MyLagosApp:  How Lagos  seeks to boost investment, grow economy by N4trn annually

Onome Amuge

The Lagos State Government, in collaboration with telecommunications giant MTN, recently launched the MyLagosApp, a digital platform designed to simplify city navigation and enhance Lagos’ urban lifestyle.

While the new platform offers much promise, Lagosians remain cautiously optimistic as they eagerly await the effects of the innovation on the city’s persistent traffic congestion issue, which has long been an impediment to ease of life in the city.

Lagos State, widely recognised as Nigeria’s economic powerhouse, boasts a population of over 20 million people, making it the most populous city in Nigeria and the largest urban area on the African continent.

The state  currently has a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of  $259 billion, based on Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), placing it as the second-largest economy on the continent and trailing only behind Cairo, the Egyptian capital, according to the Lagos Economic Development Update (LEDU) 2025.

Driven by the momentum of its booming industrial and commercial sectors, a strategic location that leverages its coastal position, and an innovation ecosystem, Lagos has soared beyond its megacity status to become an African hyper-city.

While the influx of residents and numerous business opportunities in Lagos have helped propel the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to 815.86 billion as at  2023, the bustling metropolis is not without its share of challenges.

Amidst its economic buoyancy, Lagos is no stranger to a variety of challenges, from ever-increasing living expenses, housing difficulties, and inadequate infrastructure, to a notorious traffic gridlock, which plagues the city’s residents and businesses alike.

This unrelenting traffic congestion has become a persistent bane to productivity, hindering economic growth and impeding the daily lives of Lagosians.

As the population continues to grow, so does the urgency for creative and practical solutions to this pressing issue.

A recent research study conducted by the Danne Institute for Research has revealed that Lagos suffers an annual loss of N4 trillion due to its profound traffic congestion.

The study, titled ‘Behavioural Causes of Traffic Congestion in Lagos’, funded by the Bank of Industry and Africa Finance Corporation, attributed behavioural factors as the primary drivers of the city’s debilitating traffic congestion.

The study identified various culprits, including substandard road infrastructure, non-compliance with traffic laws, and the disruptive activities of ‘agberos’ (street touts) at bus stops, as well as bus drivers stopping at undesignated locations to pick up passengers.

The study further revealed that, on average, Lagosians spend 2.21 hours commuting every day, with about 45 percent spending over two hours in traffic congestion.

To put this into perspective, this indicates that the average Lagosian spends approximately 33.65 days or 807.65 hours per year in traffic congestion.

The Danne Institute’s report observed that Lagos, with its estimated 21 million residents, fails to leverage the full potential of its population due to the crippling effects of traffic congestion on daily life.

According to John Okesoto, chief Lecturer at the Department of Regional and Urban Planning at Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech), a typical Lagos resident spends approximately 57 percent of their workday commuting, which consumes  about 28 percent of their salary towards transport expenses.

Analysts assert that the considerable amount of time and money spent commuting in Lagos’ traffic congestion represents an impediment to productivity, contributing to lost work hours, decreased efficiency, and reduced economic growth. The high cost of commuting is also considered a heavy burden on the already strained household budgets of many Lagosians.

In defense of the Lagos State Government’s efforts to address the crippling traffic congestion, Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat noted that the influx of approximately 6,000 people daily into the city, with half of them settling in Lagos without providing any known addresses, has presented a worrisome situation to the authorities.

Speaking at the 2024 Annual Directors Conference Dinner, themed “Business Meets Government Dinner,” Hamzat addressed the city’s budget constraints, noting that Lagos operates on an annual budget of N2.2 trillion while managing a population of 21 million.

He also highlighted the contrast between Lagos’ budget and the budget of New York State, which has a population of 19.5 million and operates on an annual budget of $237 billion as at 2023.

MyLagos App set to revolutionise Lagos’ economy

The newly launched MyLagos App, as stated by its designers, is expected to tackle the city’s persistent traffic congestion by providing Lagosians with real-time traffic updates and faster, alternate route suggestions, enabling them to manoeuvre through gridlocks with ease.

Furthermore, the app aims to promote safety and security in the city by providing users with real-time security alerts and information on emergencies in major Lagos areas, amongst other benefits.

According to the state government, the digital platform, designed to simultaneously tackle the city’s chronic traffic congestion and facilitate utility payments and business listings, represents a step in the right direction towards resolving the issues hampering Lagos’ growth and productivity.

Speaking at the MyLagos app launch held recently at MTN Plaza in Ikoyi, Lagos, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by Obafemi Hamzat, the deputy governor, hailed the initiative as a significant milestone in the state’s quest to emerge as a leading smart city in Africa.

Sanwo-Olu further described the app as a comprehensive digital solution that provides real-time traffic updates, emergency services, business listings, utility payments, and tourism information, all at the fingertips of Lagosians.

Urging residents to adopt digital solutions and embrace innovation, the governor emphasised the importance of the app as a vital link between the government and citizens, enabling seamless communication and efficient service delivery.

“With the launch of the MyLagos App, Lagos State is poised to remain at the forefront of digital transformation, not just in Nigeria but across Africa,” he said.

Abdulhakeem Giwa, MTN’s digital channel manager, described the MyLagos app as a revolutionary tool designed to transform the urban experience in Lagos, as it ensures navigation is better and easier for all residents.

According to Giwa, MyLagos App serves as a one-stop platform for essential city information, including locations of places, traffic updates, markets, trending news, tourism and events, jobs and vacancies, markets nearby, transport orders and businesses, among others.

In his remarks, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, the commissioner for transportation, spoke on the long-term benefits of the MyLagos app, particularly in terms of transportation infrastructure efficiency.

Osiyemi underscored the importance of data-driven decision-making provided by the MyLagos app, noting that the app would help generate vast amounts of data for the government that can be mined and used for various purposes, including analysing traffic patterns and informing infrastructure improvements.

He added that the app will enable commuters to make more informed decisions in real-time by providing them with accurate information on traffic conditions, allowing them to navigate faster routes.

The commissioner further stressed that the MyLagos app also has a predictive model that will be invaluable for future transportation planning and infrastructure development.

Karl Toriola, chief executive officer, MTN Nigeria, described the app as a one-stop centre for information, services, entertainment and hospitality.

He added that it would also provide other essential needs of residents and visitors to the state, including making reservations at restaurants, accommodation, library, transportation, water transportation, e-governance, amongst others.

“The future is now, and we are capturing the future of the e-government,entertainment, and driving commercial activities of Lagos state.

“With the launch of the MyLagos App, Lagos State is poised to remain at the forefront of digital transformation, not just in Nigeria but across Africa,” he stated.