Lagos development plan will complement $1trn nation’s economic vision — Sanwo-Olu

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said that the Lagos State Development Plan 2052 is not just a local blueprint but a strategic national asset, one that aligns perfectly with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ambitious goal of transforming Nigeria into a $1 trillion economy by 2030.

Governor Sanwo-Olu made this assertion on Tuesday in Lagos, while delivering the keynote address at the First Distinguished Lecture of 2025, titled “Lagos, Nigeria 2030: Projections of a World Power,” organised by the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA). He assured that Lagos had all it takes to turn Nigeria into a global power in the years ahead.

The event, the first in the institute’s series to be delivered by a sitting Governor of Lagos State, brought together diplomats, scholars, civil society leaders and policymakers to explore Nigeria’s strategic direction and global relevance in the years ahead.

Speaking on the state’s long-term vision, Sanwo-Olu affirmed that the 30-year development plan was anchored on four cardinal pillars, namely a thriving economy, modern infrastructure, a human-centric city, and effective governance, saying that it “eloquently articulates our ambition to become Africa’s Model Mega City and a Global Economic and Financial Hub that is safe, secure, functional and productive.”

He emphasised that Lagos, as Nigeria’s commercial capital and subnational economic leader, was well-positioned to drive the realisation of Tinubu’s trillion-dollar economy vision, adding that synergy between national and subnational strategies was critical for sustainable development.

The governor also highlighted how Lagos’ developmental trajectory mirrors key national economic frameworks, including Vision 2010, Vision 20:2020 and the Nigeria Agenda 2050, saying that they all aimed to elevate Nigeria to the ranks of the world’s leading middle-income economies.

“Lagos’ development agenda aligns seamlessly with national goals, providing a model for transformative governance, innovation and competitiveness,” he said.

Speaking further, Governor Sanwo-Olu reaffirmed Tinubu’s major targets by 2030, including growing Nigeria’s economy to $1 trillion and ending gas flaring in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as well as generating one-third of electricity from renewable energy sources. He said such a multidimensional definition of global power goes far beyond military strength.

According to him, the tools of global influence have shifted, with investments in technology, innovation, infrastructure and human development now essential to secure Nigeria’s place among global powers.

The governor, while noting that the nation’s long-term growth is tied to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which also set a 2030 deadline, urged closer collaboration across federal, state and local levels in shaping Nigeria’s transformation story.

Director-General of the NIIA, Prof Eghosa Osaghae, in his welcome address, described the lecture as historic, noting that it was the first Distinguished Lecture of the year and the first ever delivered by a sitting Lagos Governor.

Osaghae, while noting that there are very few global powers, with Lagos ranking high among them in terms of population — which stands at over 22 million — affirmed that the city is “a melting pot of civilisation, enterprise and commercial dynamism.”

“There are five cities named Lagos in the world, but Nigeria’s Lagos is the flagship in terms of development and its potential to lead globally,” he said.

The DG highlighted Lagos’ leadership across several sectors, including civil society movements, judicial reforms and economic vibrancy, calling it a “model city and a hub for the entire universe of humanities.”

According to him, Lagos, with its forward-thinking policies, economic clout and expanding global influence, is not only shaping Nigeria’s domestic growth but also advancing the country’s quest for global power status by 2030. He added that this aligned with President Tinubu’s economic vision, even as he noted that the Lagos Development Plan 2052 presents a clear roadmap for achieving transformative national and international outcomes.

In a major announcement, Prof Osaghae revealed that Governor Sanwo-Olu had accepted to endow a Foreign Policy School at the NIIA.

“Let me gladly tell us that today, His Excellency, the Governor of Lagos, has accepted our invitation to endow the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs’ new foreign policy school. Very soon, you will be welcome to the H.E. Babajide Sanwo-Olu School of International Affairs,” he announced.

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