A city in Transition: Vision, Reform, and Growth in Lagos, Nigeria. Michael O. Filani Cities Alliance United Cities and Local Governments Acknowledgements

Security is an important pre-condition for human existence. Economic prosperity thrives only in a situation of safety and security. Nowhere in Nigeria is the issue of security more critical than in Lagos, which has a high incidence of armed robbery and violent crimes including assassination attempts; car snatching; transportation union unrest; religious, ethnic, and political riots; the menace of area boys/girls and other miscreants; and vandalisation of pipelines and other installations. Ensuring the security of lives and properties of about 18 million people as well as the continuous influx of visitors within and outside Nigeria is essential to the development of Lagos megacity. In addition only a safe and secure environment will bring in domestic or international investors.

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  Establishment of the State Security Trust Fund (SSTF), in partnership with the private sector.
  
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  Evolving of a comprehensive security strategy called the “Safe City Project,” which will enable central security surveillance (CSS).
  
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  Expansion, reorganisation, rekitting, and remotivation of the state’s Rapid Response Squad (RRS).
  
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  Establishment of the Surveillance and Command Centre at Alausa, Ikeja.
  
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  Purchase of over 200 patrol vehicles.
  
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  Installation of a new communication system linking all security formations (plate 4.14).
  
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  Provision of comprehensive insurance cover for all RRS members.
  
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  Establishment of Nigeria’s first dedicated emergency call centre, which can be reached toll free on “767” and “112” numbers on all networks.
  
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  Launch of a joint military-police patrol code named Operation Mesa (OPMESA) to complement the efforts of the State Police Command.
  
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  Installation of street name posts and directional signs to guide emergency relief to crisis points/centres on time.
  
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  Installation of streetlights on major roads and streets to deter criminals and enable effectiveness of security cameras.
  
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  Beefing up of the “Neighbourhood Watch,” a complementary community security outfit made up of members of various communities who serve as volunteers within their respective neighbourhoods.
  
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  Introduction of the Community Security Assembly (CSA) to educate people at the grassroots about safety to their lives and property.
  
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  Publication of telephone numbers of senior police officers from the commissioner of police down to heads of police departments for public usage in case of distress.
  
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  Introduction of police information/complaints boxes at strategic locations all over the state by the Force High Command.
  

The issue of unemployment constitutes a major challenge to economic development in Nigeria. In Lagos metropolis, the restiveness and evil tendencies among the youth and particularly the “area boys” has been a problem. The “area boys” are the unemployed, able-bodied men, possibly drug dependent, that harass people, mostly motorists for money in broad daylight. Unemployment has been addressed by the Lagos state government since 1999 through the introduction of several programmes including training, creating projects that engage the hitherto unemployed, and providing employment opportunities for several people.

The state has provided employment and employment opportunities for a lot of people in the science and technology sector. Over 7,000 graduates called “Millennium graduates” have been employed. They are given special training in information technology (IT) and then become trainers themselves. They are dispatched to various agencies of the government to train everyone from the top echelons of the public service organisations to the lowest levels on the use of IT.

The government also created the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (MWAPA) in 1999 to improve the lot of women and youth through sustainable economic empowerment programmes. Various skills acquisition centers were established at various locations for vocational skills/courses in areas such as refrigeration and air conditioning, tile laying/pave-lock making, aluminium fabrication, vulcanising/wheel balancing and alignment, screen/transfer, printing technology, and shoe making.