Lagos to the World, Brick by Brick-Scaling Inclusive Planning Standards and Housing Solutions for Resilient Megacities

As the world becomes progressively urban, sustainable development challenges are increasingly concentrated in cities, especially in LMICs. Lagos, a megacity of 20+ million people and an annual growth rate of about 3.2%, is at the frontline of this reality as almost all its residents live in urban Lagos drawn by the state’s economic opportunities and relative security. Urbanization, however, does not have to work against the city; if its potentials are properly harnessed. This event will showcase how Lagos is turning rapid urbanization into a pathway for inclusive, safe and resilient communities. Through deliberate physical planning, Lagos has has prepared physical development plans for major activity centres across the state. These processes embrace citizen participation, reflecting a commitment to inclusion and the NUA’s pledge to “leave no one behind.” Brick by brick, these plans have created multiple CBDs, opened up new towns and guided growth in a seamless way that links homes to jobs, services and mobility. With a small land area of about 3,577 km², affordable housing amid soaring property prices had become out of reach for many. In response, Lagos has provided an enabling environment for public–private partnerships in the housing sector, including streamlined approval processes, tax incentives and innovative financing mechanisms. This has increased the state’s housing stock, especially in the metropolis, while previously abandoned housing schemes have been completed using durable local materials, indigenous firms and targeted credit facilities, along with rebates for teachers and health workers in their localities. Plan implementation is intentionally aligned with SDG 11.1 by promoting affordable housing, basic services and slum upgrading. Localized actions include new housing schemes in each major division, flood mitigation, access to basic services in informal and low-income communities so that Lagos remains a home for all, regardless of economic status. At the same time, indigenous land pooling exercises are encouraging vertical development in areas with fragmented landholdings, allowing more people to to live safely and securely on limited land. This Event will offer participants a practical, Global South perspective on how a megacity is building resilience “brick by brick” through inclusive planning standards and housing solutions. It will share Lagos’ experiences with other cities seeking to house the world in ways that are safe and resilient.