Eye on Urbanisation: Nigeria

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the rapid pace of urbanisation in Africa, with a specific focus on Nigeria. It highlights the disconnect between rapid population growth in cities and the lack of adequate urban planning, which has led to the proliferation of slums, infrastructure deficits, and economic instability.

• Africa's urbanisation is progressing rapidly, with the urban population reaching 40% in 2012 compared to 19% in 1960, although the total urban population is not expected to exceed the rural population until nearly 2050.
• Lagos, Nigeria, is Africa's second fastest growing city with an annual growth rate of 4.44% and an estimated population of 10 million; it is projected to reach 15 million people by 2030 and surpass Cairo as the continent's largest city.
• Nigeria has experienced a dramatic increase in its urban population from 3.2 million (10.6%) in 1953 to 70 million (50%) in 2007, but this growth has not been matched by sufficient human settlement planning.
• Urbanisation in Nigeria has resulted in severe infrastructure and housing crises: 70% of urban residents live in slums, the housing shortage affects 14 to 16 million people, and approximately 46% to 47% of the population lacks access to safe drinking water or adequate sanitation.
• The Nigerian urbanisation rate is 5.5% per annum, and the failure to plan for an informal economy—which represents 60-70% of the economy—has negatively impacted city landscapes and limited their contribution to the national economy.

APA

Selebalo, H., & McLennan, P. (n.d.). Eye on Urbanisation: Nigeria. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/eye-on-urbanisation-nigeria

Chicago

Selebalo, Hopolang, and Patrick McLennan. Eye on Urbanisation: Nigeria. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/eye-on-urbanisation-nigeria.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Selebalo |first1=Hopolang |last2=McLennan |first2=Patrick |title=Eye on Urbanisation: Nigeria |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/iss-today/eye-on-urbanisation-nigeria |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{selebalondeye, author = {Selebalo, Hopolang and McLennan, Patrick}, title = {{Eye on Urbanisation: Nigeria}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/iss-today/eye-on-urbanisation-nigeria}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }