Urban sustainability in the context of Lagos mega-city

Abstract

This paper contributes to the pertinent discourse on mega-cities and urban sustainability, using Lagos mega-city as
case-study. It is derived from the growing need to appreciate the wider implications of the mega-city phenomenon
as a unique feature of contemporary urban change in the developing countries. This need is imperative in the
context of Lagos, which has come into fresh limelight through recent flurry of research interests, as well as the
initiation of plans for the Lagos Mega-City Project. The purpose of this study is to examine the essential links
between the mega-city phenomenon and urban sustainability, with a view to informing policy and strategies for the
sustainable development of Lagos mega-city. The research method is a case-study approach involving qualitative
analysis of secondary data related to Lagos mega-city, and primary data from participant-observation. The
introduction examines the global emergence of mega-cities and the forces driving them. This is followed by a
concise review of literature, including the unique challenges facing emerging mega-cities. The paper highlights and
justifies how the Lagos Mega-City Project has become imperative as a basis for proposing the application of
sustainability principles to the Lagos mega-city reality. It offers policy recommendations from an architectural and
urban design perspective and concludes on the need for all stakeholders to respect sustainable development
principles, and engage in greater synergy on the future of mega-cities.