attended a same-sex wedding in another country, or hotel staff who have provided a room for a queer couple, theoretically can be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison.

In Lagos, however, internet searches reveal only one case of persons being prosecuted under the 2014 laws (as of 2023). The 47 men were arrested in December 2019 after a raid on a bar frequented by local men.[158][159] The Federal High Court in Lagos acquitted all the accused in October the next year. The case was considered a "test case" for the application of anti-LGBT laws in Nigeria, but was dismissed because prosecutors failed to appear at trial and no incriminating witnesses could be found.[160][161] No other arrests or convictions are known from Lagos. However, three men were convicted and subsequently stoned to death by an Islamic court in Kano, northern Nigeria. Tourists should definitely take the legal situation in Nigeria very seriously.

National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos

The Cathedral Church of Christ at the central Marina on Lagos Island

A very striking building in Lagos is the National Arts Theatre with its oval base. The renovation of the National Arts Theatre was completed in March 2023.[162] With the new "blue line" of the Lagos light rail, the National Theatre is recently easily accessible - the station "National theatre" is at a stone's throw distance from the theatre building.

Another frequently photographed structure in Lagos is the Lekki-Ikoji Link Bridge - or more simply: Lekki bridge.

The Cathedral Church of Christ is at the centre of the oldest part of Lagos. The Anglican church was built between 1867 and 1869, shortly after the establishment of British colonial rule.

The Synagogue Church of all Nations was built in 2004.

The Nike Art Gallery

The Nike Art Gallery is an art gallery in Lagos owned by Nike Davies-Okundaye.[163] The gallery is probably the largest of its kind in West Africa. It is housed in a five-storey building and has a collection of about 8,000 different works of art by various Nigerian artists such as Chief Josephine Oboh Macleod.[164]

Red Door Gallery specializes in African contemporary art.

The Ovuomaroro Studio and Gallery is one of the oldest art galleries in Lagos.[165]

The Alexis Galleries, owned by Patty Chidiac-Mastrogiannis, are located on Victoria Island.[166] Since its foundation in 2011, Alexis Galleries have been engaged in the presentation and dissemination of Nigerian contemporary styles including; painting, drawing, mixed media, and sculpture. It aims to strengthen and support the Nigerian Art Circle.

In 2002, Lagos was one of the African platform cities for the art exhibition Documenta 11.

Interactive exhibition of Yoruba art at the Randle centre

The National Museum in Onikan on Lagos Island houses archaeological and ethnographic collections as well as traditional art. There is an opportunity to purchase Nigerian arts and crafts at the adjoining craft centre. Haggling is allowed at the island's Jankara market. Spices, printed cotton and hand-woven fabrics as well as leather articles are offered here.

The John K. Randle Centre houses an exhibition on Yoruba culture inaugurated in 2023.[167][168] The curators actively work with artists, writers, craftspeople, historians and storytellers to share the rich Yoruba culture. The John K. Randle Centre is a new, partly interactive kind of museum. It adapts modern Western museum practices to present new forms of storytelling inspired by Yoruba traditions.[169] It celebrates tangible and intangible culture by preserving, enhancing and promoting the cultural heritage of the Yoruba people. The centre actively collects a wide range of items that distinguish it from a traditional museum. The John K. Randle Centre plays a leading role in the repatriation of Yoruba artefacts from European institutions.

The Kalakuta Republic is a museum honouring late musician Fela Kuti.[170]

Furthermore, the Mindscape Childrens Museum deserves mentioning. Since 2015 it is notable as Nigeria's premiere Children's museum. It aims at social interaction and improve their natural curiosity.[171]

The MUSON Centre (Musical Society of Nigeria) is a theatre / performance hall. MUSON regularly organizes concerts of both Nigerian and Western genres. Its choir performs since 1995, the symphony orchestra, Nigeria's only professional symphony orchestra at the time, since 2005. Both perform regularly at the annual MUSON Festival and during the Society's concert season.[172]

The Lagos Black Heritage Festival Parade

In Lagos, festivals take place in different months. These are the Lagos Carnival in January,[173] the Eko International Film Festival[174] in March, the Lagos Black Heritage Carnival in April,[175] the Lagos Photo Festival[176] in November, the Book & Art Festival[177] in November and the Lagos Food Festival[178] in December. The Lagos Jazz Festival features music of all genres with a focus on jazz.[179] The Experience is a decibel-rich gospel concert hosted by the evangelical House of the Rock Church in packed Talewa Balewa Square on the first Friday in December.[180] Ear protection and a certain tolerance for overly dedicated worshippers are recommended.

