LAGOS STATE

Date Created: May 27, 1967

Capital: Ikeja

Major Towns: Ikorodu, Epe, Badagry, Lagos, Apapa, Victoria Island, Ikoyi and Ikeja.

Official Web Site: http://www.lagosstate.gov.ng/

Lagos State is one of twelve states created in May 1967 - Prior to its emergence as a state, - Lagos has served as the Federal Capital Territory. With an area of 3,577 square metres, the state is the smallest in the federation as it constitutes only 0.4% of the land mass-of the federation . The state is bounded in the north and east by Ogun State, in the west by Republic of Benin and in the south by the Atlantic Ocean.

For administrative convenience, the State is divided into five divisions, namely: Lagos, Ikeja Badagry, Ikorodu and Epe. There are 20 Local government areas, namely: Shomolu, Agege, Alimosho, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Mushin, Oshodi-Isolo, Surulere, Ikorodu, Eti-Osa, Ibeju-Lekki, Epe, Ojo, Badagry, Ikeja, Kosofe, Amuwo Odofin, Ajerotmi/ Ifelodun, Ifako/Ijaiye and Apapa.

Lagos State has taken giant strides in fulfilling, the educational aspirations of its citizenry. The state has 906 primary schools with 859,456 pupils. The state also has 360 secondary schools with 633,247 students, 5 Technical Colleges with 3,223 students, two Colleges of Education including that for Primary Education, a Polytechnic and a University - the Lagos State University (LASU) located at Ojo. It also houses the federally owned University of Lagos. The thrust of the government educational policy is the provision of qualitative education and the pursuit of academic excellence.

The state has a Tourism Policy which recognises six tourism zones, namely: Bar Beach Water Based recreational zone; Lekki-Maiyegun resort based zone; Kuramo Water based tourism zone; Epe-Marina Cultural tourism zone; Badagry Marina Recreational and Cultural zone.

Prominent tourist attractions in the state include; City Hall (headquarters of the Lagos Island Local Government); the National Theatre, National Museum, Onikan; Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos, the seat of Catholic Archdiocese; Relics of Brazilian and other colonial quarters; the site ofthe fallen Agia tree, Badagry, where Christianity was first preached in Nigeria in 1842; Oso-Lekki Breakwaters; First storey building in Nigeria (1845) at Badagry. Others are the Bar Beach. Tarkwa Bay, Badagry Beach and Lekki Peninsula. There is also the Eyo festival which is held to mark important events in the state.

In the sphere of health management in Nigeria, Lagos State has remained in the forefront. There are many health institutions in the state including a Teaching Hospital, LUTH, General Hospitals Specialist Hospitals, the National Orthopeadic Hospital, Igbobi and a host of others.

Lagos State is the nation's economic nerve centre with over 2,000 industries. 65% of the country's commercial activities are carried out in the state. Two of the nation's largest seaports -Apapa and tin-Can Ports are located in Lagos State.