Lagos State was created on May 27, 1967, by virtue of State Decree No. 14 of 1967, which restructured Nigeria’s Federation into 12 states. Prior to this, Lagos Municipality was administered as a Federal Territory by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Lagos Affairs as the regional authority, while the Lagos City Council governed the City of Lagos. The state took off as an administrative entity on April 11, 1968, with Lagos Island serving the dual role of being the state and federal capital, respectively. However, with the creation of the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja in 1976, Lagos ceased to be the capital of the state, as this was moved to Ikeja. Similarly, with the formal relocation of the seat of the Federal Government to Abuja on December 12, 1991, Lagos ceased to be Nigeria’s political capital. Nevertheless, Lagos remains the nation’s economic and commercial capital. According to extant political records, “Lagos is to the people of Nigeria what the head is to the body of an individual.” Lagos State is the smallest state in Nigeria, yet it has the highest urban population, which is 27.4% of the national estimate [UN-Habitat]. According to the 2006 National Census, Lagos State has a population of 9,013,534 in relation to the national count of 140,003,542. However, based on the UN-Habitat and international development agencies’ estimates, Lagos State is said to have about 24.6 million inhabitants in 2015. Of this population, Metropolitan Lagos accounts for over 85% of an area that is 37% of the land area of the state, and the Lagos population is growing 10 times faster than that of New York and Los Angeles. If you choose to travel to Lagos, then air transport is best if you can afford it. If travelling around Lagos, be sure to be accompanied by a guide who is familiar with the routes. Moving around Lagos has become much easier in recent times, with street signs on every single street corner making it easier to locate places and landmarks. With the city spending huge budgets on security, there has been a huge reduction in crime generally. For the most part, it’s safe to move around during the day. If you are going out at night, be sure to go in groups and stick to known routes. Airport Murtala International Airport Code: LOS | Telphone: +234 149 3385 | Address: Ikeja Airport Road, Lagos | Location: The airport is located in the suburb of Ikeja, 12km (7 miles) northwest of Lagos. Nigeria shares land borders with Benin, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon. One of the most popular land routes into Nigeria is via Benin. You can drive fairly easily from Accra in Ghana to the Nigerian border via Togo and Benin; expect a few delays at the border. The road is generally in good condition.