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Viewing cable 08LAGOS169, NIGERIA: HERNANDO DE SOTO TELLS LAGOS GOVERNOR HOW TO MAKE

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08LAGOS169 2008-05-12 08:31 2011-08-26 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED Consulate Lagos
VZCZCXRO1512
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHOS #0169/01 1330831
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 120831Z MAY 08
FM AMCONSUL LAGOS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9900
INFO RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 9614
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHMCSUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 000169 
 
SIPDIS 
 
COMMERCE FOR KBURRESS 
ENERGY FOR PERSON, CHAYLOCK 
TREASURY FOR DPETERS, RHALL, RABDULRAZAK 
STATE PASS USTR FOR LISER, AGAMA 
STATE PASS TRANSPORTATION FOR KSAMPLE 
STATE PASS OPIC FOR ZHAN, MSTUCKART, JEDWARDS 
STATE PASS TDA FOR EEBONG, DSHUSTER 
STATE PASS EXIM FOR JRICHTER 
STATE PASS USAID FOR NFREEMAN, GBERTOLIN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EFIN EINV NI
 
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: HERNANDO DE SOTO TELLS LAGOS GOVERNOR HOW TO MAKE 
LAGOS WORK FOR THE POOR 
 
1. (U) Summary: Delegates to the 22-25 April Lagos State Economic 
summit discussed the challenges facing Lagos city as it attempts to 
transform itself from a congested urban environment to a modern mega 
city.  Renowned economist Hernando De Soto said a property titling 
system can create access to credit for the state's poor and bring 
them into the formal sector. The focus must be on practical means to 
transform the State into a livable, workable place for Nigeria's 
poor.  A former Singaporean development official described the 
constellation city model used in Singapore as the appropriate model 
for the new Lagos mega city.  The U.S. Chief of Mission to Nigeria 
attended the State Summit dinner and Closing Ceremony.  End 
summary. 
 
Lagos: Toward A Model Mega City 
------------------------------- 
 
2. (U) The Fourth Lagos State Economic Summit "Transforming Lagos 
into Africa's Model Mega City" was held from April 22 - 25.  It 
focused on seven thematic areas the Lagos State Government (LSG) 
considered pivotal to transforming Lagos into a model mega city. 
They are power; environment, water, and sanitation; housing and 
physical planning; transportation; public order and security; human 
capital development; and finance.  Governor Babatunde Fashola, 
Former Governor Bola Tinubu, Economic Adviser to the President 
Tanimu Yakubu, and other top state government officials attended. 
The U.S. Chief of Mission to Nigeria attended the State Summit 
dinner and the Closing Ceremony.  The summit drew extensive 
participation from the public and private sectors, foreign 
investors, and international financial institutions.  Inaugurated 
under former Governor Tinubu eight years ago, Lagos State hopes to 
make this an annual event. 
 
Prior Summit Reap Results 
------------------------- 
 
3. (U) Ben Akabueze, Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning 
and Chairman of Summit Organizing Committee highlighted the state 
government's progress in implementing previous summit 
recommendations.  He listed the introduction of the Land Use charge 
to consolidate existing land-related fees paid annually by 
landowners, computerization of the land registry, and passage of 
laws to establish State microfinance initiatives for graduates of 
vocational training as examples.  The State has increased internally 
generated revenue (IGR) to 10 billion naira (USD 83 million) per 
month and instituted a 40 billion naira (USD 333 million) mortgage 
loan program for civil servants. 
 
Titling is Key to the Poor's Economic Participation 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
4. (U) Lagos State Government must put in place a property title 
system that goes beyond just proving ownership; it must also create 
access to credit, Hernando De Soto told attendees via video 
recording.  There can be no credit, capital or rule of law without a 
good property titling system, he elaborated.  The LSG must be 
willing to provide a framework that draws people out of the shadow 
economy to register their property and that provides the necessary 
incentives for more property owners to pay taxes.  These incentives, 
De Soto contended, must include security and key infrastructure such 
as roads and drainage.  In addition, the property titling system 
must allow landowners to use their land as collateral for loans. 
 
