Lagos is a world-class destination, Nigeria’s most amazing city that has wonderful beaches, skyscrapers, amazing parks, best entertainment options, most job opportunities and so much more. Lagos has everything to offer everybody. The city prides itself in its unique experiences and matchless vibes – where the locals, popularly known as ‘Lagosians’ are what set the city apart.
We present to you, 20 reasons why Lagos is an amazing city to live in – real facts that prove living in Lagos is much better than living anywhere else in Nigeria.
1. Beautiful beaches
Lagos is surrounded by water bodies. Thus, there are numerous scenic sandy beaches which are suitable for picnics and recreation. Visitors from other cities and even from abroad can visit these beaches during their vacation but the Lagosians visit whenever they want to have fun especially during the weekends.
2. Job opportunities
Lagos is the major economic nerve centre of Nigeria and the rest of West African sub-region. Most industries and business enterprises in Nigeria have their headquarters in Lagos. The chance of building your career and rising to the pinnacle of your choosing profession is higher in Lagos than any other city in Nigeria or West Africa.
3. Exciting nightlife
Photo Source: OnlineNigeria
Lagos has one of the most interesting nightlife in all of Nigeria. Many shows to attend and parties to groove in and if grooving and partying is not your thing you could just savor the taste of chilled beer in a local bar or drain down a glass of wine in a classic wine lounge. There is something for everyone in Lagos Nightlife, never a dull moment in this city.4. Luxury hotels
Lagos has several hotels ranging from five star hotels to budget hotels. If your business partners, family or friends visit, you need not panic because there will always be a suitable hotel accommodation for them that will suit their class and taste.
5. Keep up-to-date with your favourite tech brand at Computer Village
Photo Source: Naijamakit
Lagos with its numerous industries, 2 Seaports and an International Airport which serves as a gateway to Nigeria is the right location for Nigeria’s technology Market. The Lagos technology markets located in computer Village and Alaba International market is the biggest in Africa. Electronics and computer accessories can easily be bought in these markets at a relatively cheap price as merchants from other cities come to these market to make purchase and go back to resell. Also hard to find accessories in other cities are readily available here.6. Get cheap foods to live on
High cost of house rent in Lagos has over hyped, however all is in agreement that food is cheap in Lagos. Agricultural produce from different parts of Nigeria are brought to Lagos, also all imported food into the country pass through Apapa Port in Lagos before heading to various destinations. So despite the city’s large population, food remains cheaper than in other Nigerian cities as the supply is higher than demand.
7. Explore the street shops for your domestic needs
Lagos has been described as the city that never sleeps. When you are living in Lagos you could buy from the street shop at any time be it early morning or late night. You will find Aboki with small kiosk selling a variety of household items by the street corner. You will also find pharmacy stores etc even by midnight.
8. Get entertained with Nollywood movies
Lagos is the home to Nigeria’s booming movie industry popularly known as Nollywood. The second biggest movie industry in the world after Hollywood; residents of this city not only get to watch their favorite movie stars on TV, they also get to see them off TV. Going to see a movie in one of the cinemas is one way Lagosians spend their romantic weekend. And of course if you desire a career in the Nollywood, you don’t need a soothsayer to tell you that Lagos is amazing city to live.
9. Lagos is the gateway to other West Africa countries
Thinking of crossing the border? Lagos has a land border to Benin Republic through which you can travel to many other West African countries like Togo, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia etc by road. With free movement of personnel among West African countries, residence of Lagos transact their businesses across these countries with ease.
10. Global city
With large international and domestic economies behind Lagos, it has become one of the top global economic centre in Africa. You will find a large population of nationals of all countries of the world in the city. High net worth individuals and decision makers and decision makers in Nigeria live in Lagos, while multinational companies have their branch offices in this city. When you live in Lagos you are a global citizen in tune with the modern world.
11. Exciting attractions
Beside its beautiful sandy beaches Lagos has several attractions among which are the Jhalobia Recreation Park and Gardens, National Arts Theatre, Terra Kulture and many more. When you live in Lagos, you will not spend an arm and a leg to tour these attractions whenever you need to visit these amazing attractions.
