Description of Lagos State

Lagos is a state located in southwestern Nigeria on the coast of the Bight of Benin. State of Ogun to the north and east, the Bight of Benin to the south, and the Republic of Benin to the west form its northern and eastern, southern, and western borders, respectively. As part of the British colony of Nigeria from 1914 to 1954, the territory that is now part of the state was under British administration. The constitution of 1954 established the Federal Territory of Lagos (the 27 square mile [70 square km] section of Lagos Island, including the city of Lagos), while the surrounding countryside was moved to the Western Nigeria administrative region. While this arrangement limited Lagos's growth towards the mainland, the 1967 establishment of Lagos State by the Nigerian federal government restored the city's control over its rural environs.

As more people from other parts of Nigeria and West Africa have moved to the state's capital of Lagos, the previously predominantly Yoruba population has become increasingly diverse. Cassava (manioc), palm oil and kernels, coconuts, corn (maize), vegetables, fruits, fish, and fish products are just some of the agricultural and fisheries products produced in Lagos state. Badagry, Epe, and Ikorodu are lagoon ports where these goods are gathered before being transported to Lagos city markets.

The three islands that make up central Lagos are so densely populated that most of the city's industry has moved to the outskirts, to the estates of Apapa, Ijora, and Yaba, while Ikeja and Mushin have become the new economic and cultural epicenters of the city. The federal government chose Abuja as the new capital in December 1991, after Lagos became too congested and crowded to function effectively as the country's primary city. In 1976, the seat of state government moved from Lagos city to the nearby neighborhood of Ikeja. To alleviate congestion in the harbor, new bridges and feeder highways have been built connecting the city's core to the mainland, and Apapa and Tin Can Island ports have been integrated into the metropolitan region.

Ikorodu, Mushin, and Ikeja are connected to the city of Lagos via the trunk highway system and a main line of the Nigerian Railways (whose central yards are located in Lagos city). Other than the capital, the state's largest city is Epe, a port city that is accessible through minor roadways.

City of Ikeja serves as Lagos State's capital. Ikeja is a well-organized, tidy, and peaceful commercial and residential district complete with malls, pharmacies, and government-reserved zones. Ikeja is home to the internationally renowned Murtala Mohammed Airport. Also located in Ikeja are the African Shrine dedicated to Fela Kuti, the home of the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, and Lagbaja's Motherland. More than that, it is home to the largest mall in all of Asia.

Geography

The city of Lagos can be roughly divided into two distinct regions: the Island and the Mainland.

• Island

The Island is a generic phrase for the part of Lagos that is divided from the "mainland" by Lagos Harbour, the main conduit that empties the lagoon into the Atlantic. The Island is mostly made up of a group of smaller islands that are connected to each other by a series of smaller waterways and larger bridges. Some waterways have had their narrower stretches dredged and built over. The bulk of Lagos's commercial and social life occurs in this district. It is also where the majority of Lagos's affluent citizens call home. Lagos Island and Eti-Osa are two of the LGAs that make up the Island's legal jurisdiction. Ikoyi and Victoria Island are two examples of affluent island neighborhoods in these LGAs. The island is connected to the mainland via three major bridges. From Iddo, you can take the Carter Bridge, the Eko Bridge (previously known as the Second Mainland Bridge), or the Third Mainland Bridge to reach the Lagos Lagoon across the mainland's heavily populated districts. Ikoyi and Lekki Phase 1 are both located on the island, and the Ikoyi Link Bridge connects the two neighborhoods.

The economic heart of Lagos is located on the island itself. Buildings in this area tend to be quite tall. Many of the city's main wholesale markets can be found on the island as well (such as the popular Idumota and Balogun Markets). There are also religious and royal structures such as the Oba's Palace, the Central Mosque, the Glover Memorial Hall, and Christ's Church Cathedral (CMS) (Iga Idunganran) On Lagos Island, Marina is another major urban center. The area has important banking institutions and is located near the idumota and Balogun markets. Even though it remained in disrepair for a while, Tinubu Square on Lagos Island is a significant historical monument since it was the location of the Amalgamation Ceremony in 1914, which officially united the North and South protectorates into the single nation of Nigeria.

