Editing Lagos (section)

{{Short description|Most populous city in Nigeria}}
{{About|the city, officially known as Lagos Metropolitan Area|other uses}}
{{Redirect|Èkó|the song|Èkó (song)}}
{{Not to be confused with|Lego (disambiguation){{!}}Legos|Laos}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2014}}
{{Use Nigerian English|date=August 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Lagos
| native_name        = <small>{{native name|yo|Èkó|}}</small>
| settlement_type    = [[Metropolis]]
| image_skyline      = {{multiple image
 | perrow         = 1/2/2/2
 | border         = infobox
 | total_width    = 290
 | caption_align  = center
 | image1   = Lagos skyline.jpg
 | caption1 = [[Lagos Island]] skyline
 | image2   =WLA_RM_EXPORT_199261693952667_20200415_232756468_03.jpg
 | caption2 = [[Civic Tower (Lagos)|Civic Tower]] 
 | image3   = 2014 Tinubu Square Lagos Nigeria 14640600637.jpg
 | caption3 = [[Tinubu Square]]
 | image4   = Lekki-Epe Expressway Sandfill Bustop.jpg
 | caption4 = [[Lekki–Epe Expressway]]
 | image5   = National Theater in Lagos State-Nigeria.jpg
 | caption5 = [[National Arts Theatre]]
 | image6   = Lekki Link bridge-9374.jpg
 | caption6 = [[Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge]]
 | image7   = The_Cathedral_Church_of_Christ_Marina..jpg
 | caption7 = [[Cathedral Church of Christ, Lagos|Cathedral Church of Christ]]
 | color    = white
}}
| image_flag         = <!--flag of Lagos.svg-->
| image_seal         = 
| nickname           = ''Eko akete'', ''Lasgidi''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://premiumtimesng.com/sports/5817-18th-national-sports-festival-lagos-unveils-logo-mascot-and-website.html |title=18th National Sports Festival: Lagos unveils Logo, mascot and website |date=18 June 2012 |work=[[Premium Times]] |access-date=2 October 2012 |location=Abuja, Nigeria |archive-date=27 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121027230021/http://premiumtimesng.com/sports/5817-18th-national-sports-festival-lagos-unveils-logo-mascot-and-website.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/eko-2012-building-branding-through-sports/122890/ |title=Eko 2012: Building Branding through Sports, Articles |date=22 August 2012 |work=[[ThisDay]] |access-date=2 October 2012 |location=Lagos, Nigeria |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224112111/http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/eko-2012-building-branding-through-sports/122890/ |archive-date=24 December 2013}}</ref>
| motto              = ''Èkó ò ní bàjẹ́!'' (Yoruba, literally, "Lagos will not spoil!"; colloquially, "Lagos will prevail!")
| image_map          = Location of Lagos.png
| map_caption        = Lagos shown within the [[Lagos State|State of Lagos]]
| pushpin_map        = Nigeria Lagos#Nigeria#Africa
| pushpin_relief     = 1
| pushpin_mapsize    = 
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of Lagos in Nigeria
| coordinates        = {{coord|6.455027|3.384082|region:NG-LA_type:City(8,100,000)|display=it}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|Nigeria}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[States of Nigeria|State]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[Local Government Areas of Nigeria|LGA(s)]]{{Refn|name=LGA|group=note|Metropolitan Lagos consists of 16 of Lagos State's 20 LGAs, which excludes [[Badagry]], [[Epe, Lagos State|Epe]], [[Ibeju-Lekki]] and [[Ikorodu]].<ref name="metrolagospop">{{cite web |url=http://www.citypopulation.de/php/nigeria-metrolagos.php |title=Metro Lagos (Nigeria): Local Government Areas |publisher=City Population |date=21 March 2015 |access-date=26 October 2015 |archive-date=7 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507193524/http://www.citypopulation.de/php/nigeria-metrolagos.php |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="metropolitan Lagos">{{cite web |url=https://ng.boell.org/2015/07/02/lagos-and-its-potentials-economic-growth |title=Lagos and Its Potentials for Economic Growth |date=2 July 2015 |access-date=26 October 2015 |archive-date=9 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151009143404/http://ng.boell.org/2015/07/02/lagos-and-its-potentials-economic-growth |url-status=live }}</ref>}}
| subdivision_name1  = [[Lagos State|Lagos]]
| subdivision_name2  = {{collapsible list |title=List of LGAs
|'''Island''' |[[Apapa]] |[[Eti-Osa]]{{refn|group=lower-alpha|Only Ikoyi-Obalande and Iru-Victoria Island LCDAs}} |[[Lagos Island]]
|'''Mainland'''|[[Ajeromi-Ifelodun]]|[[Lagos Mainland]]|[[Surulere]]