12. Get your freak on at owambe parties
Lagos parties are very colorful and unique; the trendy clothes, assorted kind of foods, large gathering of friends and families. Lagos weekend parties popularly known as ‘Owambe’ parties are among the grooviest parties worldwide. When you are live in Lagos you will always find yourself in one of the parties dancing, drinking, eating and celebrating with friends and family. “Lagosians” as the city residents call themselves are happy people; depressed people are never found in Lagos.
13. Get your prayers answered in the Holy city
Photo Source: Thetbjoshuafanclub
With millions of visitors yearly, thronging to the Redemption Camp, Prayer City, Synagogue Church of all Nations,Winners Chapel popularly known as ‘Shiloh’ and many other churches, Lagos can be described as “the Jerusalem of Africa”. The residence have regular access to these holy grounds that foreigner spend so much to set their foot in.14. Easy access to qualitative education
Lagos is home to some of the best primary and secondary schools in the country, both public and private.When you reside in Lagos, giving your children quality education is not a herculean task. Lagos is also home to many reputable public and private universities, which make access to tertiary education easier in the city.
15. Large and accessible market for your goods and services
16. Presence of international airport and sea port
When you live in Lagos, you are connected to the world, there is an international airport and you can book flights to any city in the world and jet out to your destination within the shortest possible time. Also with presence of two sea ports, you could order for goods from any part of the world and it will arrive at your do step without delay.
17. Entertainment capital of Africa
Lagos is the headquarters of entertainment in Africa. Most the famous musicians in Nigeria are based in Lagos. The same is true for the stand-up comedians. Most of the record labels that produce and manage international stars are also located in Lagos. If you have got talent and you want to become a star, Lagos is the best city for you to live in.
18. Delicious streets foods
Lagos street foods have a distinctive flavour that will be difficult to get anywhere. The most popular and delicious barbecue meat, known as Suya can be found at almost every corner of the city. Similarly, the famous ‘Agege’ Bread can be also be found on the streets of Lagos. Lagosians believe that Ewa Aganyin and Agege bread for breakfast taste better than burger. There other street foods like Akara, Boli, Puff Puff, Abacha, Agbo jedi and many more.
19. Speaking daily vernacular – Pidgin English
Pidgin English is the Nigerian common language of expression, which everyone can speak and understand. Beside Warri and Port Harcourt, Lagos is the place where Pidgin English is the number one language of communication. The language breaks ethnic barriers and is interesting to converse in.
20. Daily Lagos scenes
Lagos is a city full of comedy that you can never experience in any other city. The comedy is woven into everyday life and city’s daily scenes. The transport hustles, the street vendors, Agbero and bus conductors shouting destination names –“Oshodi Oshodi” each with his own distinctive funny tune, spectacular street dance performances and much more. The Lagos daily scenes is one of the reasons Lagosians are happy people.
What do you think? Tell us why you think Lagos is an amazing place to live:
Yes, Lagos is the centre of excellence but there's so much you should know about this city if you want to live here.
If you are one of those people
If you’re not so lucky, then you must have
come in by bus, speeding past the long trail of churches that line
Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and manage to cause insane gridlocks anytime
they are led to have a monthly event.
Either way, somehow you end up that takes you
to Ojota. At the pedestrian bridge, close to Total Fuel Station, the
driver suddenly shouts, “last bus stop, gbogbo ero”.
You don’t know what it means but everyone’s alighting so you decide to let common sense lead the way.
Then you remember you didn’t take your 400 naira change yet.
“Driver, please, do you mind giving me my change? Your conductor left…”
“No dey shout give me, abeg”, he screams.
“Like say you sabi speak English. I can speak
English too. Ruffian. You think is only you that go to school”, he
shouts as he hands you two rumpled 200 naira notes.
You’re shocked, to say the least.
“Bros, I nor follow you fight”, “Na question I ask, I no kill person”
You turn around to the sight of two policemen dressed in a shade of black that the Nigerian Police would not approve of.
