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 MegacityTRANSCRIPT
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
Seoul (3) and Shanghai (4)
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
