Towards making people-friendly places and enhancing quality of place in lagos, nigeria: current urban development responses

Abstract

This paper is about experiencing the urban-related problems and perspectives of sub-Saharan Africa’s largest metropolis, in terms of the mega-city’s people-friendliness and quality of place. It is based on a descriptive analysis of housing, urban design and planning responses in Lagos, Nigeria. The research is an exploratory qualitative case-study on the challenges of urbanization and mega-city growth. Primary data were obtained through participant-observation and secondary data from published sources related to Lagos, Nigeria. The paper examined current responses at shaping the urban fabric in terms of the mega-city urban policies, plans, and programmes. These interventions were analysed from the perspectives of making people-friendly places and enhancing quality of place. Findings revealed that despite the potential of current urban responses and Institutional frameworks to radically transform Lagos into a viable urban scheme, the limited incorporation of people-friendly notions appear more like supplementary appendages, rather than as fundamental principles to guide sustainable urban development. The paper concluded that creating, developing and managing people-friendly places are central and critical to responding appropriately to the challenges of rapid urbanization confronting Lagos mega-city.