Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has called on Commonwealth nations to channel investment into Africa, particularly Lagos, as he positioned the state as a prime destination for global capital.
The statement was signed by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gbenga Akosile, on Monday speaking as keynote speaker at the Commonwealth Trade and Investment Summit held at Mansion House, London, on Monday, Sanwo-Olu told delegates from across the 56-member bloc that Lagos offers not just opportunity, but long-term partnership.
“The Commonwealth’s greatest advantage is not simply its shared language, shared laws or shared history but its people,” he said, adding that “nowhere is that advantage more vivid, dynamic or consequential than in Africa.”
Framing Africa as central to the bloc’s future, the governor stressed that the continent must move from the margins to the centre of global investment conversations.
“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,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu highlighted demographic and economic realities shaping that argument, noting that “Africa is home to the world’s youngest population. By 2050, one in four people on this earth will be African.”
He also pointed to the Commonwealth’s scale, saying its “56 member states with a combined population of 2.7 billion” provide a strong platform for trade built on shared values.
“We live in an age of fracturing, of retreating globalisation, of tariff walls rising like storm barricades,” he said. “In such a moment, the Commonwealth offers something rare and valuable: a network built not on fear, but on trust.”
According to him, Lagos is already laying the groundwork to attract investors through infrastructure and policy reforms.
“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,” he said.
The governor also cited the state’s economic strength, describing Lagos as Nigeria’s commercial hub.
“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,” he said.
He added that his administration’s THEMES+ agenda is driving development across key sectors, including transportation, health, education, and security, alongside social inclusion and youth empowerment.
“Our T.H.E.M.E.S.+ Agenda is not a campaign document. It is a governance architecture. And I say to every investor in this room: that architecture is open for business,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The governor further announced that Lagos would host the “Invest in Lagos 3.0” summit on June 8 and 9 at Eko Hotels and Suites, in partnership with the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council.
“Invest in Lagos is not a conference. It is a transaction platform,” he said, describing it as a key avenue for engaging global investors and showcasing bankable opportunities across sectors.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, outlined Lagos’ strategy for mobilising capital and deepening engagement with international partners.
