This paper contributes to the pertinent discourse on mega-cities and urban sustainability, using Lagos
mega-city as case-study. It is derived from the growing need to appreciate the wider implications of the
mega-city phenomenon as a unique feature of contemporary urban change in the developing countries.
This need is imperative in the context of Lagos, which has come into fresh limelight through recent
flurry of research interests, as well as the initiation of plans for the Lagos Mega-City Project. The
purpose of this study is to examine the essential links between the mega-city phenomenon and urban
sustainability, with a view to informing policy and strategies for the sustainable development of Lagos
mega-city. The research method is a case-study approach involving qualitative analysis of secondary
data related to Lagos mega-city, and primary data from participant-observation. The introduction
examines the global emergence of mega-cities and the forces driving them. This is followed by a
concise review of literature, including the unique challenges facing emerging mega-cities. The paper
highlights and justifies how the Lagos Mega-City Project has become imperative as a basis for
proposing the application of sustainability principles to the Lagos mega-city reality. It offers policy
recommendations from an architectural and urban design perspective and concludes on the need for all
stakeholders to respect sustainable development principles, and engage in greater synergy on the
future of mega-cities.