“You’re a Yahoo boy abi”, they say as they hover menacingly
“That’s why you think you can come here and talk as you want”
“Look at him dressed as a ruffian”, one says, pointing to your ripped jeans and face cap.
“Oya, bring out your ‘hi-phone’, criminal”, the other says as he grabs your trousers.
You want to retort in protest but the menacing, reckless swing of their automatic rifles teaches you better.
By the time you’re done, your wallet has 5,000
naira less than it used to. They found nothing on your phone but as you
later learn, that doesn’t matter.
Moving to Lagos is usually motivated by the
prospect of making it in Nigeria’s economic and commercial capital. Yet
few people are ever ready for the myriad of typical habits and that
define the centre of excellence.
If you ever plan to move to Lagos and start a
life or something that looks like it for a couple of years, here are a
few things you should be prepared for.
(1) You always have to deal to traffic:
The traffic gridlocks in Lagos are the stuff
of legend. Despite having over 20 million people by UN estimates and
waterways, most of the city’s population still moves around by way of a
simplistic road network.
A simple broken down vehicle can cause a long pile-up that shuts half the city down on a good day.
In some places, the width of the roads are to
blame, especially when traders set up shop on the sidewalk and
pedestrians claim a chunk of the road. .
Sometimes, it's impossible to place a finger
on the root of the problem and the long piles of cars just sits there,
waiting for something miraculous to happen.
It is why waking up in the wee hours of the
morning is part of the equation; it’s all too common to see
professionals hunting for a solitary bus at 5.30 in the morning.
If you want to survive here, you have to join the movement too.
(2) Cost of living is… costly:
If you’re coming from one of the
not-so-densely populated areas of Nigeria, you better be ready for the
shock of your life. Lagos is an expensive place to live, work and visit
in.
Because the demand for products, services and
everything else is so high, the people who have these things can afford
to charge higher prices.
Also, it costs more to do business in Lagos;
the government has a savage team of tax lawyers, accountant and other
professionals so levies and duties are charged at every turn.
There’s also, in certain places, a misguided
perception that pricey-ness equals quality, hence everything in those
areas tends to be a lot more expensive than they would be elsewhere.
Basically, the best you can do is to know what
you want, live on a strict budget and know when and how to haggle when
the time cometh.
(3) There are too many people in Lagos
You think traffic gridlocks are for vehicles alone until something takes you to Lagos Island and you’re trying to find space for your legs in a crowd of hundreds of people in the middle of Balogun Market.
The saying goes that everybody wants to live in Lagos and it's mostly true.
About 20 million people are squeezed into an area smaller than a local government area in certain states. The result is that everywhere feels too tight; in so-called highbrow areas, buildings are built barely a few feet from each other.
In the city’s less desirable areas, entire
families of five sleep in a room the size of a large bathroom. It is
also why accommodation is so deathly expensive.
The city has a housing deficit and the few options available are not ideal and are ridiculously overpriced.
(4) Lagos never stops moving
There are many cities that do not sleep but
Lagos goes a step further to be the city that never stands still.
First-time visitors and even old residents always describe a strong
sense of energy, a buzz that emanates from the city at any given time.
It is a great sense of urgency that has made the city one of the world’s most promising financial and commercial hubs.
No one knows if it comes from the city, its
history of the people; in the latter’s defence, they are the most
tenacious people you will ever meet.
Lagosians make the most of their limited circumstances to flourish with a mix of tenacity and the need to hustle.
It is why when you’re walking on the city’s streets, a languid pose will most likely imply “weak” more than relaxed.
(5) Everybody is trying to assert their power
Try not to appear weak in Lagos because from
that point, it is only a matter of time before someone tries to take
advantage of you.
In the city, everyone from vendors and street
traders to the police is all too eager to show you how strong they are,
physical and otherwise.
In most cases, it can lead to a scuffle or
violence between two strong, emphatic personalities; but overall, it
makes for an interesting dynamic.
