Once celebrated for its stunning greenery, adorning road medians, property setbacks, roundabouts, and open spaces, Lagos has become synonymous with concrete sprawl and alarming environmental challenges. The city’s rapid urbanization and loss of trees and green spaces have exacerbated air pollution, heat waves, and flooding. Vulnerable populations bear the brunt of these impacts, with health conditions linked to poor air quality becoming increasingly prevalent. Lagos, Nigeria’s economic hub, is a sprawling metropolis with diverse neighborhoods ranging from the bustling streets of Agege, Oshodi, and Shomolu to the quieter zones of Victoria Island, Lekki, and Epe. However, the relentless concretization of these areas has left the city grappling with poor air quality and increased heat. Green spaces that once absorbed pollutants and provided shade have been replaced by impervious surfaces, making the city hotter and less livable.
Growing up in Lagos, I witnessed the transformative power of greenery. Initiatives like Governor Fashola’s tree-planting campaigns between 2008 and 2014 brought improvements to air quality and aesthetics. These green features significantly improved air quality by absorbing pollutants and filtering particulate matter. However, these efforts have since faded. My personal experiences—such as tree planting with my father—shaped my commitment to finding solutions. Despite these past efforts, Lagos has always been a hotspot for concretization and escalating carbon emissions, due to its rapid urbanization and intense physical development. Most road constructions and building developments in Lagos often lack provisions for greenery, which has led to increased exposure to heat waves, air pollution, and flash floods in the state. The lack of adequate green spaces compounds these issues, as trees and vegetation that could help filter air pollutants, provide shade, and reduce flooding are scarce.
Recalling the visuals of Iju Road, from Agege Pen Cinema to Ishaga, a major road that inhabited aesthetically pleasing trees on its median, setbacks, and roundabouts. Commuting along this road back then felt soothing, radiating a cool atmosphere with good air quality that brought respite from the urban heat. I always enjoyed passing this route until a certain period in 2015, when I could count the number of trees along this same road. This resulted from the relentless urban expansion, increased road construction, and building developments leading to sporadic tree felling state-wide. What baffles me most is not these developments but the failure to replace these trees or plant even more. Most previous and newly constructed roads in Lagos often lack adequate provision for trees, with medians fully covered with concrete paving, and property setbacks turn to dumpsites for construction debris and household waste. Moreover, the last three Air Quality Index data released by the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) identified Agege as the least healthy place in Lagos.
Source: Optimum Billboards
The lack of trees and green areas has taken a different turn over the past few years and has brought severe consequences to Lagosians. I have witnessed firsthand the devastating health effects of outdoor air pollution, which has plagued several communities in Lagos resulting from their widespread use of fossil fuels for transportation, power generation, burning, and cooking with firewood, charcoal, plastics, and other petrochemicals. This is only a testament to the rising levels of black carbon in the atmosphere, which, when inhaled, causes several health problems relating to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and birth defects in women. Carbon emissions from vehicles and generators are the largest contributors to air pollution in Lagos, and the exposure levels to these particulate matters (PM2.5 and PM10) surprise me because of our lackadaisical attitude towards greening and tree planting.
Through my engagements with UrbanBetter, I aim to address Lagos’s environmental challenges, specifically related to air pollution. My journey as a Run Leader and Citizen Scientist has been instrumental in identifying these gaps and advocating for sustainable urban planning, pollution reduction strategies, and greening practices. UrbanBetter Cityzens empowers youth to collect and analyze environmental data. We measure air quality using wearable sensors, during neighborhood runs, focusing on particulate matter (PM2.5). The findings are uploaded to the UrbanBetter Cityzens App, enabling decision-makers and the public to access real-time data. These assessment runs have taken us through areas like Shomolu, Apapa, Akoka, Bariga, Surulere, Ikeja, Yaba, Iwaya, Makoko, the University of Lagos, and Victoria Island, and the need for urban greening is urgent. The results of our activations are undeniable, and these hubs require intense reforestation efforts to improve air quality and aesthetic appeal.
