Lagos, a premier metropolitan city in Nigeria, but due to the water bodies surrounding it, was divided into 2 parts. The mainland and the island. The Island consists of major places like Lekki, Victoria Island (V.I) and Ikoyi while the Mainland consists of many other local government which sums up Lagos.
Living on Lagos Island
Lagos Island fits as best place to live in, but in living on the Island, there are Advantages and disadvantages.
Pros and cons for living on the island.
The island, fondly called the Highbrow area of the state. There is a mad rush to live and work on the Island due to the beauty and organization.
The Pros (Advantages) of Living on the island.
Lagos Island is structured with Good Schools even with top-notch international standards with American standards or British syllabus. In many estates there is a centralized power generation, making the electricity situation very good in this area.
Living the luxurious life is not a problem on the island, there are lots of relaxation places, malls, lounges, Beaches, restaurants, café, eateries, shopping malls, Cinemas, Gardens. The island was structured to have a touch of living in European Countries. Whether you’re living in Lagos for grooving or Work purposes. The Island has it all.
The Cons/Disadvantages of living on the island
Its way too expensive for an average family to live comfortably, transportation could be moderate, Schools are expensive and even having fun could be expensive. The cost of renting an apartment with Basic amenities ranges from N400,000 Upwards per annum.
There is poor power supply on the island especially in Lekki. Most people who live on the island can afford generators or Inverters.
Distance & Transportation. For most people who live on the mainland, heading to the island is quite a distance. Apart from the actual physical distance but because of the unavoidable traffic, This sometimes attracts petty theft and Robbery on high ways.
Water and Nature. Water on the island is another cause for concern. There are hardly clean water from the taps and Boreholes which causes a break in lack of basic amenities. The rainy season in these areas have become synonymous with flooding and is a constant treat to living during these periods.
Tolls Daily commute on the Lekki-Epe Expressway and the Ikoyi link bridge means as a family man or woman you could spend up to N20,000 on monthly tolls.
Schools There are great choices of schools from the Nigerian Standard, to American Syllabus and even the British standard of education. But, These schools are very expensive for the average Nigerian.
Also Read: Reasons to move from Abuja to Lagos
Living in Lagos Mainland
A huge population of Lagos residents also live on the mainland, and most industries are located there. The mainland is known for its music and nightlife, International Hotels, restaurants and bars while the Mainland also enjoys the existence of Shopping malls and. The Ikeja City Mall, one of Nigeria’s newest and largest malls, is also located in Ikeja.
Pros (Advantages) of living on the Mainland
Food; fresh, processed or cooked- is super affordable on the mainland compared to the island. It is easy to eat a hearty traditional meal for about NGN 200 (50cents) in neighborhood eateries.
You can actually move around easily by public transport without any Problem all the options of transportation are available at relatively cheap rates and you can travel long distances on a tight budget.
Accommodation in Lagos as a whole is generally expensive; however, you will find the cheapest rates on the mainland. An added perk is that there are fewer incidents of flooding compared to the island. Despite how fabulous the Island is said to be, it does not have any airport. So, you still have to travel all the way to the mainland before you can jet off anywhere by air. Mainland has bits of the life lived on the island.
Lagos mainland is known for its relaxed cosmopolitan lifestyle. Life on the mainland is easy, relaxed and offers all kinds of possibilities. Also, with the lower costs of living on the mainland, you can enjoy life more for slightly less.
Cons (Disadvantages) Of Living In Lagos Mainland
Due to Bad roads and over population, one can spend 5 hours in traffic for a destination on 20 minutes, petrol tanker drivers and the presence of tank farms for petroleum products in the area all contribute to severe traffic.
Power outages are synonymous with Nigeria. PHCN rarely provides light on a daily basis, and even when they do, it’s only for a minute amount of time. Some areas haven’t even seen light in months.
The occurrence of crimes such as traffic robberies, car snatching, pickpocketing, mob attacks etc. seem to be more on the mainland than on the island. Most of the slums in Lagos are located on the mainland and they contain large numbers of unemployed youths, thus the increased likelihood of crime.
Living in Lagos whether mainland or the Island is just based on your budget, Lagos Island is pretty much expensive to live in but when it comes in terms with what your getting, it’s worth it a bit. While the Lagos Mainland, its like getting more for less or for average. Most of the basic things are given to you without draining your pocket and you can live comfortably, but wherever you choose, there’s no doubt that you will enjoy your stay. Moving companies in lagos like Express movers can help you relocate to either side whenever you make up your mind.
Express Movers offers premium moving services in lagos, Nigeria. We have the best team of professionals that will make your move easy and stress free.