• Mainland

The mainland of Lagos is home to the vast majority of Lagosians and is where the city's economy is centered. Historically, the suburbs of Yaba and Surulere on the mainland were the epicenters of Nigeria's vibrant music and nightlife scene. However, in recent years, more nightclubs have opened on the Island, making the Island (especially Victoria Island, Ikate, and Lekki Phase 1) the primary nightlife destinations. Mainland LGAs consist of Surulere, Apapa, and Lagos Mainland. Agege, Amuwo Odofin, Mushin, Oshodi-Isola, and Ikeja are a few of the Local Government Areas (LGAs) outside of the central business district of Lagos (site of Murtala Muhammed International Airport and the capital of Lagos State).

Ebute Metta, Yaba, and Ejigbo are also important cities on the mainland. For a while, rivers like Badagry Creek run parallel to the coast before breaking through the sand bars and emptying into the ocean.

Nearly a quarter of Lagos State consists of lagoons, creeks, and rivers. The Ogun and Osun rivers drain into the state's major bodies of water, the Lagos and Lekki lagoons, located in the interior of the state. Besides these two major waterways, there are several smaller rivers and creeks that carry people and products across the state. On land, places outside of urban centers belong to the tropical Nigerian lowland forests ecoregion, where endangered species including the mona monkey, tree pangolin, and hooded vulture, as well as a migratory herd of African bush elephants, can be found in their natural habitats. Large fish populations, African manatees, and crocodiles all make the state's waters teem with wildlife.

The Yoruba people, who constitute the state's largest ethnic group, have long occupied Lagos State, although the Ewe and Ogu peoples, who live in the state's westernmost regions, have also called the area home. Migrants from various parts of Nigeria, such as the Edo, Fulani, Hausa, Igbo, Ijaw, Ibibio, and Nupe, have swelled the population of Lagos State since the eighteenth century. In addition to recent immigrants from Benin Republic, China, Ghana, India, Togo, and the United Kingdom, Lagos is home to a sizable Middle Eastern Nigerian community (primarily Syrian and Lebanese Nigerians), as well as a longstanding Middle Eastern Nigerian community (mainly Yoruba Nigerians) and a longstanding Middle Eastern Nigerian community (mainly Yoruba Nigerians from the Philippines). About 55% of the state's population identifies as Christian, 40% as Muslim, and the other 5% as adherents of traditional ethnic religions or other religions, hence the state is religiously diverse as well.

Economy

If Lagos State were a country, it would have a gross domestic product of $84 billion, making it one of the greatest economies in Africa alongside Ghana ($75 billion), Angola ($70 billion), and Ethiopia ($93 billion). In addition to being a major economic and political center for Nigeria and the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa, the state of Lagos is also an important cultural, educational, and transportation hub.

The state of Lagos serves as Nigeria's primary financial hub. If it were a country, it would have the fifth-largest economy in Africa. Most Nigerian corporations and banks have their national headquarters in the state of Lagos.

Imota rice mill is a farming facility in Ikorodu, a Lagos, Nigeria, neighborhood. It's scheduled to begin full production in the second quarter of 2022 after being built in 2021. The rice mill may directly employ 1,500 people and indirectly support 254,000 others, and it has the potential to manufacture 2.8 million 50-kilogram bags of rice annually. Imota's rice mill will be among the largest in the world and the largest in sub-Saharan Africa after it is finished and the estimated installed infrastructure of the facility is put into place.

If Lagos State were a country, it would have a gross domestic product of $84 billion, making it one of the greatest economies in Africa alongside Ghana ($75 billion), Angola ($70 billion), and Ethiopia ($93 billion). In addition to being a major economic and political center for Nigeria and the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa, the state of Lagos is also an important cultural, educational, and transportation hub. Lagos State has the highest Human Development Index in Nigeria with several development projects underway despite being plagued by congestion and chronic debilitating traffic.