The Eyo Carnival is an irregular festival that originated in Iperu Remo, Ogun State.[181]

Arewa Traditional Kitchen

Some of the famous dishes in Lagos include indigenous delicacies such as eba and egusi; amala and ewedu; jollof (the go-to party dish); ofada rice; plantains (locally called dodo); beans; suya (spicy shish kebab or spiced roasted beef), which is consumed in local clubs and bars with a bottle of cold beer; and eba, made from cassava and eaten with soups prepared with vegetables and mixture of spices and herbs. Other dishes range from local ones like Iyan (pounded yam) made from yam flour, amala; asaro, which is usually eaten with various kinds of vegetables; and Egusi (melon soup) to European, Middle-Eastern, and Asian cuisine.[182][183]

Lagos is famous throughout Africa for its music scene. Lagos has a vibrant nightlife[95][182][184] and has given birth to a variety of styles such as Sakara music, Nigerian hip hop, highlife, juju, fuji and Afrobeats.[185]

James Brown performed in Lagos in 1970.[186] With his band Wings, Paul McCartney recorded his fifth post-Beatles album, Band on the Run, in an EMI studio in Lagos in August and September 1973.[187] Other foreign musicians who have also performed in the city include Sean Paul, Snoop Dogg,[188] 50 Cent, Akon, Jarule, Ashanti, Usher, Shaggy,[189] R Kelly,[190] Cardi B, Migos especially during the Star Mega Jam; Shakira, John Legend, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Boyz II Men,[191] T-Pain, Brian McKnight, JayZ,[192] Mary J. Blige,[193] Beyoncé, Brandy, Ciara, Keri Hilson and Lauryn Hill.[194][195]

Silverbird Galleria cinema in Lagos

The Surulere district is the centre of the Nigerian film industry, commonly referred to as Nollywood. Lagos itself is the location and setting for many films. The city is featured in domestic and foreign feature film productions. Many films are shot in the Festac area of Lagos, which also hosted the World Festival of Black Arts.[196] The 2016 film "Captain America: Civil War" contains a scene set in Lagos.[197] The Spanish police series "La unidad" (2020 - 2023), the British drama "The last tree" (2019) and the US-Spanish drama "The Way, Chapter 2" with Martin Sheen (2023 still in development) also use Lagos as a filming location. The film "93 days" with Danny Glover is a somewhat melodramatic but fact-based account of the Ebola outbreak in Lagos in 2014 and was filmed at original locations.

Since the success of the Nigerian thriller "The Figurine", Nigerian film has increasingly focused on high-quality productions that are also commercially successful. This in turn has led to ever new records in box office takings in Nigeria (2009: "The Figurine", 2013: "Half of a Yellow Sun", 2016: "The Wedding Party").[198]

There are also a number of cinemas in the city. The audio system is often set to "maximum" and sometimes exceeds the pain threshold.[199] The experienced visitor to Lagos therefore always has earplugs within reach.

• Institute for Industrial Technology (IIT) : founded in 2000, IIT is a technical vocational school for male youth from families with limited resources. Its educational model is based on the Dual Training System.

• Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH): founded in 1934, the college is Nigeria's first higher educational institution and the third in Africa. The college is a center of culture and heritage. It has student enrolments of over 16,000.
• Lagos State Polytechnic is a polytechnic comprising more than six schools including private polytechnics and was founded 25 years ago. Its main campus resides at Ikorodu, along Shagamu road.
• Lagos City Polytechnic, located at 6/8, Bashiru Oweh Street, Off Simbiat Abiola Road (formerly Medical Road), Ikeja – This is the first private Polytechnic in Nigeria. It was established in 1990 by Engr. Babatunde Odufuwa. Engr. Odufuwa hails from Oke-Aye in Ijebu North East Local Government Area (I.N.E.L.G) of Ogun State.
• Grace Polytechnic
• Wolex Polytechnic
• Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology is a monotechnic that offers courses in fisheries technology, general science, marine engineering and nautical science.
• Federal College of Education (tech) Akoka
• Ronik Polytechnic[224]

University of Lagos central buildings and Lagoon Front Park

• The University of Lagos (UNILAG) Akoka, is a large institution dating from 1962, with over 55,000 students. It comprises 13 faculties, run by over 4,000 staff.[225]
• Lagos State University (LASU) is a multi-campus university established in the year 1983 and owned by the Lagos State government. The main campus is located at Ojo, along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
• Pan-Atlantic University formerly known as Pan-African University has a business school (LBS), a school of Media and Communication (SMC), and an entrepreneurial development center (EDC), specialized in providing short courses for SMEs. The School of Media and Communication is also known for its pragmatic communication courses in the field of journalism, media, and marketing. SMC awards BSc., MSc., and Ph.D. in social science courses. Founded in 1996 and awarded university status in 2002. The university also places some emphasis on the study of art, running the Virtual Museum of Modern Nigerian Art.
• National Open University of Nigeria is the first Open university in Nigeria; it is located on Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos.
• Caleb University is a private university located at Imota, Lagos.
• Lagos State College of Health Technology (LASCOHET) is an institution that runs health courses such as Health Information Management, Pharmacist Tech, Medical Laboratory Tech, Community Health Extension, and Environmental Health Technology; it is located in Yaba.
• Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), Ikeja
• College of Medicine, University of Lagos (CMUL)