|'''Suburban''' |[[Agege]] | [[Alimosho]] |[[Ifako-Ijaiye]] | [[Ikeja]] |[[Kosofe]] |[[Mushin, Lagos|Mushin]] |[[Ojo, Lagos State|Ojo]] |[[Oshodi-Isolo]] |[[Shomolu]] |[[Amuwo-Odofin]] }}
| established_title  = Settled
| established_date   = 15th century
| founder            = [[Awori tribe|Awori]] subgroup of the [[Yoruba people|Yoruba]]<ref name=urban>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wKc5DQAAQBAJ&pg=PA427 |page=427 |title=Encyclopedia of Urban Studies |first=Ray |last=Hutchison |publisher=SAGE |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-412-9143-21}}</ref>
| seat_type          = 
| seat               = 
| government_footnotes = 
| leader_title1      = Governor of Lagos
| leader_name1       = [[Babajide Sanwo-Olu]]
| leader_title2      = Deputy Governor
| leader_name2       = [[Femi Hamzat]]
| leader_title3      = Supreme Judge
| leader_name3       = [[Kazeem Alogba]]
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="metrolagospop"/>
| area_total_km2     = 1171.28
| area_land_km2      = 999.6
| area_water_km2     = 171.68
| area_urban_km2     = 907
| area_metro_km2     = 2706.7
| elevation_m        = 
| elevation_ft       = 135
| population_total   = 8,048,430
| population_as_of   = 2006 census
| population_footnotes = {{Refn|name=LGA|group=note}}
| population_density_km2 = 6,871
| population_est     = 16,437,435
| pop_est_as_of      = 2018 by [[Lagos State Government|LASG]]<ref name="Lagos State Government">{{Cite web |url=http://mepb.lagosstate.gov.ng/storage/sites/29/2020/08/Abstract-of-Local-Government-Statistics-Y2019.pdf |title=2019 Abstract of Local Government Statistics |author=Lagos Bureau of Statistics |access-date=1 January 2021 |archive-date=16 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816041718/http://mepb.lagosstate.gov.ng/storage/sites/29/2020/08/Abstract-of-Local-Government-Statistics-Y2019.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
| population_urban   = 16,637,000<ref name=Demographia>{{cite book |author1=Demographia |title=Demographia World Urban Areas |date=January 2015 |edition=11th |url=http://www.demographia.com/db-worldua.pdf |access-date=2 March 2015 |archive-date=5 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110805030244/http://www.demographia.com/db-worldua.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
| population_density_urban_km2 = 14,469
| population_metro   = 21,000,000 (estimated)<ref name="Lagos State Government"/>
| population_density_metro_km2 = 7,759
| population_rank    = [[List of Nigerian cities by population|1st]]
| population_demonym = Lagosian
| demographics_type1 = GDP
| demographics1_footnotes = <ref name="C-GIDD GDP">{{cite web |date=13 October 2022 |editor-last=Okeowo |editor-first=Gabriel |editor2-last=Fatoba |editor2-first=Iyanuoluwa |title=State of States 2022 Edition |url=https://yourbudgit.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/2022-State-of-states_Official.pdf |access-date=7 March 2023 |website=Budgit.org |publisher=BudgIT |publication-date=13 October 2022}}</ref>
| demographics1_title2 = [[Metropolis]]
| demographics1_info2 = [[Nigerian naira|₦]] 41.2 trillion<br>[[US$]] 102.0 billion (2021)
| demographics1_title3 = Metro
| demographics1_info3 = ₦ 46.2 trillion<br>US$ 114.5 billion (2021)
| area_code          = [[Telephone numbers in Nigeria|010]]<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fwuQ71ZbaOcC&pg=PA87 |title=Bradt Travel Guides |edition=3rd |publisher=Paperback |isbn=978-1-8416-2397-9 |first=Lizzie |last=Williams |year=2008 |page=87 |access-date=26 July 2014}}</ref>
| website            = 
| footnotes          = {{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
| demographics1_info1 = 
| gini_year          = 
| timezone           = [[West Africa Time|WAT]] (UTC+1)
| utc_offset         = +1
| blank_name         = [[Köppen climate classification|Climate]]
| blank_info         = [[Tropical savanna climate|Aw]]
| leader_party       = 
| leader_title       = 
| timezone1          = 
| pushpin_image      = 
}}

