The paper critically examines the phenomenon of Home Based Enterprises (HBE's) in low income residential areas of the Lagos Metropolis. The research adopts a purposive selection of thirty one low income residential neighbourhoods in the Lagos Metropolis. Data was obtained by the administration of structured questionnaires and analysis was done by both parametric and non-parametric methods. Random sampling of 394 home based enterprises was carried out. Issues examined include housing and environmental conditions; nature as well as types of home based enterprises and socioeconomic characteristics of operators. These include age, gender, and income, household size and level of education. The social network and informal institutions as well as the urban planning implications of these HBEs were also considered. The research revealed the importance of home based enterprises as a major source of income generation and socialization in urban areas. Recommendations include the adoption of case-specific planning models, consideration of cultural contexts in planning and the adoption of local economic development strategies in city design and development.

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In a bid to actualise the vision of transforming Lagos into Africa’s model megacity and global economic and financial hub, the state government has embarked on and/or supported various urban development projects. Drawing on the theoretical underpinnings of neoliberalism, we argue that governance practices in Lagos are transforming the city in a manner that is paradoxical to the intents of the city’s development plan. This paper, therefore, explores how government practices have shaped the city, and the socio-spatial consequences of the recent Lagos state government-supported developments. Of interest are projects from the Lagos State Development plan (2012–2025) which have resulted in significant spatial displacements – hence the selected case studies of Lekki Free Trade Zone and Badia-East Housing Estate. The study reveals that the Lagos state development policy results in creative destruction largely due to the uncritical embrace of market logic over social logic, thereby entrenching urban discontent and socio-spatial fragmentation across the city.

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This article examines environmental and livelihood vulnerabilities of low-income coastal settlements in Lagos, Nigeria. The Sustainable Livelihoods Approach is used as the analytical framework of how household's assets are affected by flood incidence. Using mixed methods combining qualitative and quantitative analysis, factors that intensify the impacts of flood events on livelihoods assets of the urban poor are examined. Results indicate that the effects of floods on urban poor livelihoods are multifaceted. Vulnerability of Lagos to flood hazards is a function of various biophysical, topographical, climatic and socio-economic factors. It was also noted that uncoordinated urban expansion into flood prone areas, and increase in the intensity and volume of rain are also contributory factors to incidence of flood hazards in Lagos. The article concludes by recommending strategies for coping with the challenges faced by these communities and these include infrastructure upgrading, effective development control and civic reorientation.