Enclave Urbanism and Infrastructure in Lagos: Factors, Outcomes, and Urban Sustainability in the Emerging Eko Atlantic City.

Over the last decades, cities in Sub-Sahara Africa have experienced the emergence of residential enclaves characterized by self-sustaining independently planned infrastructure and settlement patterns. Lagos is Sub-Sahara Africa's fastest-growing city and has witnessed the emergence of premium residential enclaves such as Victoria Garden City and Banana Island. In 2009, Lagos initiated the Eko Atlantic City (EAC) on land reclaimed from the Atlantic Ocean to counter boundary encroachment and offer an ideal residential and economic hub. Nevertheless, infrastructure provision and integration between EAC and the Lagos metropolis raise concerns. This research study examines EAC's prospects for infrastructure provision and integration based on the analysis of experiences of existing enclaves in Lagos. The argument is based on qualitative methodology and primary data collection through structured interviews with urban planners, residents in premium enclaves and stakeholders in the EAC. Findings from this study reveal that urban enclaves' proliferation and the emergence of the EAC redefine Lagos planning as being elitist and driven primarily by socio-economic gains. There are concerns regarding social sustainability as these enclaves have restricted accessibility. Also, private investment in infrastructure in these enclaves may have resulted in the government's perceived reluctance and slow pace of infrastructure provision in other parts of Lagos.

Keywords: Lagos, Enclave Urbanism, Infrastructure provision, Integration, Sustainability.