Various people view night time from diverse perspectives. While some see the night as a period associated with danger, immorality or something sinister, others see it in positive terms as the ideal time for socialisation, merry-making and partying. In some organisations, government and business circles, very crucial issues are often discussed during the night. Also, in the political and corporate arena, some crucial decisions are usually taken at night. To politicians and others whose enterprise involves working out deft strategies to outsmart competitors, no other time is better to manoeuvre than the night.
In most major cities of the world, socio-economic activities take place round the clock. This is especially true of cities in developed countries where they operate a 24-hour socio-economic system. In most of these cities, the contribution of the night economy in the overall social and economic development of the respective country cannot, in any way, be over-emphasised. In such cities, different people have various places where people interact, play, consume, produce and engage in other social and business activities deep into the belly of the night.
New research from across the world has indicated that many cities over the past two decades have deliberately revived night life as a renewal strategy to tap into the socio-economic potentials of the night. The hospitality and entertainment industries, in particular, thrive during the night. Entertainment spots such as restaurants, pubs, nightclubs, cinemas, casinos, concert halls, theatres and licensed clubs make more businesses in the course of the night. This is particularly because high-flying business executives and others who have worked hard in the day often love to unwind at night.
It should, however, be stressed that other socio-economic activities that are not hospitality and entertainment-related also take place at night. These include, among others, the printing industry, cleaning services, education, government services, retailing, baking and other forms of food preparation, and logistics activities.
In Lagos State, the vision of the Babatunde Fashola administration has always been to make Lagos Africa’s Model Megacity and Global Economic and Financial Hub. This can only become a reality if every minute of the 24 hours in a day is effectively utilised across all sectors in the state. At the outset, the challenge before the Fashola administration in this respect was how to breathe life into the comatose night economy of the state. This was eventually achieved through the resourceful establishment of Independent Power Plants (IPPs) at key locations across the state. This is quite strategic, as the power requirements of Lagos was estimated at about 10,000 to 12,000 megawatts (MW), a sharp contrast to the less than 1,000MW available to the state from the national grid. This situation has propelled many people to self-help, compelling them to be generators of their own electricity, resulting in emergence of all manners of domestic power generating sets. This has resulted in very high cost of electricity which unfortunately accounts for 30 per cent of operating costs of any business.
It is exactly in order to reverse the trend that the Fashola administration came up with the idea of IPPs. Presently, five of such have been commissioned for use at Ikorodu, Akute, Lagos Island, Lekki and Ikeja. As it is often the case with every people-oriented programme, the provision of these power plants is already having a positive impact on the Lagos night economy. Some of the helpful spin-offs of the restored night economy include the fact that essential services could now be gotten into the very deep hours of the night. Not only are night businesses now running and giving impetus for socio-economic growth, clubs, hotels, hospitality facilities have been given a new lease of life in the state.
Several places and landmarks like the Carter Bridge, a very critical link into Lagos Island, which was abandoned for many years for security concerns, has now been lit just like Simpson Street in Lagos and the Ramp on Marina close to the Third Mainland Bridge. Recently, about 300 kilometres of public lighting was accomplished by the state government at various locations in the state and the enormous economic benefits of this, especially on the state’s night economy, cannot be over-emphasised. Market women, who hitherto closed at 5pm or 6pm because of poor visibility and allied concerns, now carry out their trading activities into the wee hours, with its resultant economic advantages.
Recent research by the Lagos State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning has revealed that night economy in the state has already improved by over 50 per cent. The beauty of it is that the improved night economy has positive implications for all classes of economic activities.
Perhaps more significant is the fact that by many measures, in terms of crime management and security, night activities in Lagos have become relatively stable. Today, if compared to cities like Cairo, Nairobi and Johannesburg, the security indicators for Lagos are high despite that there is still work to be done.
Happily, the state government is not resting on its oars, as the long term plan is to create a vibrant and safe nightlife for Lagos that offers something for everyone – from a street bar with live music, a mechanic service, fashion businesses, to an all-hours bookshop.
Lagos has the largest night time economy in the country. This is why the state government has developed a strategy to ensure that Lagos’ night economy is more diverse, better connected, inviting and safe. A major part of the strategy’s development came out of extensive consultations with the local business community; other stakeholders, which included residents, focus groups, representatives from the retail to entertainment sectors as well as key private sector leaders.
By 2025, it is expected that the state’s night economy will be transformed away from a focus on younger people and entertainment. It is hoped that 40 per cent of people taking advantage of the improved night activities in the state will be aged over 40 and that 40 per cent of operating businesses at this time will be chiefly anchored on formal business concerns.
This is why the state government is encouraging a larger variety of retailers and attractions to stay open late, to broaden people’s choices of things to do at night. By 2025, the state hopes to double its night-time turn-over and increase night-time employment by 55 per cent to 200,000 jobs.
Without a doubt, if the present efforts at transforming night economy in the state, as being spearheaded by the Fashola administration, is further enhanced and sustained by subsequent administrations the state and, indeed, the country as a whole, would be the better for it.
• Ogunbiyi is of the Features Unit, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.
