Lagos (pronounced: /ˈleɪɡɒs/, or IPA: //ˈlɑːɡoʊs// overseas or Èkó in local Edo Language) is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. It is currently the 2nd most populous city in Africa, behind Cairo, and is currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa (UN-HABITAT, 2008) and the 7th fastest in the world. Although the 2006 National Census credited the metropolitan area with a population figure of 7,937,932, the figure is highly unscientific as it contradicts existing realistic vital social data and incongruent with the population growth rate of Lagos. The figure has been widely rejected within and outside Nigeria and has been challenged in the Nigerian courts. The figure is completely at variance with scientifically sound projections by the UN and other reliable population agencies and groups worldwide. This is no surprise as many such census by the Nigerian government have been highly politicised and eventually cancelled. The more reliable population figure of Lagos State is given by the Lagos State Government as 17,553,924, based on well conducted enumeration for social planning. Since the inhabitants of the metropolitan area of Lagos constitute 88% of the population, the population of metropolitan Lagos is about 15.5 million. (via Wikipedia)