New
New
Year 8

Lagos: challenges and solutions

I can describe some of the challenges of life in Lagos and list some possible solutions.

New
New
Year 8

Lagos: challenges and solutions

I can describe some of the challenges of life in Lagos and list some possible solutions.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Many people in Lagos live in informal settlements because of a lack of affordable housing.
  2. Traffic congestion and pollution are major problems in Lagos.
  3. There are high levels of inequalities in Lagos.
  4. Solutions include the Lagos Bus Rapid Transit system and floating schools.

Keywords

  • Pollution - anything that makes the environment dirty or unhealthy

  • Inequality - when something is not shared evenly between everyone

  • Informal settlement - area of makeshift housing where the people who live there don’t own the land or have access to services like clean water, power, sanitation

  • Informal job sector - jobs that are not officially recorded or regulated and do not involve the payment of taxes

  • Poverty - not having enough money to afford basic human needs such as food, clothing or somewhere to live

Common misconception

The challenges facing Lagos aren’t problems in other cities.

Many of the challenges facing Lagos are issues in most of the world’s cities.


To help you plan your year 8 geography lesson on: Lagos: challenges and solutions, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Use GIS to investigate different areas of Lagos to further develop understanding of what the city is like.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Where is Nigeria located?
Southern Africa
Correct answer: West Africa
East Africa
Central Africa
Q2.
What is Nigeria’s most populous city?
Kano
Abuja
Correct answer: Lagos
Port Harcourt
Q3.
What does Nigeria export in large quantities?
Coffee
Correct answer: Oil
Gold
Cotton
Q4.
What is meant by the term “superpower”?
A country with nuclear weapons
A country with strong military only
A country with the biggest population
Correct answer: A country with growing regional influence and economic power
Q5.
What kind of economy does Nigeria have?
Based only on farming
Based on industry and services only
Correct answer: A mixed economy with farming, oil, and services
No clear economy
Q6.
Why is Nigeria important to Africa?
It’s the coldest country
It has a small GDP
Correct answer: It plays a leading role in African politics and trade
It exports no goods

Assessment exit quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
What is an informal settlement?
A legal housing estate
A government-built neighbourhood
Correct answer: Makeshift homes with no secure land ownership or services
A luxury apartment block
Q2.
What does poverty mean?
Owning multiple homes
Having more than enough to meet your needs
Earning above the average income
Correct answer: Not having enough money to meet basic needs
Q3.
Why do informal settlements often grow in cities like Lagos?
There’s too much empty land
People prefer them
Correct answer: Formal housing is unaffordable or unavailable
Everyone is offered free housing
Q4.
What does Lagos share with many other megacities?
Very few people
Unlimited housing
Correct answer: Similar urban challenges
A small informal sector