For a newbie, it can hard to deal with at
first; as soon as the wrong people sense your naivete, they will most
definitely attempt to cut a chunk for themselves, either by robbing you
or just subjugating you for however long.
The best way to deal with this varies for and
from each person with an experience and something to say. Simply avoid
unnecessary interactions and stand your ground when pushed.
Real Life in Lagos, Nigeria
The Popular Story, The Real Story, and The Other Story
“Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up, it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the lion or a gazelle. When the sun comes up, you’d better be running.”
I have never spoken with Christopher McDougall before, but I believe this famous quote from his book Born to Run would have been inspired by living in Lagos for just a few months. There seems to be a frenetic pace to every activity on the streets of Lagos – except, of course, during weekend parties popularly called “owambe.” The infamous ‘danfo’ buses, ‘keke Napep,’ and ‘Okada,’ which are the major transport services in this city, helps to highlight the pace and the ruggedness of this city.
But…wait…that can’t be all. Lagos is not that simple.
“Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up, it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the lion or a gazelle. When the sun comes up, you’d better be running.”
I have never spoken with Christopher McDougall before, but I believe this famous quote from his book Born to Run would have been inspired by living in Lagos for just a few months. There seems to be a frenetic pace to every activity on the streets of Lagos – except, of course, during weekend parties popularly called “owambe.” The infamous ‘danfo’ buses, ‘keke Napep,’ and ‘Okada,’ which are the major transport services in this city, helps to highlight the pace and the ruggedness of this city.
But…wait…that can’t be all. Lagos is not that simple.
Experiences are unique to every human – beautiful, ugly, and the beautifully ugly (the oxymoron that keeps coming to mind while thinking of Lagos). You can’t simply find a word or a group of words to explain the experiences of those living in this Lagos. You need to walk up to each person living in this city to reach an appropriate conclusion.
For Lagos, what you would experience is determined based on some key factors: Location, age, social interests, income class, and perception of life in general. Generally, your income would influence all the other factors; it would influence where you decide to live, your social interests, your perception of life, and even your age. Yes, your age! Extremely wealthy people, whether old or young, are popularly hailed and called ‘Chairmen.’ But, I think we are moving too fast. Let’s back up a little.
What is the background story of Lagos?
Lagos is one of the largest cities in West Africa inhabited by more than 20 million people. It is the fifth most populous city in the world – more populated than Tokyo, Moscow, London, and Mumbai. It was originally inhabited by the Aworis, Eguns and Ilajes, but the city has grown into a cosmopolitan city over the years.
The city has two sides – the Mainland and the Island. The major places are Lagos Island (originally and still commonly called EKO), Epe, Ikorodu, Ikeja, Surulere, Yaba, Apapa, Victoria Island (the financial centre of Lagos), and Ikoyi to name a few. The residency in these places are influenced majorly by the income class of the people, but the majority of Lagos is occupied by the middle and lower socioeconomic class.
The city is one of 35 states in Nigeria and the unofficial economic capital of Nigeria. Everything that represents Nigeria is present here in Lagos. You can call Lagos the ‘Engine of the Nigerian Vehicle,’ or the ‘Heart of the Nigerian Body.’
So what’s the popular story?
Lagos is generally famous for its frantic and fast-paced life and the overly ‘smart’ people (to sound politically correct), where the rookie and ignorant fall prey to extortion and fraud. However, this could be said to be true with most capitalist cities around the world. The city is widely notorious for the negative things – the shanties stories (check out the BBC documentary in 2010); the snatch and grab stories; the extortion stories; the fake ID’s and the fake certificate stories; the fake product stories; the traffic and congestion stories; the lawlessness stories. I remember someone who visited Lagos ranting online that, “Lagos life is just plain stupid (traffic jams, hustle for everything, wake up by 5 a.m., get your wallet stolen in public transport, lack of fresh air due to overpopulation and dirt, etc.).” There are always complaints about the chaos that is Lagos – that social exuberance that irritates some people with a different sense of sanity – one which, ironically, represents the soul of the city – the entrepreneurial spirit of the city.