For example, during our runs in Shomolu and Bariga, the lack of greenery was visible, as most residential property owners overdeveloped their lands, leaving little or no space for trees. The concretization of these areas is so vast that you can hardly find a tree within a 15-minute run distance, which is detrimental to human health owing to the clustered nature and intense anthropogenic activities, including open burning and street cooking. The existing roads and ongoing constructions are not in tandem with the sustainability goals, as there is a stark absence of trees on medians and road reserves.
This was a similar ordeal during our Youth Day Run in Apapa, with overwhelming air pollution levels from industrial and commercial activities. Hardly could we find a tree along major distributor and arterial roads connecting the industrial zones. This is a big shame for the sustainability theme of Lagos, knowing that industrial zones emit more carbon due to the nature of their activities. The highly congested roads also serve as truck parks, leading to increased carbon emissions from their operations. The emission from a truck was enough to grow a forest. The medians were not concretized but lined up with domestic waste and no trees. However, the residential areas had trees along property setbacks and roundabouts.
Similar areas, like Makoko and Iwaya, which suffer from poor air quality, demand immediate intervention. These neighborhoods face deteriorating environmental conditions and numerous public health issues due to high pollution levels from vehicle emissions, generators, domestic activities, and the widespread use of fossil fuels and petrochemicals for commercial activities, especially local fish smoking. The lack of adequate green spaces compounds these issues, as trees and vegetation that could help filter air pollutants and provide shade are scarce.
In commemorating Global Running Day, we ran through the University of Lagos campus, which provided a refreshing example of the positive impact of urban greenery. The abundance of trees lining road medians, property setbacks, and walkways created an inviting and pleasant environment. The dense canopy provided a cool, shaded atmosphere ideal for physical activities like walking, running, and cycling, even during the warmest parts of the day. The air quality on campus was noticeably better compared to neighboring environments, underscoring the benefits of sustained greening and tree planting.
During the 2024 Sustainable Transport Festival in Victoria Island, I experienced even better air quality as I ran and cycled through the bustling commercial areas and the quieter neighborhoods. We aimed to promote non-motorized transportation in Lagos, and the experience highlighted the power of urban greening to enhance air quality. Despite the area’s high volume of vehicles, the streets felt refreshingly breathable, thanks to the abundance of green buildings, trees lining the roadsides, medians, and open spaces. This experience underscores the need for similar greening efforts across Lagos, especially in high-traffic and densely populated areas, to promote cleaner air, cooler temperatures, and healthier urban living spaces.
Participating in UrbanBetter-led activations and stakeholder engagements has deepened my understanding of the impacts of air pollution and climate change, especially within vulnerable populations, and how urban planning and greening intersect with public health. This data-driven approach underscores the importance of incorporating pollution reduction strategies and green infrastructure in development projects.
To decision-makers, I strongly recommend:
- Enforcing Greening Regulations: Ensure all new and existing developments comply with green space requirements, including provisions for tree planting, buffers, and sustainable land use. Regular inspections, fines for non-compliance, and incentives for eco-friendly practices will help drive adherence to these standards: LASPPPA, LASPARK, and LASEPA.
- Investing in Nature-Based Solutions: Establish community gardens, tree parks, and mangrove-wetlands restoration to reduce flooding and excessive heat while enhancing biodiversity and creating recreational spaces for residents.
- Promoting Green Infrastructure: Encourage green buildings, rooftop gardens, vertical green walls, solar shading, and energy-efficient designs in new buildings. This will significantly improve air quality, reduce energy consumption, and provide aesthetic appeal.
- Engaging Private Sector and Communities: Businesses should include tree planting and urban greening as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to create lasting environmental impact. Likewise, residents should be enlightened about tree planting and sustainable practices.
With coordinated efforts across all levels, Lagos can transform from a sprawling concrete jungle into a vibrant, greener, healthier city where future generations can thrive. A greener Lagos will attract investment, improve property values, and foster a greater sense of pride among residents, creating a city that embodies economic vitality and environmental sustainability.
UrbanBetter offers a unique platform for citizens to actively shape their environment through science, advocacy, and collaboration. By joining, individuals can contribute to improving air quality and urban resilience. To get involved, visit the UrbanBetter website, download the Cityzens App, and follow our socials for updates.