'''Lagos'''  ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|l|eɪ|ɡ|ɒ|s}} {{respell|LAY|goss}};<ref>{{cite EPD|18}}</ref><ref name="m-w">{{cite web|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Lagos|title=Lagos|website=[[merriam-webster.com]]}}</ref> also [[American English|US]]: {{IPAc-en|ˈ|l|ɑː|g|oʊ|s}} {{respell|LAH|gohss}};<ref name="m-w"/><ref name="wells">{{cite book |last1=Wells |first1=John C. |last2=Davidson |first2=Lhinton |title=Sounds interesting: observations on English and general phonetics |date=2014 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |isbn=978-1-107-07470-5 |page=21}}</ref> {{Langx|yo|Èkó}}), or '''Lagos City''', is a large metropolitan city in southwestern [[Nigeria]]. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent,<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 April 2007 |title=Objections Surface Over Nigerian Census Results |url=https://www.prb.org/resources/objections-surface-over-nigerian-census-results/ |access-date=2024-01-01 |publisher=[[Population Reference Bureau]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=30 March 2016 |title=Lagos now wears a new look |url=https://www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/april-2016/lagos-now-wears-new-look |access-date=19 April 2023 |website=Renewal |language=en |archive-date=19 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219011121/https://www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/april-2016/lagos-now-wears-new-look |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=As world population tops 8 billion, Africa's most populated city keeps growing |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/video/lagos-nigeria-keeps-growing-as-world-population-passes-8-billion-153665093874 |access-date=21 January 2024 |publisher=NBC News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ogunbiyi |first=Tayo |date=5 January 2023 |title=Lagos and the 2023 Census |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/01/lagos-and-the-2023-census/amp/ |access-date=22 January 2024 |website=Vanguard}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Bearak |first1=Max |last2=Moriarty |first2=Dylan |last3=Ledur |first3=Júlia |title=Africa's rising cities |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2021/africa-cities/ |access-date=19 April 2023 |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en |archive-date=16 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230416001604/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2021/africa-cities/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and one of the fastest-growing [[megacity|megacities]] in the world. Lagos was the national capital of [[Nigeria]] until the [[Government of Nigeria|government]]'s December 1991 decision to move their capital to [[Abuja]], in the centre of the country.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Abuja at 46: The Dreams, Strides, Challenges |url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/features-and-interviews/509441-abuja-at-46-the-dreams-strides-challenges.html?tztc=1 |access-date=21 January 2024 |website=premiumtimesng.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=12 December 2021 |title=ABUJA: Capital relocation from Lagos 30 years ago |url=https://editor.guardian.ng/opinion/abuja-capital-relocation-from-lagos-30-years-ago/ |access-date=21 January 2024 |website=The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mohamed |first=Hamza |title=Nigeria: Clearing the locals to make Abuja the capital |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2018/4/11/nigeria-clearing-the-locals-to-make-abuja-the-capital |access-date=21 January 2024 |publisher=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref> Lagos is a major African [[financial center|financial centre]] and is the economic hub of [[Lagos State]] and Nigeria at large. The city has a significant influence on [[commerce]], [[entertainment]], [[technology]], [[education]], [[politics]], [[tourism]], [[art]], and [[fashion]] in Africa.  Lagos is also among the top ten of the world's fastest-growing cities and [[Urban area|urban]] areas.{{refn|Sources:<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=tk5TP7bsXnkC&pg=PA202 |title=African Cities Driving the NEPAD Initiative |year=2006 |isbn= 978-9-211318159 |page=202|publisher=United Nations Human Settlements Programme}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=sMnj88kYVmcC&pg=PT60 |title=Key Concepts in Creative Industries |page=47 |first1= John |last1= Hartley |first2=Jason |last2=Potts |first3=Terry|last3=Flew|first4= Stuart |last4= Cunningham |first5= Michael|last5= Keane|first6= John |last6= Banks |publisher= SAGE |year=2012 |isbn=978-1-446-2028-90}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=wQJb1QpZz_4C&pg=PA118 |title=Cultures and Globalization: Cities, Cultural Policy and Governance |page=118 |author1=Helmut K Anheier |author2=Yudhishthir Raj Isar |publisher= SAGE |year=2012 |isbn=978-1-446-2585-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=oy-de29AtvYC&pg=PA163 |title=Hidden Innovation: Policy, Industry and the Creative Sector (Creative Economy and Innovation Culture Se Series) |first=Stuart |last=Cunningham |publisher= Univ. of Queensland Press |page=163 |year=2013 |isbn= 978-0-702-2509-89}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=rQ_ZLuqZT54C&pg=PA71 |title=Cities and Nature |page=7 |publisher=Routledge Critical Introductions to Urbanism and the City |first1= Lisa|last1= Benton-Short|author-link2=John Rennie Short |author2=John Rennie Short |year=2013 |isbn=978-1-134252749}}</ref><ref name=afropolis>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=9lcn62brtGQC&pg=PA18|title=Afropolis: City Media Art |first1=Kerstin |last1=Pinther |first2=Larissa |last2=Förster |first3=Christian |last3=Hanussek |publisher=Jacana Media |year=2012 |page=18 |isbn=978-1-431-4032-57}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8JPIAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA66 |title=The Land/Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone of West and Central Africa Estuaries of the World |first1=Salif |last1=Diop |first2=Jean-Paul |last2=Barusseau |page=66 |first3=Cyr |last3=Descamps |publisher=Springer |year=2014 |isbn=978-3-319-0638-81}}</ref>}}<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Most Populated Cities of the World. World Megacities - Nations Online Project|url=https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/bigcities.htm|access-date=23 September 2021|website=nationsonline.org|archive-date=5 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211005155316/https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/bigcities.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2024, [[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out magazine]] ranked Lagos as the 19th best city to visit in the world. A megacity, it has the second-highest [[Gross domestic product|GDP]] in Africa,<ref name="metropolitan Lagos" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bigthink.com/strange-maps/richest-cities-in-africa|title=These cities are the hubs of Africa's economic boom|date=4 October 2018|website=Big Think|access-date=23 April 2019|archive-date=23 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423194527/https://bigthink.com/strange-maps/richest-cities-in-africa|url-status=live}}</ref> and houses one of the [[Apapa|largest and busiest seaports]] on the continent.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://businesstech.co.za/news/general/81995/africas-biggest-shipping-ports/ |title= Africa's biggest shipping ports |publisher= Businesstech |date= 8 March 2015 |access-date= 26 October 2015 |archive-date= 5 November 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151105121001/http://businesstech.co.za/news/general/81995/africas-biggest-shipping-ports/ |url-status= live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=E-VwMKQlGjIC |title=Africa, Volume 1 of Cities of the World: a compilation of current information on cultural, geographical, and political conditions in the countries and cities of six continents, based on the Department of State's "post reports" |first1=Brian |last1=Rajewski |publisher=Gale Research International, Limited |year=1998 |isbn= 978-0-810-3769-22}}</ref><ref name="global">{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Lzt7BgAAQBAJ&pg=PA315 |page=315 |title= Global Gentrifications: Uneven Development and Displacement |first1=Loretta |last1=Lees |author2= Hyun Bang Shin |author3= Ernesto López Morales |publisher=Policy Press |year=2015 |isbn=978-1-447-3134-89}}</ref> Due to the large urban population and port traffic volumes, Lagos is classified as a Medium-Port Megacity.<ref>{{cite journal 
| first1 = Toby
| last1 = Roberts
| first2 = Ian
| last2 = Williams
| first3 = John
| last3 = Preston
| title = The Southampton system: a new universal standard approach for port-city classification
| journal = Maritime Policy & Management
| volume = 48
| issue = 4
| pages = 530–542
| publisher = Taylor & Francis Group
| location = London
| date = 10 August 2020
| doi = 10.1080/03088839.2020.1802785
| s2cid = 225502755
| doi-access = free
}}</ref>

