Global Goal, Local Context: Pathways to Sustainable Urban Development in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

This chapter argues that at the core of the opportunity to deliver sustainable urban development in Nigeria is the lack of capacity to mainstream global goals at the municipal level. The chapter thus address the following questions: Who is responsible for local implementation of the global development agenda? What mechanisms should be in place for local implementation? How can local capacities be strengthened for effective delivery of sustainable urban development? In doing this, we critically assess the challenges of localising the global agenda by focusing on SDG11 and its application in Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city. A content analysis of SDG11 and the Lagos State Development Plan reveals major gaps in the development approach of the state, while other findings reveal that paucity of data, weak institutional capacity as well as poor governance strategies are major impediments to mainstreaming SDG11 in Lagos. The chapter concludes by recommending some approaches to conciliate the global agenda with local exigencies, such as local capacity building and inclusive development.