The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has described Lagos as a prime destination for investment, citing its economic strength, expanding infrastructure, and youthful, tech-savvy population as key drivers of its future growth.

Speaking on Wednesday at Harvard Business School during Professor Hakeem Belo-Osagie’s class, titled “Understanding Africa: Business, Entrepreneurship, Political Economy and the Complexities of a Continent”, Sanwo-Olu delivered a compelling presentation titled “Building the Future: Lagos State Infrastructure-led Transformation.”

With a GDP of $259 billion, four seaports, and government policies geared toward business friendliness, Lagos, according to the governor, is poised for sustained growth.

“Lagos is a place where people come in without anything and become somebody. We are a business and commercial powerhouse,” Sanwo-Olu told the audience of international students and academics.

He described the visit as an opportunity to showcase “Lagos’ bold vision and the tangible strides we are making in transportation, housing, innovation, and industrial growth.”

Highlighting the government’s achievements, Sanwo-Olu spoke on the Blue Line, Africa’s first intra-city electric rail system, which he said has already moved over two million passengers, averaging 42,000 daily. He added that the Red Line was also operational and that work was set to begin on the Green Line to connect the Lekki-Epe corridor with Lagos Island.

“We are building a new airport on the Lekki-Epe Expressway, and work is set to begin on the Green Line, which will connect that part of the State to Lagos Island,” the governor said.

On education, Sanwo-Olu said the state had established two new universities, with a third—focused on medical sciences—on the way.

“Two new universities have been set up, and a third, a University of Medical Science, is on the way to bridge the personnel gap in that sector,” he noted.

The governor also described Lagos as “one of the foremost tech-driven states in Nigeria,” adding: “The idea is to have a big pool of tech personnel so that if Microsoft or Amazon is looking for 10,000 to hire, Lagos will be the place to go. This is part of our 30-year Development Plan to make Lagos a human-centric economy.”

With over 60 per cent of the city’s 25 million residents being youth, Sanwo-Olu expressed confidence that Lagos is poised to become a global tech talent hub. He also touched on the booming creative sector, mentioning Lagos’ growing presence on the global cultural stage.

“There have been fashion shows, drama performances, and movies. In fact, a movie made in Lagos has just been nominated to be presented at the Cannes Film Festival. We are trying to calendarise tourism and entertainment”, he said.

Addressing infrastructure, the governor noted that over 1,000 roads had been constructed or rehabilitated and more than 3,000 housing units delivered. He revealed that more Compressed Natural Gas buses would be introduced to support the government’s push toward cleaner, more efficient urban transportation.

In the health sector, Sanwo-Olu outlined major projects currently underway, including a new General Hospital, a mental health and rehabilitation centre, and the upcoming Massey Street Children’s Hospital, which he described as “the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa.”

Speaking further, Sanwo-Olu assured of the state’s readiness to welcome investors.

“We can give you a licence. The system has been unbundled. We can concession an area for you,” he explained, referring to the constitutional reforms that now allow Nigerian states to generate, transmit, and distribute electricity. Some markets are saturated. They have built all the infrastructure they need; we are still building. Lagos is the place to invest”, he concluded.


https://punchng.com/sanwo-olu-woos-investors-at-harvard-highlights-lagos-economic-potential/