Lagos, Nigeria’s bustling economic hub, has been ranked the fourth least liveable city in the world, according to the Global Liveability Index 2023 released by the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU).
The EIU, an organization affiliated with The Economist, evaluated 173 cities worldwide based on various significant factors, including healthcare, education, stability, infrastructure, and environment.
In the rankings, Lagos secured the 170th position, with Algiers, the capital of Algeria, following closely behind at 171st place. Tripoli, the capital of Libya, claimed the 172nd spot, making it the second least liveable city globally. The lowest-ranked city in the survey was Damascus, Syria.
One of the significant reasons behind Lagos’ low ranking is its pressing environmental concerns. The city has been grappling with various issues that adversely affect its liveability. Pollution, including air and water pollution, has reached alarming levels, posing significant risks to the health and well-being of its residents.
Lagos also faces challenges related to waste management, with inadequate
systems in place to handle the city’s growing waste generation.
Furthermore, rapid urbanization and insufficient urban planning have resulted in overpopulation and excessive strain on the city’s infrastructure. Inadequate public transportation and traffic congestion have become daily struggles for Lagosians, impacting their quality of life and overall livability.
These environmental concerns, coupled with the city’s challenges in healthcare, education, and stability, have contributed to Lagos’ low ranking.
While some improvements have been noted in healthcare and education, much more needs to be done to address the pressing
environmental issues that continue to hinder the city’s liveability.
Interestingly, the report noted that cities like Lagos and Algiers had shown progress, particularly in their healthcare and education systems. These cities, located in energy-exporting countries, have benefited somewhat from higher global oil and gas prices.
Despite corruption remaining a concern, some additional public funding has been allocated for infrastructure and public services, which have also benefitted from the decline in COVID-19 cases.
On the other hand, Vienna, the capital of Austria and often referred to as the “city of dreams,” has claimed the title of the world’s most liveable city for the second consecutive year. Vienna’s exceptional
stability, vibrant culture and entertainment scene, reliable infrastructure, and exemplary education and health services contributed to its top ranking. Although it had briefly slipped from the top spot due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Vienna has consistently secured this position in recent years.
Copenhagen in Denmark, along with the Australian cities of Sydney and Melbourne, followed closely behind, occupying the third and fourth positions, respectively.
These Australian cities experienced a decline in the index last year due to the spread of a highly infectious COVID-19 strain. Vancouver (Canada), Zurich (Switzerland), Calgary (Canada), Geneva (Switzerland), Toronto (Canada), and Osaka (Japan) rounded up the top ten cities.
Notably, three Canadian cities made it into the top ten most liveable cities globally. While Europe performed well at the top of the list, it also had a significant number of cities that experienced a decline in the rankings.
London, the capital of the UK, dropped 12 places to 46th, and Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, fell 22 spots to 43rd.
Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital, made its debut in the survey in 2022 at the 35th position but slipped to 58th place this year.
The report highlighted that although these cities did not experience a significant decline in their index scores, they failed to make the progress that many Asian cities achieved in the past year.
The overall average index score across 172 cities (excluding Kyiv, Ukraine) reached a 15-year high of 76.2 out of 100. Healthcare scores showed the most improvement, with education, culture and entertainment, and
infrastructure also seeing higher scores.
The EIU’s Liveability Index for 2023 indicates a significant rise, reflecting a 15-year high, as the world gradually recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic and healthcare and education scores improve, particularly in cities across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
However, stability scores have declined since last year, influenced by various instances of civil unrest globally. Western European cities experienced a drop in the rankings due to increased worker strikes and civil unrest, failing to match the progress made by cities in Asia and the Middle East.