Lagos: Growth & Challenges

National Curriculum Links

Geography - Key Stage 3 (England National Curriculum)

Locational knowledge: Locate the world’s countries, focusing on Nigeria, and understand their significance in a global context.
Human and physical geography: Understand urbanisation and human impact on places.
Geographical skills and fieldwork: Use maps and atlases to locate and analyse places.
Place knowledge: Understand the global significance of cities as hubs of economic, environmental, and social processes.

WALT 1: Locate Lagos and Nigeria on a map and explain their global and regional importance.
WALT 2: Understand the historical growth of Lagos into a megacity.
WALT 3: Identify and describe social, economic, and environmental challenges caused by rapid urbanisation in Lagos.

I can locate Lagos and Nigeria on a map and explain why Lagos is important globally and regionally.
I can describe key historical events that contributed to Lagos’ growth as a megacity.
I can list and explain social, economic, and environmental challenges faced by Lagos due to rapid urbanisation.
I can engage respectfully in discussions, sharing ideas and listening to others.

Starter Activity: Show a world map and ask students if they can locate Nigeria and Lagos. Use an atlas or digital map projected onto the board. Quick pair discussion: "Why might Lagos be an important city globally and regionally?"
Teacher Input: Briefly introduce Nigeria's location in West Africa, Lagos as the former capital and the largest city in Nigeria and Africa’s largest megacity by population. Emphasise Lagos’ role as an economic and cultural hub.

Students use atlases or printed maps to locate Nigeria and Lagos within West Africa, including identifying major geographic features (coastline, proximity to the ocean).
Differentiation: Provide simplified maps with clear labels for students needing support; challenge advanced learners to mark and describe trade routes and ports connected to Lagos.

Teacher presents a brief timeline: Lagos’ history from fishing village to colonial port, post-colonial rapid urbanisation, to megacity status. Use images and statistics to bring this to life.
Students create their own simplified timeline on mini whiteboards or paper.
Extension: Advanced students research one key historical event in more detail and share with the class.

Divide the class into three groups: social, economic, environmental challenges. Each group receives short fact sheets and images about their topic (crime, poverty, healthcare/education; unemployment, wealth gap; air and water pollution).
Groups discuss and prepare two key points to share.
Teacher facilitates a class discussion to share findings and create a mind map on the board.

Quiz/Exit Ticket: Short quiz or written reflection on: “Why is Lagos important, and what challenges does it face as it grows?”
Students share one new thing they learned and one question they still have.

Provide printed and digital maps with varying degrees of complexity.
Use mixed-ability grouping for discussion activities to support peer learning.
Provide sentence starters and key vocabulary lists for students with EAL or literacy difficulties.
Challenge advanced learners with research tasks and presentation opportunities.
Use visual aids and video clips where possible for learners who benefit from multimodal input.

Monitor group discussions for understanding and participation
Check timeline creations and map location accuracy
Evaluate quiz/exit ticket responses for grasp of key concepts
Use student questions during plenary to plan subsequent lessons addressing uncertainties

Research and present on another African megacity’s growth and challenges; compare with Lagos.
Debate: "Is urbanisation more beneficial or harmful to cities like Lagos?" focusing on sustainable development approaches.
Create a poster or digital presentation suggesting solutions to one environmental or social challenge in Lagos.

After the lesson, reflect on how students engaged with the complex ideas of urbanisation and global importance.
Identify students needing further scaffolding, especially in understanding cause/effect of urban challenges.
Plan follow-up lessons exploring urban planning and sustainability in Lagos and globally.