Lagos and Abuja are two popular and very significant cities in Nigeria. While Lagos has once been the seat of power and has for years been Nigeria’s commercial capital, Abuja on the other hand has been Nigeria’s capital city since 1991. Both places provide the nation’s major entry and getaway points with their international airports and the seaports in Lagos.
In terms of eye-pleasing infrastructures among the states in Nigeria, Lagos and Abuja stand out. These two places have some of the most attractive and well-planned urban areas, estates, shopping malls, hotels, high-rise buildings etc. But then, which is more beautiful between Lagos and Abuja? This is the question we’ll be providing an answer to in this article.
Lagos and Abuja: Which is More Beautiful?
Abuja is more beautiful than Lagos. It is more well-planned, generally clean, serene, and has more greenery than Lagos.
Abuja is located at the center of Nigeria within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). It is a well-planned city mainly developed and built in the 1980s and the master plan upon which it was built was designed by a Japanese architect, Kenzo Tange. On 12 December 1991, Abuja took over from Lagos to become Nigeria’s capital city.
Abuja span a land mass of 1,769 square kilometers (683 square miles), and as at 2016, the metropolitan area of Abuja was estimated as having a population of 6 million people – only second to Lagos which is the most populous metropolitan area in Nigeria. Some of the popular parts of Abuja are Wuse I, Wuse II, Asokoro, Garki I, Garki II, Maitama, Central Business District (CBD) while its five suburban districts are Nyanya, Gwagwalada, Karu, Kubwa, and Jukwoyi.
Abuja is Nigeria’s administrative and political capital with the Nigerian Presidential Complex, Force Headquarters, Supreme Court, National Assembly, and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) headquarters all domiciled there. Also, Abuja stands as a key capital on the African continent which is due to Nigeria’s geo-political influence in regional affairs. Some other landmarks in Abuja are Zuma Rock, the Millennium Tower, National Stadium, National Christian Center, National Mosque among others.
Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport – the second busiest airport in Nigeria after Murtala Mohammed International Airport – is present in Abuja. Also, embassies, 3-5 star hotels, international-standard shopping malls, parks, eateries etc. are all present in Abuja.
Real Estate, corporate buildings, and commercial buildings are not left out in Abuja, as its skyline is majorly made up of mid-range and a few tall buildings. It is only recently that tall and multi-storey buildings started springing up in Abuja. Most of the buildings and other infrastructures are of modern design – reflecting that it is a new city. Adding to this, Abuja is recognised as one of the few purposely-built capital cities in Africa and even one of the wealthiest in the continent.
Now, when compared to Lagos in terms of beauty, Abuja is more beautiful. This is because Abuja is well-planned with very good road networks and drainages, coupled with a serene and generally clean environment. Also, there’s more greenery in Abuja than in Lagos. All of these brings the argument in favour of Abuja being more beautiful than Lagos.
Which is better Lagos or Abuja?
The better place between Lagos and Abuja is subjective and based on your preference. Lagos is a bustling city with much more people, robust economy, great night life, and generally considered as a land of opportunities. Abuja is serene, well-planned, with good road network and less people. So the better place is based on individual preference.
Which is the cleanest city in Nigeria?
Akwa-Ibom is the cleanest city in Nigeria. Clean-up Nigeria, an international non-governmental organization, has announced Akwa-Ibom to be the cleanest in the south-south region and among the 36 states of Nigeria. Akwa-Ibom has maintained this position for four consecutive years.
Where is the best place to live in Lagos?
The top five best places to live in Lagos are Ikoyi, Yaba, Ikeja, Magodo, and Lekki-Ajah.
Which state is the richest in Nigeria?
Lagos State is the richest state in Nigeria. It has the highest GDP ($33.68 Billion) in Nigeria and generates the biggest internal revenue among the states of the federation.
Conclusion
Lagos and Abuja, the commercial and administrative capital of Nigeria, respectively, are most times compared based on different criteria. But when it comes to the comparison of which is more beautiful between Lagos and Abuja, we’ve been able to let you know in this article that Abuja is more beautiful. Abuja is well-laid out with good road networks, generally clean, serene, has more greenery than Lagos.