Sustainable Cities

In a series of discussion papers, partners of the Heinrich Böll Foundation give thought-provoking suggestions to the Lagos State government for an inclusive and climate-resilient city building, which are based on the findings from our research “Urban Planning Processes in Lagos”.

In the current discourse of possibilities for ‘African Urban Futures’, Lagos city is amongst the most highly contested.  The preferred imagined future of Lagos is one which fronts a global, modern city, envisioned and realized through developments such as ‘Eko Atlantic’[1]. However, there are implacable realities which exist alongside grand ‘Africa Rising’ narratives, and instead necessitate the provision of basic services and infrastructure.

A modern city is a centre of opportunities for all – rich and poor – to reach their highest potentials, that is governed in an inclusive, collaborative and sustainable manner. Prof. Taibat Lawanson from the Department of Urban and Regional Planning and Dr. Ademola Omoegun from the Department of Architecture, University of Lagos aimed at understanding how affected people cope with the effects of government interventions for replacing informality with formal structures and how Lagos fares in embracing creative and innovative strategies of inclusive development initiated and implemented by the affected people.

The approach of the Makoko Neighborhood Hotspot intends to demonstrate that low-tech, flexible, low-cost and strategic yet precise interventions can increase the share of urban consumers and taxpayers which again increases the city’s overall welfare – opposite to the often implemented top-down, investment intensive and heavily donor or elite-driven big-infrastructure solutions as they have mostly failed in (West-) Africa.

Lagos is a city relying heavily on road use by private cars and public buses.  With the growth of population, inadequate maintenance of the road network, badly maintained cars, insufficient public transport planning, and weak policies on pollution & climate change, roads are congested and pollution is on the rise. It is therefore timely to explore possibilities for introducing cycling as a sustainable non-motorized transportation mode for Lagos which also enhances mobility for the urban poor and increases interaction among nearly all groups. Just like investing in an efficient public transport system, investing in cycling entails social, economic and environmental benefits for cities.

The publication “Open City Lagos”, a cooperation with Nsibidi Institute Lagos and Fabulous Urban Zurich, intends to initiate a public reflection and discourse on the characteristics of an “open city” where the co-existence of different social groups and the richness of cultural diversity come together to foster growth that is diverse, equitable, creative, sustainable and inclusive.

Many Nigerians have grown skeptical about the power of solar. The general impression is that solar energy cannot provide a lot of power, that ‘it’s not bright’ and that it breaks down after just a few months. One solar engineer in the capital city of Abuja has gone all the way to demonstrate that this impression is wrong: He has built a block of apartments which are run entirely on renewable energy.

Nigeria’s renewable energy industry is tiny by all means, despite excellent conditions for electricity production from solar, small hydro and biomass sources. If Nigeria covered only 1% of its land mass with solar panels, it could produce 192,000 megawatts of power, compared to the 4,000 megawatts that are currently available on the national grid. In his contribution to the Green Deal Nigeria study, Huzi Mshelia describes the manifold efforts on energy policy and regulation, which have so far resulted in little results.

Out of 160 million Nigerians, about 100 million are still waiting for electricity. The 40% national grid makes large-scale rural development almost impossible to achieve. Renewable energies can provide power to millions of people in Nigeria, as the country has enough sun, small water ways, wind and biomass to produce 200,000 mega watts or more. But there is lack of awareness and of large-scale government support. This video is meant to increase awareness of renewable energies as cheap sources of reliable power. Watch Video

The Eko Atlantic project is portrayed by Lagos State Government and developers as a model of sustainability, climate change adaptation and economic growth. However, reconciling plans for economic development and environmental protection with the aim of achieving social justice for all requires more open debate and participatory planning.

Sea level rise is damaging the Atlantic coast between Megacity Lagos and Calabar towards Cameroon, eating away up to 30 meters of coastline every year. Fishing communities have moved inland, but are now running out of options as they are encroaching on built lands and communities. Is it all the fault of humans angering the Sea Goddess? Watch video to hear the perspectives of residents of Alfa Beach community in Lagos.

Kunle Adeyemi, a Nigerian architect based in Amsterdam, was equally fascinated by the way of living of the Makoko community. He argues that Makoko and other water communities embody a unique synthesis of socio-political relations, economic networks, architecture and spatial presence that collectively push at the frontiers of urbanism. The “Floating School” which he developed and built in collaboration with the community opened an international debate on visionary forms of architecture to adapt to the challenges of flood and population growth

Nigeria has been hit by unprecedented flooding in October 2012. With large sways of land under water, the question of food security is being discussed afresh. Under increasing climate stress and with more extreme weathers, flooding is likely to increase over the coming years. Listen to Adamu Umar as he is paddling on the Lokoja-Abuja express road. Watch Video

Green Deal Nigeria is an initiative aimed at creating a debate on greener development options for Nigeria. Whether young, jobless, banker, market woman or politician- Green Deal Nigeria wants all of these to debate where Nigeria should go in terms of economic growth and social justice. After the Occupy movement, how can Nigerian citizens influence politics and development in a country with high levels of corruption and low levels of policy implementation? GDN Observational Documentary - Heinrich Böll Stiftung Abuja Office Watch on YouTube This external content requires your consent. Please note our privacy policy.  

..a country where conflict has reduced because oil is no longer the main source of wealth- for- a- few, but where young people can access economic growth in different sectors such as renewable energy, agriculture, manufacturing and transport. Marrying a farmer is fashionable as it provides security for a small family.

What happens if Nigeria continues with business-as-usual, allowing resource scarcities and uneven distribution of income from natural resources to foster conflict and strife? A troubling picture emerges where extreme drought and excessive rains force millions of people to migrate, looking for food, shelter and employment. Green Deal Nigeria author Huzi Mshelia looks at the conflict implications of climate change.   Read More - Conflict, Green Deal Nigeria study

Climate change is a major threat to the  sustainable development in Nigeria. Responding to Climate change from both mitigation and adaptation angles require strategic approaches from policy, regulatory and institutional frameworks and capacities. In this scoping study, we examined the extent to which adaptive capacities of Nigeria have been utilized to influence sectoral policies that have influence in enhancing the national climate change adaptation response. Download Study (PDF, 44 pages, 453Kb)

How will Nigeria look like when the oil is finished? How can millions of Nigerians access growth with green jobs and a fairer distribution of wealth? Nigeria's ambition to become one of the world’s top 20 economies by the year 2020 means that the country must grow its economy, create jobs and promote social cohesion without destroying its natural resources and thus harming the well-being of future generations. The Green Deal Nigeria study provides an overview and practical examples of how to green Nigeria before 2020 and explains the long-term measures that Nigeria needs to take today to make the economy grow beyond oil, which is expected to finish for all practical purposes in 15 to 20 years’ time. The study explains how to stem corruption in the oil industry, stop gas flaring and how to launch a clean energy economy that provides jobs for millions of ordinary Nigerians, especially the young. The study looks at how a shared vision of sustainable growth can reduce tension and conflict. What is Green Deal Nigeria?  

Floods, storms and ocean surges are becoming more frequent in the megacity of Lagos, but the 15 million citizens have no adequate climate change adaptation and emergency measures in place. The project “Mobilising Local Governments for Climate Action” by Community Conservation and Development Initiatives (CCDI) encourages local governments to develop the necessary adaptation projects for their specific communities. Although local governments should be in the best position to tailor the appropriate strategies, the project report points at institutional, technical and financial shortcomings which currently hinder efficient implementation.