The negative stories are what you would have heard or have become accustomed to about Lagos, but how come there’s still more people trooping into this city with the population said to double in the next 15 years.
There must be more to the popular stories about this city. There must be something those residing in this boisterous city aren’t telling those who aren’t living here and those who are planning to move into this city.
What do people living in Lagos have to say about Lagos?
Jumoke, who has lived in Lagos all her life and lives in the working class and low-income area of Ikorodu says, “I can’t imagine any other place I would have liked to be born,” even though her parents are from another state in the western region of Nigeria. Her parents were motivated to come to Lagos by what motivates everyone wanting to come to Lagos – opportunities. Lagos is a land of business and job opportunities. The population of the city allows for various entrepreneurial ventures. For example, a low-income-earning family who has just moved into Lagos can decide to open a small kiosk or shop in front of their house and sell provisions, wares, and other basic home needs in small quantity without the need to register the business or pay taxes. Jumoke continues by saying, “Sometimes, I have this feeling that if you don’t live in Lagos, then you have not lived life.”
However, Jumoke goes on to complain about the traffic – “Just imagine having to wake up as early as 4 a.m. to make appointments. In your mind, you will think you are early enough. Wait till you get to the bus station to find people have filled the bus station, and I say to myself we don’t sleep in this Lagos sha…This alone discourages me from going out at times. Hanging out at home with friends has become a regular thing for me as a result.”
But, Lagos, just like every other place, taught me one or two lessons. She says, “I learnt the distinction between being smart and being street smart. Don’t just carry your bag anyhow; you actually need to cling to your bag. If possible, marry it because before you say jack, your valuables have vanished and then you begin to speak in tongues and your normal heartbeat will just escalate. GOD help you if you don’t find yourself in the hospital.” Her description is rather vivid, but I’m sure she’d experienced one before. In fact, is there a ‘Lagosian’ that hasn’t experienced such? I don’t think I have met someone who hasn’t.
You might ask the same thing I asked myself – Why does anyone want to live in this kind of city she just described? But, when I asked her, she was ready with an answer. She says, “Lagos is a paradise for Nigerian hustlers, the city never sleeps. Going out in the evening gives me so much joy as the view of Lagos is breathtaking and Lagos is filled with countless opportunities. I’m telling you, despite how crazy Lagos is, the beauty still remains.” I stopped to wonder what was really more breathtaking about Lagos – the nightlife or the fast-paced life during the day.
Another ‘Lagosian’ who’s lived in the city all her life and now an entrepreneur, Geraldine Nnadi, was born in the Mushin area of Lagos. She says what marked her childhood mornings were the loud sounds from the speakers of a mosque not so far from her house. She says, “Getting to school early meant leaving at least an hour early despite my school not being very far.” She continues, “The Lagos car traffic, particularly in the mornings and night, is quite a hustle, and to beat it requires smartness and early preparations; otherwise, you could be sitting in traffic for hours for a journey of probably forty-five minutes, thereby ‘carrying last’ (the slang for tardiness).” She was born in Lagos, but her family is originally from the eastern part of Lagos. She tells me she sells clothes in one of the major markets in Lagos, the Yaba Market. She describes Mushin, where her family was living, as a fast-paced, noisy, rowdy, and busy town, and talked about how her dad moved the whole family to a more serene area in Isolo, but says, “Isolo isn’t as serene as it was years ago, but it’s still a decent area to escape the noise, hustle and bustle of Lagos.”
I was inquisitive to know what the market in Lagos would be like because it’s mostly women who go to the market in these parts. She told me it’s really rough. She says, “One must be very alert and vigilant about one’s self and belongings, as some people only come to the market to steal and not purchase anything. Some sellers also would seize any opportunity they can to exploit you, the customer, or charge exorbitant prices if they sense your unfamiliarity with the market workings or your inability to bargain. My first trip to a market without any adult supervision resulted in my spending over budget and I nearly lost my shopping bag.”
