“Bring your capital to Lagos” – Gov Sanwo-Olu begs investors in London

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos has urged member states of the Commonwealth to invest in Africa, particularly Lagos.

Sanwo-Olu spoke on Monday at the Commonwealth Trade and Investment Summit held at Mansion House in London.

He said Lagos offers not just a market but opportunities for partnership and long-term collaboration.

His words: “Africa is home to the world’s youngest population. By 2050, one in four people on this earth will be African.

“If the Commonwealth is to remain relevant — not merely as a sentimental compact, but as a genuine engine of global trade and investment — then Africa must be central to its strategy. And within Africa, Lagos must be part of that conversation.”

Sanwo-Olu said Lagos is positioning itself to attract global capital through infrastructure development.

He said: “That is why Lagos is investing in its port, its airport, its rail corridors, and its technology infrastructure.

“Because we understand that to attract global capital, you must first build the foundations that make capital feel at home.

“In such a moment, the Commonwealth offers something rare and valuable: a network built not on fear, but on trust.

“Lagos is Nigeria’s economic capital. It generates roughly a third of Nigeria’s GDP, and, were it a standalone economy, it would rank among the top five in sub-Saharan Africa.

“Our Blue Line and Red Line rail projects are now operational — the first metro rail system in West Africa. We are about to commission one of the continent’s largest children’s hospitals.”

Sanwo-Olu said the state is strengthening governance systems and public-private partnerships, adding that Lagos will host the “Invest in Lagos 3.0” summit in June.

His words: “We are digitising our revenue and land administration systems. We are doing this not simply by waiting for government budgets but by actively courting, structuring, and sustaining public-private partnerships.

“Invest in Lagos is not a conference. It is a transaction platform and the premier occasion through which Lagos State formally engages the global investment community.”