Hausa Migrants in the Socioeconomic Development of Postcolonial Lagos State

Abstract

The transformation of Lagos to an industrial and cosmopolitan society is a
combination of many factors. Its geostrategic location, for example, played
a prominent role in its emergence as the economic nerve center of Nigeria.
This status influenced the exponential migration of people of diverse cultural, sociopolitical and economic backgrounds into the area, including people from the northern parts of the country, who are generally called Hausa, though some of them are not really of Hausa stock. The presence of these Hausa migrants contributes to the socioeconomic development of Lagos as they mostly engage in numerous occupational economic activities, particularly those that require much physical strength. On the other hand, there had been a number of social problems associated with the presence of these migrants. In light of the foregoing assertions, this paper examines the socioeconomic impact of Hausa migrants in the state. The paper adopts a qualitative research methodology using historical approach to data collection and interpretation.