Third Mainland Bridge across the Lagos Lagoon

The Lagos–Ibadan Expressway and the Lagos–Abeokuta Expressway are the major controlled-access highways in the north of the city and serve as inter-state highways to Oyo State and Ogun State respectively.[231] To the west the congested Lagos–Badagry Expressway serves outlying towns such as Festival Town, which was the location for the 1977 Festival of Black Arts and Culture 77.[232]

Lagos's importance as a commercial center and port and its strategic location have led to it being the end-point of three Trans-African Highway routes using Nigeria's national roads.[233] The Trans–West African Coastal Highway leaves the city as the Badagry Expressway to Benin and beyond as far as Dakar and Nouakchott; the Trans-Sahara Highway to Algiers, which is close to completion, leaves the city as the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.[234]

The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) is responsible for public transport.

Since 2021 using a bus or the light rail system is paid for with a public transport card without cash.[235][236] This card can be used equally on BRT and LBSL buses.[237] One can purchase a public transportation card at any of the ticketing booths at the bus terminals scattered across Lagos State.

BRT bus in Lagos

There are two city bus companies in Lagos: BRT (Lagos Bus Rapid Transit System) and LBSL (Lagos Bus Services).[238][239] The city buses are air-conditioned. (However, during the Covid epidemic, the AC had to be switched off at all times.)[240][241]

BRT was inaugurated in 2008. BRT offers e-payment with bank cards.[242] On two arterial roads (Ikorodu Road and Funsho Williams Avenue), a dedicated bus lane has been established for BRT buses.[243] BRT uses diverse brands of buses, like Ashok Leyland and Yutong. Primero Transport Services (PTS) Ltd. is the sole operator of the BRT buses.[244]

LBSL was inaugurated in 2019. LBSL uses Brazilian-built Marcopolo buses.[245]

The central hub for city buses and long-distance buses is the Oshodi Bus Terminal,[246] which is visible from afar. It is the largest bus station in West Africa and commenced operation in 2019.[247]

The Lagos Transportation department, LAMATA, introduced electric busses in Lagos in May 2023.[248][249]

Station "Mile 2", current terminus station of the blue line, phase 1

The first section, or phase, of the rapid transit system, the Lagos Light Rail, has been operational since February 2023.[250][251] The "Blue Line" runs between Mile 2 and Marina (East–west axis). The extension towards Okokomaiko and the "Red Line" are under construction,[252] The red line will run between Agbado and Marina (North–south axis). There are plans for more light rail lines:

• The green line (Marina to Lekki),[253]
• the yellow line (Otta/airport to Iddo),
• the purple line (Redeem to Ojo),
• The brown line (Mile 12 to Marina) and
• the orange line (Redeem to Marina).[254]

Station Mobolaji Johnson in Lagos, 2021

As of June 2021, Lagos has a double-track standard gauge line to Ibadan and a modern main station, Mobolaji Johnson.[255] The Lagos-Ibadan train service runs three trips every Friday and Saturday with the point of departure at the Mobaji Johnson train station. Passengers can travel to Ibadan on Friday at the train station by 8 pm, 12 pm and 4 pm, while on Saturday, the train movement will depart at 8 am, 1 pm and 6 pm. The Lagos-Ibadan train schedule for Monday to Thursday, and Sunday, remains 8 am and 4 pm.[256] Ticket sales are over the counter and cash only (as of 2023), but e-ticketing will be introduced "soon".[257] The operator is the Nigerian Railway Corporation.[258][259][260][261]

A popular means of transportation are yellow minibuses called danfo. The yellow buses, most of the VW T3 or LT type, characterize the appearance of the city. They run on fixed routes but without a timetable, according to the principle of shared cabs.[262]

Central ferry terminal Five Cowries

According to residents, getting to work by car in Lagos can take six times longer than by ferry. About two million passengers were recorded by the Ferry Authority per month in 2021.[263]

Five Cowries Terminal is the central terminal for ferry operations in Lagos.[264] The terminal is located on the lagoon between Lagos Island and Victoria Island and was commissioned on 30 August 2018.[265][266] Five Cowries also serves as the headquarters of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA). It has a jetty, restaurant, bar, administrative offices, ticket offices, waiting area, toilets, lift, conference room and ATMs. Boats from private individuals and from other operators also dock at the pier. The terminal also has a multi-storey car park with space for over 800 vehicles. The multi-storey car park is located behind the terminal (as seen from the lagoon) and is directly connected to the terminal. The terminal was built without thresholds and there is a toilet for wheelchair users.[264] Five Cowries is open seven days a week, from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm. The terminal is located next to the Falomo Bridge. The destinations of LASWA ferries are Marina, Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Lekki, Apapa, Ikorodu and Badagry.[267]

