The following is a timeline of the history of the metropolis of Lagos, Nigeria.
Prior to 19th century
1472 - Ruy de Sequeira of Portugal names area "Lago de Curamo." 1600 - Ashipa becomes Oba. 1630 King Ado in power. Iga Idunganran built (approximate date). 1669 - King Gabaro in power. 1704 - King Akinsemoyin in power. 1749 Eletu Kekere becomes Oba. King Ologun Kutere in power. 1775 - Adele Ajosun becomes Oba. 1780 - Eshilokun becomes Oba.
19th century
1829 - Oba Idewu Ojulari in power. 1837 - Oba Oluwole in power. 1841 - Akitoye becomes Oba. 1845 - Oba Kosoko in power. 1851 - British bombardment of Lagos. 1851 - 1853 Akitoye reigns as Oba for the second time. 1852 - Oba Akitoye signed the Treaty between Britain and Lagos for the abolition of slavery. 1852 - British consulate established. 1853 - King Dosunmu in power. 1859- The CMS Grammar School in Bariga, a suburb of Lagos in Lagos State, is the oldest secondary school in Nigeria, founded on 6 June 1859 by the Church Missionary Society 1860 - Catholic church established. 1861 - Lagos annexed by the British. 1862 - Lagos becomes a British colony. 1866 - Population: 25,083. 1878 - Methodist Boys' High School, Lagos founded. 1881 - Population: 37,452. 1885 - Oba Oyekan I in power. 1886 - Telephone cables connect Lagos to London. 1888 - Lagos Chamber of Commerce established. 1889 - Court House built. 1894 Lagos Echo and Lagos Standard newspapers begin publication. Bank of British West Africa established. 1898 - Electric street lighting commences operation. 1899 Anglo-African Bank established. Briton William MacGregor becomes governor of Lagos Colony. 1900 - Ibadan-Lagos railway begins operating.
20th century 1901–1959
1901 Oba Eshugbayi Eleko in power. Carter Bridge built. Lagos Institute founded. Population: 41,487. 1903 - Artist Aina Onabolu active. 1905 - first Orange Lodge in Nigeria, named "Lagos Fine Blues Loyal Orange Lodge No 801". 1908 - Lagos Municipal Board of Health and People's Union established. 1909 - King's College, Lagos founded. 1911 Kano-Lagos railway begins operating. Anti-Slavery and Aborigines Protection Society chapter established. Population: 73,766. 1913 - Apapa wharf built. 1914 Lagos becomes capital of the British Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. Lagos Central Times newspaper begins publication (approximate date). Anfani Bus Service begins operating. 1917 - Lagos Town Council and Colonial Bank established. 1920s - Lagos Market Women's Association founded. 1921 - Population: 98,303. 1923 Ansar Ud Deen (religious group) and Lagos Women's League established. Nigerian National Democratic Party founded in Lagos. 1925 Oba Ibikunle Akitoye in power. Lagos Daily News newspaper begins publication. 1926 Nigerian Daily Times newspaper begins publication. Industrial Army Home (reformatory) built in Yaba. 1927 - Queen's College, Lagos and Lagos Executive Development Board established. 1928 Oba Sanusi Olusi in power. St Gregory's College, Lagos and Lagos Book Club founded. 1930 - Stadium built. 1931 Tom Jones Library opens. Population: 126,474. 1932 Oba Falolu in power. Igbobi College and Yaba Higher College founded. 1933 - The first indigenous Nigerian bank, the National Bank of Nigeria, was established. 1939 - Yaba Estate built. 1943 - Art Exhibition Centre and Lagos Museum open. 1944 - Nigerian Women's Party organized in Lagos. 1945 - Holy Child College Obalende established. 1946 Anglican Cathedral built. Nigerian Breweries incorporated. 1947 - Yaba College of Technology founded. 1949 "Rent control committee" organized. Oba Adeniji Adele in power. 1950 Mayoral council established; Abubakar Ibiyinka Olorun-Nimbe elected mayor. Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos active. 1951 - Lagos becomes part of the Western Region. 1952 - Population: 267,407. 1957 Nigerian National Museum founded. Irohin Imole Yoruba-language newspaper begins publication. 1958 - Stationery Stores Football Club founded.
