Lagos govt, EnterpriseNGR seek investors’ support to establish International Financial Centre

The Lagos State Government, in partnership with EnterpriseNGR under the platform of the Lagos International Financial Centre (LIFC), has called on both foreign and local investors to collaborate on the establishment of an International Financial Centre in Lagos to drive economic and financial growth.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Co-Chairman of the LIFC Council, Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, made this appeal during the EnterpriseNGR first Quarterly Members’ Night of 2025 held at Victoria Island. They emphasised that the establishment of the LIFC would attract private international capital flows to finance growth and development in Lagos and Nigeria.

Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by Lagos State Commissioner for Finance, Mr Abayomi Oluyomi, stated that the creation of the Lagos International Financial Centre would address the infrastructural gap in the state.

The governor, therefore, urged the private sector to partner with the state government and the LIFC Council to foster economic and financial growth in Lagos, noting that “the partnership between the public and private sectors remains the solution we have been looking for.”

“We believe the establishment of the Lagos International Financial Centre will aid in addressing the infrastructural gap. It is a hub that promotes the development of both economic and financial systems in Nigeria. If we are able to establish the Lagos International Financial Centre, it will, in a geometric way, leapfrog the development of Lagos State, allowing Lagos to compete with global cities.

“So, whatever is needed to ensure the Lagos International Financial Centre is established and developed, we will do it.

“The Lagos International Financial Centre will tremendously transform the economy of Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole. It will become a magnet that attracts and channels the capital we have been seeking. It will facilitate the flow of investments, including Foreign Direct Investment, and make Lagos the destination of choice,” Governor Sanwo-Olu stated.

The Co-Chairman of the LIFC Council and Chairman of EnterpriseNGR, Mr Aig-Imoukhuede, described the LIFC as a national strategic imperative and a transformative platform designed to attract international capital, deepen markets, and enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness.

Aig-Imoukhuede further described the LIFC as a collective response to the reality that global capital gravitates towards jurisdictions that are familiar, predictable, profitable, and open. He assured that Lagos was poised to become West Africa’s first and Africa’s largest international financial centre.

“With the support of the Lagos State Government and our partners at The CityUK, we are building a centre that aligns with international best practices while leveraging Nigeria’s natural advantages.

“If executed with precision and foresight, the LIFC will be a game-changer for Lagos, Nigeria, and Africa. It will deepen our domestic capital markets; increase access to long-term finance; attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI); drive economic diversification, and support innovation across industries,” he said.

The event, attended by top government officials, including the State Commissioner for Finance, Mr Abayomi Oluyomi; his counterpart for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem; and the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Mosopefolu George, also attracted captains of industry, foreign partners, and media stakeholders. The gathering focused on advancing the vision of LIFC in transforming Nigeria into a globally competitive financial hub.

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