Lagos emerged as a home to the [[Awori tribe|Awori]] subgroup of the [[Yoruba people|Yoruba]] of [[West Africa]] in the 15th century, which are contained in the present-day Local Government Areas ([[List of Lagos State local government areas by population|LGAs]]) of [[Lagos Island]], [[Eti-Osa]], [[Amuwo-Odofin]] and [[Apapa]]. Before the 15th century, the Awori settled on a Farmstead along the coastal line in and around which they worked and lived. The Farmstead translates to Ereko in Yoruba, from which comes the Lagos indigenous name "Eko". The lands are separated by creeks, fringing the southwest mouth of [[Lagos Lagoon]], while being protected from the [[Atlantic Ocean]] by [[barrier island]]s and long sand spits such as [[Bar Beach, Lagos|Bar Beach]], which stretch up to {{cvt|100|km}} east and west of the mouth. Due to rapid urbanisation, the city expanded to the west of the lagoon to include areas in the present day [[Lagos Mainland]], [[Ajeromi-Ifelodun]], and [[Surulere]]. This led to the classification of Lagos into two main areas: the [[#Island|Island]], which was the original city of Lagos, and the [[#Mainland|Mainland]], which it has since expanded into.<ref name="Lagos Case Study">{{cite web |url=http://water.tkk.fi/wr/tutkimus/glob/publications/Haapala/pdf-files/CASE%20STUDY%20OF%20LAGOS.pdf |title=CASE STUDY OF LAGOS |access-date=27 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304195932/http://water.tkk.fi/wr/tutkimus/glob/publications/Haapala/pdf-files/CASE%20STUDY%20OF%20LAGOS.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref> This city area was governed directly by the Federal Government through the Lagos City Council, until the creation of Lagos State, in 1967, which led to the splitting of Lagos city into the present-day seven [[List of Lagos State local government areas by population|Local Government Areas]] (LGAs), and an addition of other towns (which now make up 13 LGAs) from the then [[Western Region, Nigeria|Western Region]] to form the state.<ref name="Lagos State Information"/>

However, the state capital was later moved to [[Ikeja]], in 1976,<ref>{{Cite web |title=History Of Lagos |url=https://onelagosfiesta.ng/history-of-lagos/ |access-date=12 March 2022 |website=One Lagos Fiesta |date=10 July 2016 |language=en-US |archive-date=7 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407112914/https://onelagosfiesta.ng/history-of-lagos/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and the federal capital moved to [[Abuja]] in 1991. Even though Lagos is still widely referred to as a city, the present-day Lagos, also known as "Metropolitan Lagos", and officially as "Lagos Metropolitan Area"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ng.boell.org/2014/07/29/flood-free-lagos-regional-imperative |title=A Flood-Free Lagos: The Regional Imperative |access-date=27 November 2015 |archive-date=24 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220424012242/https://ng.boell.org/2014/07/29/flood-free-lagos-regional-imperative |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=http://online.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/abs/10.3828/lhr.61.1.49 |title=The Travails of Migrant and Wage Labour in the Lagos Metropolitan Area in the Inter-War Years |publisher=Liverpool University Press |access-date=27 November 2015 |author=Olukoju, Ayodeji |journal=Labour History Review |year=1996 |volume=61 |pages=49–70 |doi=10.3828/lhr.61.1.49|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nzdl.org/gsdlmod?e=d-00000-00---off-0hdl--00-0----0-10-0---0---0direct-10---4-------0-1l--11-en-50---20-about---00-0-1-00-0--4----0-0-11-10-0utfZz-8-00&a=d&cl=CL1.12&d=HASH2fc4be0b5391fe0cf5027a.5.fc |title=Lagos Metropolitan Area: Scope and scale of the shelter problem |access-date=27 November 2015 |archive-date=8 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208051506/http://www.nzdl.org/gsdlmod?e=d-00000-00---off-0hdl--00-0----0-10-0---0---0direct-10---4-------0-1l--11-en-50---20-about---00-0-1-00-0--4----0-0-11-10-0utfZz-8-00&a=d&cl=CL1.12&d=HASH2fc4be0b5391fe0cf5027a.5.fc |url-status=live }}</ref> is an [[urban agglomeration]] or [[conurbation]],<ref>{{cite web | url=http://goarticles.com/article/Lagos-is-wonderful-and-charming-conurbation-of-Nigeria-to-visit/6185807/ | title=Lagos is wonderful and charming conurbation of Nigeria to visit | publisher=Go Articles | date=6 March 2012 | access-date=27 November 2015 | author=Caprio, Charles | archive-date=24 February 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140224195724/http://goarticles.com/article/Lagos-is-wonderful-and-charming-conurbation-of-Nigeria-to-visit/6185807/ | url-status=live }}</ref> consisting of 16 LGAs including Ikeja, the state capital of Lagos State.