I’m struggling to blog about Lagos. Every time I go to write a blog I am faced with a plethora of contradictions. The major issue in Nigeria is that it is developing but it’s not developed. This throws up a whole heap of issues. There are expensive hotels surrounded by roads in serious disrepair, which most cars are unable to drive on. Broadband and air-conditioning are commonplace in Lagos but only when the public electricity works (which is infrequent). There are expensive cars and motorcycles congesting the roads but there are no traffic systems to guide them and those that are in place are ignored by all but a few. There are lots of police on the streets but they are mostly corrupt and we have had to bribe them to let us continue on a road.

Hopefully, some of you can see the complications that I am faced with when trying to write an accurate description about Lagos. I can’t say I like this area of Nigeria but nor can I say that I hate it. Some people I have met here have not been very nice yet most of the people I have met personally have been lovely so it’s no different to England.

Most of all what I feel in Nigeria is frustration, it’s developing but no one knows into what and unfortunately money is the driving factor. Here it is capitalism in its raw form without any regulation; touts and gangs capitalise on areas of road or land and the police take payments from the gangs. Most people that I have spoken with have pride in their country and their own development and education but they are also fearful of the police and angry about the levels of corruption. Many people here have also asked me what I think Nigeria will be like in 5 years time and I can honestly say I haven’t a clue.