Science and Technology: Relevant Tools for Building Lagos as a Model Megacity

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Science and Technology: Relevant Tools for Building Lagos as a Model Megacity

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Science and Technology:

Relevant Tools for Building Lagos as a

Model Megacity

Professor Peter Okebukola, OFR

March 6, 2012

Four Questions in 18 minutes

• What is a Megacity?• What is the Lagos Megacity Project?• What role will science and technology

play in building and maintaining Lagos as a megacity?

• How do we prepare to take full advantage of the role of science and technology?

What is a megacity?

Megacity is a metropolitan area with a total population in excess of ten million people.

World’s Megacities

Rank Megacity Population1 Tokyo 34,300,0002 Guangzhou 25,200,0003 Seoul 25,100,0004 Shanghai 24,800,0005 Delhi 23,300,0006 Mumbai 23,000,0007 Mexico City 22,900,0008 New York City 22,000,0009 São Paulo 20,900,00010 Manila 20,300,00011 Jakarta 18,900,00012 Los Angeles 18,100,00013 Karachi 17,000,00014 Osaka 16,700,000

Rank Megacity Population

15 Kolkata 16,600,000

16 Cairo 15,300,000

17 Buenos Aires 14,800,000

18 Moscow 14,800,000

19 Dhaka 14,000,000

20 Beijing 13,900,000

21 Tehran 13,100,000

22 Istanbul 13,000,000

23 London 12,500,000

24 Rio de Janeiro 12,500,000

25 Lagos12,100,000??

?26 Paris 10,197,678

Source: Brigkoff Principal Agglomeration of the World’s megacities (2011)

What is a megacity?

Short video clip

Tokyo the World’s Largest Megacity

What is the Lagos Megacity Project?

• Dreamed about by previous administrations but operationalised by the Tinubu-Fashola Administration.

• Lagos will become the third global megacity with a probability of attaining a population of 24.6 million in 2015

• Approximates to 17 of the State’s 20 local government areas are covered

• Slight overlap with 4 local government areas and of the adjoining Ogun State

Lagos Megacity Project

• To make Lagos the most modern megacity in the world with functioning infrastructure and other services to support between 20 and 40 million people.

Today, Lagos accounts for…

• Over 65% of national commercial activities

• Over 70% of total national cargo freight • Over 50% of Nigeria’s PTO/GSM

subscribers• Over 72 % of international and 59% of

domestic aviation traffic

Lagos Megacity

Short video clip

On the March…(1)

• May 25, 2011 - Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) formally commissioned the 10 Megawatts Island Power Project

• Will save about 46 percent of the revenue of what would have been spent on diesel and generators as well as poisonous fumes which may reduce life expectancy

On the March…(2)

• The 27 kilometre Light metro Rail line, christened Blue Line, will run from Okokomaiko in the west of Lagos to CMS in Central Lagos and is expected to provide alternative transportation for thousands of commuters moving from the western axis of the city to the city centre everyday

What does it take to build a megacity?

• Infrastructure• Residential

houses• Offices• Schools• Transport system• ….• ……

• Hospitals• Markets• Security• Energy• Water • Telecommunications

How does science and technology come in?

• Personnel for building and maintaining all systems and sub-systems in the megacity• You need the technology for the

infrastructure, housing, schools, transport service and all other elements associated with a megacity.

Key professionals needed for building the Lagos Megacity

Professionals NumberCity planners 1,500Architects 3,800Mechanical engineers 6,350Power engineers 2,110Civil engineers 8,450Telecommunication engineers 2,190Road engineers 5,110Green environment engineers 1,110Water engineers 820Sewage engineers 235Artisans (e.g. plumbers, masons, welders

300,000

Science and Tech teachers (all levels) 8,500

Getting the professionals

• Local training– LASU, UNILAG, LASPOTECH, other Nigerian higher

education institutions, technical colleges

• Overseas training• Local + Overseas

Sustaining the Lagos Megacity

• Regeneration of professionals through training• Maintenance culture• Feeding the people• Health of the people• Traffic congestion• Environmental protection• Security• Housing

Needed…

• Holistic approach (all systems and sub-systems planned for)• Innovative solutions to

infrastructural challenges• Good governance• Low level of or no corruption• Research

Challenge S & T SolutionUnemployment Entrepreneurial training;

encourage cottage industriesEnvironmental concerns especially air pollution; Industrial and domestic wastes; flooding

Green technology; Environmental Education; channelisation, erosion control

Transportation (traffic congestion)

Mass transit infrastructure; Harsh penalty for breaking traffic rules

Ill-health Increase healthcare facilities and professionals; health awareness of the citizenry; Enhance efficiency of the system

Safety and security (especially organised crime and terrorism)

Proactive ICT-based approach; public safety consciousness

Efforts of the Ministry of Science and Technology

• Automation of government activities• Re-engineering of Government Business Process• Provision and maintenance of information technology

facilities• Development of computer education and computer

laboratory for secondary schools• Science-related human resource development• Establishment of the e-tutor system• Establishment of forensic laboratory• Software development

What next?

• Establish an inter-ministerial unit on Science and Technology Capacity Building for the Lagos Megacity Project

• Strengthen all tertiary education institutions and technical colleges in Lagos State to deliver quality personnel in science and technology for the Lagos Megacity Project

• Intensive training of science and technology teachers in Lagos State to be able to respond to the demands of the Lagos Megacity Project

• From 2013 introduce a 45-minute weekly talk on the Lagos Megacity Project for all primary and secondary school pupils to cover all aspects of the project and expectations from the citizenry.

• Intensive media activities to enhance public understanding of the project

Last line…

May God keep us in good health to see the Lagos Megacity unfold in the coming years and decades

Thank you for your attention

Email: peter@okebukola.com

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