She seems like someone who likes to enjoy herself and have fun, so I asked her what she thinks of the social scene in Lagos. She says, “It’s very vibrant here and there are lots of cool places to relax and spend time with friends. While growing up, fun places to visit were fast-food joints and the beach. However, presently, there are theme parks, shopping malls, movie cinemas, and nightclubs that make Lagos enjoyable after a long week of work.”
She tells me about a funny but rather sad experience that would never leave her memory – “I once had my phone stolen from my handbag while I stood up to give an offering in church. It was really painful. I think this experience just highlights the paradox in the city I live in.”
The experience in Lagos would almost be similar to people from the same class of income, but for people at the extreme ends (the wealthy and the poor), the experiences are very much different.
For someone like Busayo, whose family moved from the neighbouring town of Ibadan to the expensive neighbourhood of Magodo in Lagos, growing up in Lagos was mostly indoors. She spoke about going to a school not so far from where she resides meaning she couldn’t have experienced the massive traffic that bedevilled others in other parts of the city. ”Life could be easier – and maybe less fun also – when you come from a wealthy home in Lagos. You don’t get to interact with Lagos directly when you are still a kid,” she says, but she’s grown up now and offers catering services such as delivery of cakes to the numerous parties hosted in Lagos weekly. So, I wondered if her experience of the city has changed in any way to which she responds, “Yes, in a way, because now you have to interact with the city – live on your own; go to the market; start and run a business and every other thing you do to make you feel some independence. Right now, I’m understanding what being ‘street-smart’ is and learning how to deal with people in the course of my business.”
But, what is business like in Lagos, does it grant entrepreneurial opportunities and success like it’s been widely spoken about? With real confidence in what she says makes Lagos special, she tells me, “The business opportunities here are numerous. The execution is all that matters. Lagos has the population and the population needs to eat; they need clothes; they need shelter; they need to move from one place to the other, and they need to celebrate one thing or the other (laughs), the opportunities are right there for people who want to see it.”
There are always different arms of life on the streets of Lagos. ‘Danfo’ buses contesting the road with trendy cars and hawkers trying to sell their food or wares to the passengers while a beggar is at the window also trying to get some alms from the same passengers. Lagos has shown that it’s possible for every class of people to coexist.
What’s the other story?
In spite of the chaos that seems to mark the city, there’s still a genuine love for the city. Like Jumoke described it, “Lagos is the paradise of hustlers.” Lagos is choosing between a profitable and lucrative chaos and a simple, quiet and tasteless life in other cities in the country. There are business ideas that wouldn’t sell anywhere else but Lagos. There are so many opportunities in the value chain that people are making money from things that are unheard of in some other cities. Things like simply standing at a bus stop and collecting ‘owo ile’ (a land use fee) from commercial buses and bikes without any formal authority or SME’s who run food errands for the busy office workers.
One notable thing no one bothers to mention about Lagos is the weather. The weather can be extremely kind compared to other states in the country. The weather seldom swings to the extreme. Most of the year, the climate is generally warm. The city has a tropical wet and dry climate with only two distinct rainy seasons. The intense season occurs between April and July, while a milder one occurs from October to November. Lagos not only has a warm climate but also has residents who are warm to visitors and foreigners.
The food…oh, the food! There’s so much to the cuisine in Lagos. Food like Fufu, Egusi, Pounded Yam, ‘Amala,’ Pepper Soup, Jollof Rice, and ‘Dodo’ (fried plantain) can be eaten at any ‘bukka’ or ‘food joints’ – the street version of fast foods. ‘Lagosians’ are particularly addicted to rice – white rice and stew; that’s the default morning food in most families.
There’s a young and vibrant entrepreneurial spirit in the city. The city has one of the largest hub of tech entrepreneurs in Africa – the capital of fashion and arts in West Africa. The fashion in this city is generally western in style with a cultural blend to it.
There are swanky clubs, posh bars, beaches, and other forms of affordable entertainment that await fun seekers who have survived the long traffic hours during the week.
The expanding economy of the city, the infrastructural growth, and continued investment in human capital that is presently taking place will lead to the rapid growth of Lagos in the future. Lagos, to me, is like the mythical Phoenix rising from the ashes.
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