oc2much@yahoo.com
State: Lagos State
Governor: Babajide Sanwo-Olu
Benchmark: Nigeria
🛣️ 1. Transport & Urban Mobility (System Scale)
| Metric | Lagos State | Nigeria Average |
|---|---|---|
| Major road projects (active) | 400+ | 40–80 |
| Rail systems | 2 urban lines (Blue, Red) | 0–1 (few states) |
| Daily mass transit users | >1 million | <100,000 |
| BRT / bus fleet expansion | Ongoing, structured | Ad hoc |
Result:
➡️ Lagos operates at 5–10× the national average urban transport scale, with multi-modal systems most states don’t have.
⚡ 2. Electricity & Energy Innovation
| Metric | Lagos | Nigeria Average |
|---|---|---|
| Embedded / off-grid initiatives | High (IPP, solar, PPPs) | Low |
| Public infrastructure uptime | Moderate–High | Low |
| Grid dependence | Reduced | Near-total |
| Power reform readiness | Advanced | Early-stage |
Result:
➡️ Lagos is ahead of Nigeria’s energy transition curve, though still constrained by national grid limits.
🏥 3. Healthcare Capacity (Depth vs Coverage)
| Metric | Lagos | Nigeria Average |
|---|---|---|
| Tertiary hospitals | Largest concentration | Sparse |
| PHCs upgraded | 300+ | 40–70 |
| Health insurance penetration | Highest nationwide | <10% |
| Emergency response capacity | Advanced (LASAMBUS) | Minimal |
Result:
➡️ Lagos runs Nigeria’s deepest healthcare system, not just widest.
🏫 4. Education & Human Capital Density
| Metric | Lagos | Nigeria Average |
|---|---|---|
| Public schools | 1,000+ | 300–500 |
| Tertiary institutions | Highest density | Low |
| EdTech & private investment | Very high | Low |
| Workforce skill inflow | Net positive | Flat/Negative |
Result:
➡️ Lagos functions as Nigeria’s human-capital magnet, absorbing talent from every region.
🏭 5. Industrialisation & Economic Output
| Metric | Lagos | Nigeria Average |
|---|---|---|
| Contribution to national GDP | ~25–30% | <5% per state |
| Manufacturing clusters | Multiple (Apapa, Ikeja, Lekki) | 0–1 |
| Export infrastructure | Seaports + Free Zones | Minimal |
| Private sector density | Extreme | Low |
Result:
➡️ Lagos is not comparable to an average state — it behaves like a sub-national economy.
🚢 6. Trade, Ports & Global Integration
| Metric | Lagos | Nigeria Average |
|---|---|---|
| Seaports | Nigeria’s main ports | None |
| Free Trade Zones | Lekki, others | Few |
| FDI inflow share | >60% | <5% |
| Logistics throughput | National choke-point | Minimal |
Result:
➡️ Lagos is Nigeria’s gateway economy, unmatched by any state.
💼 7. Public Finance & Revenue Generation
| Metric | Lagos | Nigeria Average |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly IGR | ₦50–60bn | ₦1–3bn |
| Budget size | ₦2trn+ | ₦150–300bn |
| Debt servicing capacity | High | Low–Moderate |
| Creditworthiness | Top tier | Weak |
Result:
➡️ Lagos generates 20–40× the internally generated revenue of the average Nigerian state.
🔐 8. Security, Stability & Economic Confidence
| Metric | Lagos | Nigeria Average |
|---|---|---|
| Surveillance & response | Advanced (CCTV, rapid units) | Minimal |
| Business continuity | High resilience | Fragile |
| Night-time economy | Strong | Suppressed |
| Shock recovery speed | Fast | Slow |
Result:
➡️ Lagos absorbs shocks better than any Nigerian state.
🌍 9. Population Pressure vs Output Efficiency
| Metric | Lagos | Nigeria Average |
|---|---|---|
| Population share | ~10% | ~3% |
| GDP share | ~25–30% | <5% |
| Output per capita | Highest nationally | Low |
| Productivity density | Extreme | Low |
Result:
➡️ Lagos converts population pressure into economic output far above national norms.
📊 Overall Trajectory Scorecard
| Sector | Lagos vs National |
|---|---|
| Economic scale | ↑↑↑ Dominant |
| Revenue generation | ↑↑↑ Extreme outlier |
| Infrastructure depth | ↑↑ Above average |
| Human capital | ↑↑↑ National hub |
| Global integration | ↑↑↑ Unmatched |
| System resilience | ↑↑ High |
🧭 What This Means (Plain Language)
- Lagos is not competing with Nigerian states — it competes with African cities.
- Nigeria’s national averages are often pulled upward by Lagos alone.
Bottom Line
If the average Nigerian state operates at 1× capacity:
- Lagos ≈ 5–10× economic and system scale
Lagos is Nigeria’s engine.
