Perceived implementation level of green development principles in cities: a focus on Lagos, Nigeria

Résumé

Sub-Saharan African cities face increasing ecological and sustainability challenges driven by rapid urbanization. Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub and one of Africa’s fastest-growing megacities, exemplifies the difficulties of implementing green development principles within complex urban environments. This study examined built environment professionals’ and stakeholders’ perceptions of the implementation of green development principles in Lagos, focusing on environmental management, resource efficiency, sustainable urban design, green transportation, and governance. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted between January and March 2024 using structured questionnaires administered to 384 respondents, including architects, planners, engineers, government officials, academics, and community stakeholders. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, mean score ranking, and correlation analysis to assess perceived implementation levels, awareness, and barriers to adoption. The findings indicate generally low levels of perceived implementation across all dimensions of green development. Individual implementation indicators recorded mean scores ranging from 1.76 to 3.42 on a five-point scale, while dimension-level means ranged from 2.29 to 2.54. Governance recorded the lowest perceived implementation score (mean = 2.29), with environmental regulation enforcement rated particularly low (mean = 2.12). Respondents demonstrated moderate awareness of green development concepts (mean = 3.28), although awareness of specific local policy frameworks was considerably lower. The results reveal a substantial gap between awareness and practical implementation. The most significant barriers identified were inadequate funding and financial resources (mean severity = 4.32), poor regulatory enforcement (4.21), and limited institutional coordination (4.18). These findings suggest that despite the existence of policy frameworks promoting sustainable urban development, implementation remains constrained by institutional, financial, and governance challenges. The disconnect between policy intentions and on-the-ground realities continues to hinder the realization of green development objectives in Lagos. The study concludes that strengthening policy enforcement, improving inter-agency coordination, expanding stakeholder capacity-building initiatives, and developing context-appropriate financing mechanisms are essential for advancing green development implementation in Lagos and other rapidly urbanizing cities in Sub-Saharan Africa.

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