Student’s sheet Lagos – the megacity of slums

Lagos is one of the ten largest cities in the world and grows
faster than all other megacities in the world. Every year about slums
600,000 people arrive in Lagos from the rural parts of Nigeria or
from neighboring countries in the hope of finding work and a
better life. Another reason for the growth of the city is the high
birth rate. Women in Lagos have about five babies in their lives. Lagos
Lagos
About two out of three residents of Lagos live in slums, so some Makoko
people call it the “megacity of slums”. There are nine large
lagoon
shantytowns in Lagos. Most of the people there live in extreme
poverty and about 300,000 people are homeless. Lagos is
located between a large lagoon and the open Atlantic, which
means that many of the shantytowns are built next to the water. Atlantic Ocean

Makoko is one of the slums in Lagos. About 250,000 people live

there. It is also called the Venice of Africa, because the buildings
are built on poles (Stangen) in the water. There are some streets
which are built across the water, but usually the people travel by
boat through the black and stinking water to get to other places or
to transport things. Many immigrants came here to earn their living
by fishing, but today there are not many fish left in the lagoon.

Between six and ten people live in the swimming huts on the lagoon. Many
of them suffer from hunger and are ill. They have to pay for drinking water
and put their waste and sewage (Abwasser) directly into the dark water of
the lagoon. The electricity is often turned off, so the people cannot watch
TV or cool their things in a fridge. Water and electricity are so expensive
that most families cannot afford to send their children to school.

Tourists in Lagos are fascinated by the ‘water slum’. They think it is really interesting how people live and
survive there. If you visit Lagos, you can book a boat tour through Makoko to watch the “world’s largest floating
city”. The most famous attraction is a school which is built from plastic barrels that have space for classrooms
and a playground. The residents of Makoko do not like the visitors. They think the tourists only watch their
shabby homes to take spectacular pictures. They complain that they do not really care about their miserable
lives.

1. Understanding the text

a) Give two reasons why Lagos grows so much?

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b) Give two reasons why Lagos is called the ‘megacity of slums’.

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c) Give two reasons why there are tourist tours through Makoko.
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2. Your opinion

Imagine you visit Lagos. Would you go on a tour through Makoko? Why? / Why not? Give your opinion in about
60 words. Write your text on an extra sheet of paper.