1960–1999 1960 - Lagos Stock Exchange and Nigeria Acceptances Limited. 1961 - Nigerian Institute of International Affairs founded. 1962 - University of Lagos established. 1963 Independence House built. Population: 655,246. 1964 National Library of Nigeria built. Bagatelle restaurant in business (approximate date). Lebanese Community School established. 1965 - Adeyinka Oyekan II becomes Oba. 1967 Lagos State created. Mobolaji Johnson becomes governor of Lagos State. 1972 - Lagos National Stadium built. 1973 - 2nd All-Africa Games held. 1975 Eko Bridge built. Federal Government College Lagos and Bridge Boys Football Club founded. Adekunle Lawal becomes governor of Lagos State. Population: 1,060,848 city; 1,476,837 urban agglomeration. 1976 - National Arts Theatre built. 1977 Second World African Festival of Arts and Culture held in Festac Town. Fela Kuti's Kalakuta Republic compound in Mushin burns down. Nigerian Institute of Medical Research established in Yaba (approximate date). Ndubuisi Kanu becomes governor of Lagos State. 1978 - Ebitu Ukiwe becomes governor of Lagos State. 1979 Murtala Muhammed International Airport opens. Lateef Jakande becomes governor of Lagos State. 1980 Badagry-Lagos highway constructed. Lagos Plan of Action drafted. Apata Memorial High School founded. Wonder Baking Company in business. 1981 International School Lagos established. Winners' Chapel megachurch begins. 1982 - Indian Language School established. 1983 Vanguard newspaper begins publication. Mama Cass restaurant in business. 1984 - Gbolahan Mudasiru becomes governor of Lagos State. 1985 - Newswatch magazine begins publication. 1986 - Mike Akhigbe becomes governor of Lagos State. 1988 - Raji Rasaki becomes governor of Lagos State. 1989 African Championships in Athletics held. Intercontinental Bank founded. 1990 Third Mainland Bridge opens. Lagos City Polytechnic and Equitorial Trust Bank established. Population: 4,764,000 (urban agglomeration). 1991 Federal government relocates from Lagos to Abuja. Tell Magazine begins publication. Diamond Bank opens. Lagos Business School established. 1992 Pepsi Football Academy founded, Agege. Nigerian Air Force C-130 crash. Michael Otedola becomes governor of Lagos State. 1993 Jhalobia Gardens opens. Olagunsoye Oyinlola becomes governor of Lagos State. 1994 Chocolat Royal in business. P.M. News newspaper begins publication. 1995 Thisday newspaper begins publication. Population: 5,966,000 (urban agglomeration). 1996 Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary established. Tastee Fried Chicken opens in Surulere. Mohammed Buba Marwa becomes governor of Lagos State. 1997 Redeemer's International Secondary School founded in Maryland. Tantalizers restaurant opens in Festac Town (approximate date). 1999 20 February: Nigerian parliamentary election, 1999 held. Bola Tinubu becomes governor of Lagos State. 2000 - **Population: 7,233,000 (urban agglomeration).
21st century
2001 - The Daily Independent newspaper begins publication. 2002 City divided "into 57 local council areas." Pan-African University, Lagos established. Lagos armoury explosion. 2003 Oba Rilwan Akiolu in power. The Sun newspaper begins publication. 2004 Spring Bank founded. Silverbird Cinema in business. 2005 Business Day newspaper begins publication. SunRise Sixth Form College established. Population: 8,767,000 (urban agglomeration). 16 November: Fire at Ebute Metta. 2006 2006 Lagos building collapses The Nation newspaper begins publication. Tin Can Island Port Complex formed. FinBank founded. Palms Shopping Mall opens. May - Atlas Creek pipeline explosion. December - Abule Egba pipeline explosion. Moments with Mo talk show begins broadcasting. 2007 April: State election held; Babatunde Fashola becomes governor of Lagos State. Teslim Balogun Stadium built. Centre for Contemporary Art founded. 2008 Next newspaper begins publication. My People Football Club founded. Ijegun pipeline explosion. 2009 - Nike Centre for Art and Culture opens. 2010 Lagos Photo festival begins. Whitespace cultural venue active. 2011 Lagos Fashion Week begins. Enterprise Bank Limited, Keystone Bank Limited, and Mainstreet Bank Limited formed. Ikeja City Mall, L'Espace (shop), and Google office in business. 2012 Makoko slum razed. Lagos Countdown begins. 2013 Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge opens. Makoko Floating School built. Eko Atlantic development construction begins. 2014 Ebola virus outbreak. 12 September: Synagogue Church building collapse occurs in nearby Ikotun-Egbe. 2015 – 12 August: Helicopter crash in Oworonshoki. 2016 - Building collapse. 2018 - African Championships in Athletics. 2019 - School collapse. 2020 - End SARS protests. 2021 - High-rise collapse 2022 - End SARS protests 2nd anniversary botched protests 2023 - 2023 National and State elections
See also
History of Lagos List of governors of Lagos State List of Lagos State local government areas by population Timelines of other cities in Nigeria: Ibadan, Kano, Port Harcourt
References
Bibliography
Published in 19th-20th centuries
(children's book)
Published in 21st century 2000s + website
2010s
(photos)
External links
Map of Lagos, 1962 Map of Lagos, 1984 (Bibliography of open access articles)