Lagos Urban Area Population Estimate

Lagos Urban Area Population Estimate

The current Demographia estimate (2006) of the population of the Lagos urban area (urban agglomeration) is 8,100,000, covering an area of approximately 775 square kilometers (300 square miles) for a density of 10,400 per square km or 27,000 per square mile.

This estimate is based upon data from the 2006 Nigerian census, which is disputed by many, including the state of Lagos. Right or wrong, however, the census has become the international authority for population in Nigeria.

Our estimate includes most of the population of each of the following local government areas:

LAGOS STATE
Agege
Ajeromi-Ifelodun
Alimosho
Amuwo-Odofin
Apapa
Eti-Osa
Ifako-Ijaiye
Ikeja
Kosofe
Lagos Island
Lagos Mainland
Mushin
Oshodi-Isolo
Somolu
Surulere

OGUN STATE
Ifo
Abo-Ota

Note that this is an urban agglomeration or urban area population. The population is for the area of continuous urbanization. It is not a metropolitan area (labor market) population. There is no standardized international definition for metropolitan areas, though if the imprecise approach used in many nations were followed in the case of Lagos, it is likely that the metropolitan area would include the entire states of Lagos and Ogun, for a total population of 12.7 million.

The land area and population data for the urban agglomeration has been developed from inspection of satellite maps and comparison with local government area boundaries.