By JKNewsMedia
LAGOS GOVERNOR Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Wednesday pitched Nigeria’s commercial capital as an investor’s dream, unveiling bold infrastructure strides and economic ambitions before an international audience at Harvard Business School.
Addressing students during Professor Hakeem Belo-Osagie’s course, Understanding Africa: Business, Entrepreneurship, Political Economy and the Complexities of a Continent, Sanwo-Olu declared Lagos open for business, citing its $259 billion GDP, 25 million-strong population, four active seaports, and investor-friendly policies.
“Lagos is a place where people come in without anything and become somebody. We are a business and commercial powerhouse,” Sanwo-Olu said to applause.
The Governor spoke on the theme Building the Future: Lagos State Infrastructure-led Transformation, highlighting flagship projects reshaping the “State of Aquatic Splendour.”
Among them, he listed the newly operational Blue Line, Africa’s first intra-city rail system, which has moved over two million passengers to date, and the Red Line, which has commenced services.
He also announced that construction would soon begin on the Green Line to link Lekki-Epe Expressway to Lagos Island, alongside a new airport project in the Lekki corridor.
Sanwo-Olu told the audience that over 1,000 roads had been built or rehabilitated across the state and more than 3,000 housing units delivered to ease urban pressures.
He added that Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses were being deployed to promote cleaner, more efficient public transportation.
In health, the Governor said Lagos was building a new General Hospital, a mental health hospital and rehabilitation centre, and a new Massey Street Children’s Hospital – billed to become the largest paediatric facility in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Sanwo-Olu also emphasised Lagos’ drive towards a human-centric, innovation-led economy under a sweeping 30-year development plan.
“We are positioning Lagos so that if Microsoft or Amazon is looking to hire 10,000 tech talents, Lagos will be the first place they look,” he said.
According to him, around 60 percent of Lagos’ 25 million residents are tech-savvy youths, providing a huge pipeline for digital growth and global outsourcing.
He also celebrated Lagos’ cultural vibrancy, noting that films made in the city were reaching global stages, including a recent nomination at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.
“We are calendarising our tourism and entertainment to make it more structured and global,” he said.
Answering students’ questions on Lagos’ energy future, Sanwo-Olu pointed to the recent unbundling of Nigeria’s electricity sector, which grants states power to license, generate, transmit, and distribute electricity independently.
“We can give you a license. We can concession an area for you,” he told the international audience, smiling broadly.
Sanwo-Olu urged potential investors to act fast, arguing that Lagos offered opportunities rarely available in mature markets.
“Some markets are saturated. They have built all the infrastructure they need. We are still building. Lagos is the place to invest,” he said.
The Governor’s pitch, complemented by a five-minute video showcasing Lagos’ skyline and economic vibrancy, drew excited applause from the students.
The event was organised as part of Lagos’ global investment drive and was detailed in a statement issued by Lagos State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso.