5. (U) Vice President of the Institute of Liberty & Democracy (ILD) 
Manuel Mayorga drew out the practical elements of De Soto's theme in 
his remarks on "Legal Enterprises and Property Rights".  He noted 
that people operate in the "extralegal economy" because the legal 
system is burdensome and not adapted to local norms and needs.  The 
extralegal sector does not include the poorest of the poor; rather 
it creates jobs and wealth for a large informal economy in any 
developing country.  He therefore urged the LSG to dispel the idea 
that people in this sector are unwilling to pay taxes and to make 
every effort to bring them into the mainstream.  He also urged 
leveraging local knowledge, so that properly registered property can 
become a source of working capital. 
 
LAGOS 00000169  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
Link "Constellation Cities" by Transport 
---------------------------------------- 
6. (U) Liu Thai Ker, former CEO of Singapore Urban Redevelopment 
Authority, presented the "constellation cities" model, where 
settlements are divided into clusters of 2.5 to 3 million people, as 
an appropriate design for Lagos.  Each "constellation" city is 
developed based on its special characteristics and then linked to 
other cities by a modern inter-modal transport system. 
7. (U) Noting that the Lagos Mega City includes four local 
government areas (LGAs) in neighboring Ogun State, Lagos State 
Commissioner for Urban Development Bolaji Abosede said the state is 
already sectioned into constellation cities.  Starting with the 
constellation city made up of Victoria and Ikoyi Islands, the LSG 
plans to rehabilitate roads in and between at least seven 
constellation cities including the Lekki-Epe, Ikeja and Yaba areas 
of the state. Each constellation city has a central business 
district (CBD) to minimize the need for people to leave their 
locality to have access to basic social and economic services. At 
the same time, he said, developing new towns can help to decongest 
the city center.  Efforts are being made to convince owners of old 
buildings within development areas to allow construction of modern 
multi-story buildings on their sites in exchange for partial 
ownership upon completion.  While this approach has been partially 
successful, many property owners remain suspicious.  The government 
is also facilitating mortgage loans for shop owners in several 
markets currently under redesign, Abosede said. 
Promote Green Spaces for the Poor 
--------------------------------- 
8. (U) Enrique Penalosa, former Mayor of Bogota, touted changes to 
the Bogota urban environment that brought green spaces to the poor. 
In a rapid fire presentation, he showed slides of bike paths 
paralleling major streets, housing developments bordering parks, 
streets closed to vehicular traffic to allow recreational 
activities, and other innovative approaches to making the urban 
environment habitable for the poor.  The audience gave him a 
standing ovation, with one participant remarking "that man could be 
elected mayor of Lagos". 
Internally Generated Revenue Grows by 300 percent 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
9. (U) Lagos State's internally generated revenue (IGR) reached 
31.48 billion naira in first quarter 2008.  Executive Chairman of 
Lagos State Internal Revenue Service Tunde Fowler said the IGR grew 
from 34.53 billion naira in 2004, to 94.85 billion naira in 2007, 
growth of 300 percent over the period.  As the economic capital of 
the country, the State has the potential to generate even more 
revenue, he said. 
Improve Tax Collection to Close Budget Gap 
------------------------------------------ 
10. (U) Taxation remains the main source of funding for the Lagos 
State Government. The more government relies on private funding, the 
costlier the projects become, said Ade Ipaye, Special Adviser to 
Lagos State Governor on Taxation.  The LSG requires 16.2 billion 
naira (USD 135 million) monthly to fund its budget and it is 
estimated that 50 percent will be funded by the State's IGR, which 
is currently only 10 billion naira (USD 83 million) monthly.  To 
bridge the gap, the LSG plans to increase tax revenue by plugging 
loopholes in its tax system, improving the collection process, and 
simplifying tax procedures.  Ipaye warned that in the future 
taxpayers will have to show tax payment documentation in order to 
obtain contracts and licenses as well as conduct land transactions 
and other business with the state government. 
11. (U) Comment: De Soto and Penalosa sent a resounding message to 
the LSG: focus on practical means to make the city sustainable and 
livable for Nigeria's poor.  The administrations of Action Congress 
Governors Tinubu and Fashola appear to have responded with reforms 
to Lagos' property registration systems, improved public 
transportation, and increased green space and parks.  Nevertheless 
they face an uphill battle to transform Lagos into a model mega 
city. End Comment. 
 
12. (U) This cable was cleared with Embassy Abuja. 
 
Blair