Bustling and Busy - Lagos, Nigeria

Badagry - the Slave Port, Beaches, Nightlife -City of Millions

Jul 18, 2007

Lagos, Nigeria, is one of Africa's, fastest growing cities. Once the port of Badagry was important on the slave route in West Africa. Today Lagos is a modern city.

Lagos, Nigeria - Africa's Second Most Populous City

Lagos, Nigeria is Africa's second most populous city. It has grown explosively, from 300,000 in 1950 to an expected 18 million by 2010, when it will be ranked as one of the world's ten largest cities.

Nigeria's booming oil industry fueled this growth, and it will likely only accelerate, taking Lagos along and drawing even more immigrants from rural areas, as well as from neighboring African countries.

Nigeria is Africa's top crude producer, an Opec member and a leading exporter of oil to the US. Because of recent political instability and tight global oil supplies, violence and kidnappings of foreigners have risen in the oil regions, especially in the Niger Delta. (Hostages are generally released unharmed after a ransom is paid). However, it is safe for tourists and business people to visit the rest of Nigeria although it is a good idea for westerners to have a guide when traveling around in Nigeria.

There are many power outages in Lagos, but people install generators and it is said that “If you are a Christian and have never seen people worship God in all abandonment, love and adoration despite all their troubles and trials and in a country where there is so much poverty and unemployment, visit Lagos and you will see the awesome move of God.”

Lagos, Nigeria is exciting, dirty, exhilarating, noisy, welcoming and exhausting and night life in Lagos is vibrant with a wide choice of bars and restaurants.

Accommodation in Lagos

Accommodation in Lagos ranges from large hotels like the Sheraton, Savoy Suites and the Protea Hotels, but smaller hotels are becoming popular and guest houses are plentiful.

With one of Africa’s busiest stock exchanges, Lagos, Nigeria is loaded with business opportunities and it’s a good meeting place for local and international business people.

Internet charges in Lagos are less than a dollar. There are Internet cafes on every street, but be careful wherever you go. There are many decent ones around in most hotels.

Places to See in Lagos, Nigeria

There are a lot of great beaches around Lagos especially if you make the effort to get outside the city like to Badagary. Inside the city, Lekki is about as good as it gets.

Founded in part by a Nigerian cultural commission, the Black Heritage Museum preserves artifacts and records from the slave route that once ran through Badagry.

Badagry was an important slave route in West Africa. Badagry is one of five divisions created in Lagos State in l968. In the early 1500's, slaves were transported from West Africa to America through Badagry. It is reported that Badagry exported no fewer than 550,000 African slaves to America during the period of the American Independence in l787.

Read The Badagry Route, Lagos Nigeria by Pelu Awoesu, an online article where the writer tells of the experience of visiting the Black Heritage Museum in Badagry, Western Lagos and learning about this important slave route.