Timeline of Lagos

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.
 * 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 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.

1901–1959



 * 1901
 * Oba Eshugbayi Eleko in power.
 * Carter Bridge built.
 * Lagos Institute founded.
 * Population: 41,487.
 * 1903 - Artist Aina Onabolu active.
 * 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.
 * 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

Published in 19th-20th centuries

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2000s

 * + website

2010s

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