I've just returned from a week in Lagos, and thought some of the SubTalk crowd might be interested in some observations regarding transit in Lagos, as well as some other notes.
BACKGROUND
Lagos is a city of 10 million. There are three distinct areas of Lagos -- Mainland Lagos, Lagos Island and Victoria Island.
There is not a single functioning traffic light in all of Lagos. There is sporadic traffic control by police at major intersections. A network of modern limited access highways was constructed during the 70's and remains fundamentally intact (save for serious pothole problems in some spots). Nigeria (an OPEC member) prospered during the 70's oil boom, but deteriorated after a military overthrow of the government in the early 80's. Democratic rule was restored in late 1999.
In 1952, Lagos' population was just above 100,000. It has increased 100-fold in 48 years.
GETTING AROUND
Rail transit -- Lagos has no subway or light rail, and no current plans. While cruising across the Third Mainland Bridge, I was struck by how much the water and marsh islands reminded me of the A train going toward the Rockaways. Sitting in traffic on that same Bridge later that night, I really missed that A train. Although I did not get to see it, there is an inter-city train that makes one daily round trip between Lagos and Ibadan (another major Nigerian city). The two-hour trip frequently runs 5 to 6 hours behing schedule.
Bus transit -- Lagos had city run bus service until shortly after the military takeover. Bus routes were more like our Limiteds, with stops spread about a half-mile apart and corresponding to major residential or business areas. Many open air markets have built up around bus stops.
Van service -- Sprang up to replace the missing bus service. These are run by private owners along routes specified by the government, and make stops at the old bus stops. Most vans are at least 15 or 20 years old. On at least 5 occasions during my week in Lagos, I observed a van being pushed along its route by its riders. The most common vehicle is the old VW microbus. Second most common is a similar looking vehicle manufactured by Mercedes. All are painted in a color similar to our school busses. All are also covered completely with dents and dings. Nudging your competitor out of the way is apparently a well-accepted practice.
Most vans appear to run quite full -- I counted 15 people seated inside a VW van on many occasions. An additional person or two can freqeuntly be found hanging off the side (most of the side doors have been removed) during peak times -- though those persons may actually be associated with the operation of the service (conductors / fare collectors?). Boarding and stepping off moving vehicles is frequent.
Fares appear to start at 50 Naira (about 40 cents). I don't know if there are distance based fares or not. As I place quite a value on my own life, I did not ride any of the vans during my stay.
Government oversight appears to be loose at best, though they are trying to improve. Some new regulations went into effect while I was there -- drivers found off their licensed route are subject to fines of 250 Naira.
Motor Scooters -- Supplement the van service. As mentioned earlier, the vans operate like our limited buses. As the daytime temperature year-round is generally between 90 and 100 degrees, the walk from the bus stops can be hot in addition to being lengthy. The scooters are mainly two-seaters and take you from the van stop to your destination (with little regard for rules of the road). It is not at all uncommon to see a woman in full African dress riding along on the back of a scooter. Fares are negotiated.
Traffic -- is like nothing I've seen anywhere else. The Cross Bronx is a Sunday drive across the park by comparison. Disregard for traffic law and convention is frequent, and generally serves to make congestion worse. Sidewalks are considered an excellent way of getting around gridlock.
OTHER NOTES
Electricity -- combine rampant growth with a lack of planning and you get California to the 100th power. Most homes are without power during the day (unless they have their own generators, which still require a supply of scarce diesel fuel), when power is diverted to industrial and office uses. Power is about a 50/50 proposition for a residence at night. NEPA (Nigerian Electric Power Authority, or Never Electric Power Anytime depending on who you talk to) has not built a new plant (or at least one that works) in more than 20 years. U.S. based Enron is currently working with NEPA to build a new plant as well as to modernize distribution and it is widely believed that power problems will be a thing of the past by the end of this year.
Water -- is only a problem if you need electricity to pump it. Unfortunately, most homes in Lagos require electricity to pump the water. Various water pumps are located in public areas. How does any self respecting citizen of Lagos carry their 25 liter water bucket? On their head. This has the added benefit of blocking out the hot sun.
Crime -- has died down recently. Nigeria recently led a U.N. peacekeeping force in Sierra Leone. Upon the soldiers return, the government did not have enough money to pay the soldiers. Soldiers were offered a choice between an IOU from the government or they could keep their weapon as full payment. No joke -- somebody thought this was a good idea. To the (apparent) shock of that same somebody, armed robbery skyrocketed. Most middle and upper class families in Lagos now live behind multiple barriers. A six foot high concrete wall with locking gate topped by barbed wire and/or broken glass surrounds most houses. Followed by a locking gate at the doors to the house. Bedrooms have all been moved to the second floor. Locking iron gate inside the house at the bottom of the stairs and another locking iron gate at the top of the stairs. Bars on all windows.
All in all, an interesting trip.
Chuck