Urban paradox and the rise of the neoliberal city: Case study of Lagos, Nigeria
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Date
2021
Authors
Olajide, O
Lawanson, T
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Sage
Abstract
In a bid to actualise the vision of transforming Lagos into Africa’s model megacity and global economic and financial hub, the state government has embarked on and/or supported various urban development projects. Drawing on the theoretical underpinnings of neoliberalism, we argue that governance practices in Lagos are transforming the city in a manner that is paradoxical to the intents of the city’s development plan. This paper, therefore, explores how government practices have shaped the city, and the socio-spatial consequences of the recent Lagos state governmentsupported developments. Of interest are projects from the Lagos State Development plan (2012–2025) which have resulted in significant spatial displacements – hence the selected case studies of Lekki Free Trade Zone and Badia-East Housing Estate. The study reveals that the Lagos state development policy results in creative destruction largely due to the uncritical embrace of market logic over social logic, thereby entrenching urban discontent and socio-spatial fragmentation across the city.
Description
Scholarly articles
Keywords
poverty , neoliberalism , governance , dispossesion , redevelopment , Research Subject Categories::SOCIAL SCIENCES
Citation
Olajide O, Lawanson T. Urban paradox and the rise of the neoliberal city: Case study of Lagos, Nigeria. Urban Studies. June 2021. doi:10.1177/00420980211014461.