Murtala Muhammed International Airport

Lagos is served by Murtala Muhammed International Airport, one of the largest and busiest airports in Africa. The MMIA is Nigeria's premier international air gateway. The airport's history dates back to colonial times, around the time of the Second World War. The international airport terminal was built and commissioned over 40 years ago, in 1978. The terminal opened officially on 15 March 1979. The airport had been known simply as the Lagos International Airport. It was, however, renamed for the late Nigerian Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed, who died in 1976.[268]

The airport terminal has been renovated several times since the 1970s but its most radical makeover began in 2013, following the launch of the Federal government's multi-billion naira Remodelling/ Rehabilitation Programme for its airports nationwide. Under the re-modeling work there, by late in 2014, the MMA lounge area had been expanded to four times its previous size and new passenger handling conveyor systems were installed which can handle over 1,000 passengers per hour.

A second airport, Lekki-Epe International Airport has been approved by the Federal Government in April 2023.[269]

In Lagos, only 40 percent of waste is collected and only 13 percent is recycled.[270] 13,000 tonnes of waste are generated daily in the metropolis.[271] Some residents burn their own waste, which does not improve air pollution.[270]

Tap water in Lagos is not suitable for drinking, but can be used for other purposes such as cooking and showering.[272] The water in the distribution network is often contaminated. Since the raw water in the lagoon is too polluted, the city draws its water from the Ogun and Owo rivers. There has been debate about the poor water quality in Lagos for years.[273][274] At the same time, a sizable proportion of the residents live in slums without access to piped water and sanitation.[275][276][277][278]

An efficient sewage system is lacking. Sewage is flushed into the open sewerage system by rainwater. This water then carries pollutants into rivers and the lagoon. Sewage also enters groundwater through leaking septic tanks and latrines. The contaminants can then contaminate the water in wells and boreholes. Water sold by street vendors can also be affected, as it comes from the same sources.[279]

• Aliko Dangote, founder, and CEO of the Dangote Group, a conglomerate with interests in cement, sugar, salt, and other commodities
• Victoria Chibuogu Nneji, a computer scientist, design and innovation strategist, lecturing fellow, known for her research on robotics and autonomous transportation[280]
• Habeeb Okunola, businessman and philanthropist[281]
• Toyin Saraki, global health advocate and healthcare philanthropist[282]

• Rilwan Akiolu, Oba (traditional ruler) of Lagos[283]
• Akinwunmi Ambode, former Governor of Lagos state[284]
• Babatunde Fashola, Former Governor of Lagos and current Minister of Power, Works and Housing[285]
• Lekan Fatodu, Politician and journalist[286]
• Bode George, Politician[287]
• Alhaji Lateef Jakande, the first civilian governor of Lagos State and served from 1979 to 1983.
• Brigadier Mobolaji Johnson, Military Governor of Lagos State
• Ndubuisi Kanu, Military Governor of Lagos State
• Yemi Osinbajo, politician, lawyer, and former vice-president of Nigeria.[288]
• Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State[289]
• Bola Tinubu, President of Nigeria and former Governor of Lagos State[290]
• Funsho Williams, politician and one-time aspirant to the office of Lagos state governor[291]

• Kenny Adeleke (born 1983), basketball player
• Israel Adesanya, Current UFC middleweight champion[292]
• Nelson Agholor, Professional American football player, Super Bowl LII Champion with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018[293]
• Tunji Awojobi (born 1973), professional basketball player
• Arnaut Danjuma, football player
• Dimaku Fidelis (born 1989), footballer[294]
• Israel Idonije, Professional American football player, Chicago Bears 2003–2013, Detroit Lions 2013[295]
• Uche Okechukwu, football player[296]
• Hakeem Olajuwon, professional basketball player[297]
• Anoure Obiora, football player[298][299]
• Victor Osimhen, football player
• Omos, professional wrestler

• Akintoye, rapper and TikTok personality
• Osueke Kelechi, Astrodynamicist and Tenured Professor
• Oyinkan Braithwaite, novelist and writer, who wrote My Sister, the Serial Killer
• Agbani Darego, Miss Nigeria 2001, Semifinalist Miss Universe 2001 and Miss World 2001[300]
• Rosa Egipcíaca, Afro-Brazilian Catholic mystic, who wrote Sagrada Teologia do Amor Divino das Almas Peregrinas[301]
• Buchi Emecheta, novelist[302]
• Ovia Idah, Nigerian sculptor[303]
• Oluwashina Okeleji, sports journalist[304]
• Yvonne Orji, actress, comedian[305]
• Esther Uzodinma, actress and producer