Lagos

Lagos is Nigeria's economic engine, a sprawling, restless megacity of over 20 million people where wealth from Victoria Island's high-rises sits close to the informal settlements of Makoko and Ajegunle, and everyone is hustling to survive. Average household income here is difficult to pin down precisely, but estimates suggest many families live on less than 100,000 naira a month, and the gap between rich and poor is stark and visible everywhere you walk. There's no single reliable census on homelessness in Lagos, but outreach workers and researchers have long pointed to tens of thousands of people sleeping rough or in extreme housing insecurity across the state, particularly after government demolitions of waterfront communities displaced thousands in recent years. If you're on the streets here, the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team and the Ministry of Youth and Social Development sometimes run shelters and referral services, and the Salvation Army Nigeria has a presence offering food and temporary relief for those in crisis. Faith communities—mosques and churches—are often your fastest source of a meal or a place to sleep for a night, so don't hesitate to ask, even if you feel like a stranger. The city moves fast and can feel indifferent, but there are still hands willing to help if you know where to look. You are not invisible here, and you deserve rest, food, and safety just as much as anyone crossing this city in a car.