<ref name="metropolitan Lagos"/><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nigeriacongress.org/FGN/administrative/statedetails.asp?state=lagos | title=Administrative Levels – Lagos State | publisher=Nigeria Congress | access-date=27 November 2015 | url-status=usurped | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051225234623/http://www.nigeriacongress.org/fgn/administrative/statedetails.asp?state=Lagos | archive-date=25 December 2005}}</ref> This conurbation makes up 37% of Lagos State total land area, but houses about 85% of the state's total population.<ref name="metropolitan Lagos"/><ref name="Lagos State Information">{{cite web | url=http://www.nigerianstat.gov.ng/information/details/Lagos | title=Lagos State Information | publisher=National Bureau of Statistics | access-date=25 October 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151109140122/http://nigerianstat.gov.ng/information/details/Lagos | archive-date=9 November 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lagosstate.gov.ng/pagelinks.php?p=6 |title=Population – Lagos State |publisher=[[Lagos State Government]] |access-date=27 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018094514/http://www.lagosstate.gov.ng/pagelinks.php?p=6 |archive-date=18 October 2015 }}</ref>

The population of Metropolitan Lagos is disputed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2022 World Population by Country |url=https://worldpopulationreview.com/ |access-date=12 March 2022 |website=worldpopulationreview.com |archive-date=21 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921032124/https://worldpopulationreview.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In the 2006 federal census data, the conurbation had a population of about 9 million people.<ref name=Metropolitan_Lagos_population/> However, the figure was disputed by the [[Lagos State Government]], which later released its own population data, putting the population of [[Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority|Lagos Metropolitan Area]] at approximately 16 million.{{refn|name=LGA|group=note}} Daily, the Lagos area is growing by some 3,000 people or around 1.1 million annually, so the true population figure of the greater Lagos area in 2022 is roughly 28 million (up from some 23.5 million in 2018). Lagos may therefore have overtaken [[Kinshasa]] as Africa's most populous city.<ref name="metrolagospop"/><ref name="Lagos State Information"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lagosstate.gov.ng/pagelinks.php?p=6 |publisher=Lagos State Government |title=Population |year=2011 |access-date=3 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018094514/http://www.lagosstate.gov.ng/pagelinks.php?p=6 |archive-date=18 October 2015 }}</ref><ref name="The sustainable city">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wmk3mCrMDTQC&q=153%2C540+hectares&pg=PA160 |title=The Sustainable City VII: Urban Regeneration and Sustainability |year=2012 |isbn=978-1-84564-578-6 |last1=Pacetti |first1=M. |last2=Passerini |first2=G. |last3=Brebbia |first3=C.A. |last4=Latini |first4=G.|publisher=WIT Press }}</ref> The Lagos conurbation is part of an emerging transnational [[megalopolis]] on the coast of West Africa that includes areas in five [[sovereign state]]s, the [[Abidjan–Lagos Corridor]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=French |first=Howard W. |date=27 October 2022 |title=Megalopolis: how coastal west Africa will shape the coming century |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/27/megalopolis-how-coastal-west-africa-will-shape-the-coming-century |access-date=6 March 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last1=Choplin |first1=Armelle |title=The West African corridor from Abidjan to Lagos: a megacity-region under construction |date=4 September 2020 |work=Handbook of Megacities and Megacity-Regions |pages=206–222 |url=https://www.elgaronline.com/edcollchap/edcoll/9781788972697/9781788972697.00021.xml |access-date=6 March 2024 |publisher=Edward Elgar Publishing |language=en-US |isbn=978-1-78897-270-3 |last2=Hertzog |first2=Alice}}</ref>

The [[University of Lagos]] is one of the [[Education in Nigeria#First generation universities|first generation universities]] of Nigeria. The business district of Lagos is home to [[Tinubu Square]], named after the aristocratic slave trader [[Efunroye Tinubu]]. Lagos contains [[Murtala Muhammed International Airport]], named after [[Murtala Muhammad]], one of the former Nigerian presidents; the airport is one of the busiest African airports. [[National Stadium, Lagos|Lagos National Stadium]] has hosted various international sports events such as the [[1980 African Cup of Nations]].