Sustainable Urban Renewal in a world of Smart City Agenda in Natural Commercially Evolving Area: The Case of Lagos Island Residential Districts, Lagos State, Nigeria. Jegede Foluke 1 , foluke.jegede@covenantuniversity.edu.ng Adewale Bukola 2 , bukola.adewale@covenantuniversity.edu.ng Olaniyan Oluwaseun 3 , olaniyanseun92@yahoo.com 1,2,3, Covenant University , Ota. A study was done on the existing buildings found in the residential district areas of Lagos Island with the aim to identifying the housing and planning characteristics found in these residential areas. The history of the buildings and factors that have influenced the change in housing types was studied; how these can influence and affect any agenda of smart city implementation or reform was explored. Survey methodology was used in carrying out the research with the use of questionnaire administered to residents, observation and photographic materials as research instrument. Statistical methods were used to analyze the data collected. The result showed that a large percentage of the building investigated in the residential district has not been renovated in the last ten (10) years and are mixed used building. In spite of the need for repairs, these buildings are still being inhabited. It was observed that the present state of housing in Lagos Island has been greatly influenced by increasing commercial activities in the area. Also, the result showed that the purpose and types of housing found in this area had evolved over time, a once resting place for a man and his family is now a place of several functions. Sustainable urban renewal and planning were suggested. Key words: Building types, Housing Characteristics, Smart city, Lagos Island, 1. INTRODUCTION Urban development and growth in the face of developing the economy has been an issue of concern to government and policy makers in different countries, especially in developing countries such as Nigeria. This is due to the continuous influx of people into urban centers, which is usually a consequence of the push of the rural areas and the pull of the town. This creates a rapid population growth, depending on housing developments and facilities available in these urban areas. More people now live in cities, making the global urban population to be put at 54% in 2014 and projected to rise to 70% by 2050 (UN-Habitat III, 2015). This is coupled with the emergence of new cities as the number of urban population is expected to increase. The increasing population in the urban areas will need shelter, which would increase the housing deficits. However, housing is not only about a place of abode, but housing requires the totality of both the house and the environment as explained by Ajanlekoko (2001). He opined that housing is not only the individual dwelling units or group of dwelling units, but also the entire neighbourhood system. Its components include both the physical infrastructures, services and the people. These are transportation networks for both pedestrian and vehicular movement, power supply, water supply, waste disposal, drainage, commercial outlets and health facilities. In line with these, the issue of planning and re-planning of cities, requires not only solving the fundamental needs of brought to you by CORE View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk provided by Covenant University Repository