Urban Metabolism Frameworks and Sustainable Resource Management in Lagos: An Interdisciplinary Analysis

Urban metabolism, which conceptualizes cities as systems of material and energy flows analogous to biological organisms, offers a powerful interdisciplinary framework for analysing urban sustainability challenges. This doctoral study develops and applies an urban metabolism framework to Lagos, generating original empirical data on material and energy flows and deriving planning implications for sustainable resource management. Drawing on industrial ecology, urban systems theory, and political ecology, the research constructs a Lagos-specific urban metabolism model integrating food, water, energy, construction materials, and waste flows across the Lagos Metropolitan Area. Primary data collection involves a seven-year collaboration with Lagos State ministries, utilities, and research institutions to compile flow data across 12 sectors. Material flow analysis, substance flow analysis, and energy flow accounting methods are applied to produce the first comprehensive urban metabolism account for a Nigerian megacity. Findings are expected to demonstrate significant resource inefficiencies in linear food and construction material flows, high non-renewable energy dependency, and substantial waste leakage with recoverable value. The study critically examines the planning governance implications of a metabolic perspective, challenging sectoral planning silos in favour of systems-integrated resource management planning. Theoretical contributions include a Lagos Urban Metabolism Model and a Circular Urban Planning Framework derived from metabolic analysis. The research generates a policy roadmap for circular economy integration into Lagos State planning and environmental management frameworks, contributing to both urban metabolism theory and African urban sustainability practice. Keywords: Urban metabolism, Sustainable resource management, Lagos, Circular economy, Systems planning.