BY, BABAJIDE SANWO-OLU
In the grand theatre of time, six years may seem like a mere flutter of the clock’s hands. But in the story of Lagos, these six years have been a symphony of transformation, innovation, and relentless commitment to people-centred governance.
These have been years where the impossible became visible, where dreams took shape in steel and stone, and where policy was not just a document but a living, breathing force shaping the lives of over 20 million citizens. It has been six years of indelible impact, and the journey to the future has only just begun.
When I assumed the sacred responsibility of leading Lagos, I did so with an unwavering belief in the limitless potential of our people. I envisioned a city not just thriving in its past glory, but leaping boldly into the future – digitally connected, economically inclusive, environmentally resilient, and globally competitive. That vision crystallised into a strategic blueprint: the T.H.E.M.E.S Plus agenda, our compass through turbulent waters and calm tides alike.
In these years, transportation in Lagos has experienced a metamorphosis. Where traffic congestion once choked productivity, we have laid down new arteries for movement and mobility. The Lagos Blue Line Rail, now a proud fixture of our skyline, glides silently across the horizon, carrying not just passengers but our collective aspirations for a modern megacity.
And on its heels, the Red Line Rail is completed, moving over half a million commuters daily, easing pressure on roads and transforming lives in ways that asphalt alone never could. We have rehabilitated and constructed over 970 roads, built interchanges, flyovers, and launched water terminals that have opened our waterways as viable transport channels. Each bridge constructed is a metaphor – a bridge to more opportunities, from delay to delivery.
Healthcare in Lagos today stands as a rebuke to those who once believed dignity could not be built into public service. From the General Hospitals that have been reborn with new infrastructure to the Mother and Child Centres we have built in underserved communities, our focus has been clear: healthcare must be accessible and reliable.
Through the Ilera Eko Health Insurance Scheme, we have unshackled thousands from the fear that illness equals financial ruin. It is no longer a privilege to be healthy in Lagos – it is a right we are working every day to secure.
Education, the eternal light of human progress, has not been left in the shadows. Over 1,400 public schools have received infrastructural upgrades. But beyond bricks and mortar, we have reimagined what it means to learn in a 21st-century city. With the Eko Excel programme, thousands of public primary school teachers are now armed with digital tablets, delivering data driven instructions to pupils eager to learn. And through the Eko Digital Initiative, we are training our students in coding, robotics, and AI – because the child in Ajegunle should have as much access to the future as the child in Lekki or Ikoyi.
The environment is getting its deserved attention. We are planting not just trees, but legacies of sustainability. Through enhanced waste management systems, drain de-silting efforts, and the revitalization of green spaces, Lagos is turning the page to a cleaner, greener chapter. Our coastline is being protected, our air is growing cleaner, and climate resilience is no longer a buzzword but a policy direction.
Technology is no longer a luxury; it is the spine of our ambition. In these six years, we have laid over 2,700 kilometres of fibre optic cables, part of the larger 6,000 km Metro Fibre project that powers our broadband future. From the Lagos Digital Service Portal to intelligent transport systems, we have woven technology into the fabric of governance.
Our Art of Technology (AOT) conference birthed the Lagos Innovation Master Plan, which now supports startups, promotes civic tech, and has made Lagos the epicentre of Africa’s digital surge. Global tech giants Microsoft, Google, Meta, and others now see Lagos not as a footnote, but as a frontier.
And as food security grows more pressing globally, we have moved to feed the future with action, not rhetoric. The Lagos Rice Mill, Imota – Africa’s largest – now hums with activity, turning paddy into prosperity. The Lagos Food Logistics Hub in Epe is reimagining how agricultural produce is preserved, processed, and delivered. With over 20,000 farmers empowered, we are not just growing food, we are growing dignity.
Commerce, industry, and investment have found a new rhythm in Lagos. The Lekki Deep Sea Port, the largest in West Africa, now stands as a gateway to the world, unlocking trade corridors and employment.
With over $1.5 billion in foreign direct investment in just three years, we are no longer asking investors to come; we are showing them why they must. Lagos is fast becoming a global economic powerhouse that is rising not on oil alone, but on the wings of fintech, logistics, clean energy, and innovation.
Job creation and wealth redistribution are not abstractions in our governance; they are deliberate outcomes. Through the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), over 250,000 women and young people have been trained, financed, and mentored into viable livelihoods.
Our Youth Development Centres are now incubators of talent and civic participation. Whether it is in fashion, tech, agriculture, or filmmaking, the Lagos spirit is thriving because we invest in those who carry it.
Our journey into housing and urban renewal tells its tale of rebirth. Over 17,000 housing units have been delivered in cities within the city; Ikorodu, Lekki, Badagry, Surulere – all rising to meet the demand for dignity in dwelling. We are digitising land titling, deploying smart surveillance, and introducing green architecture because the Lagos of tomorrow must be smart, secure, and sustainable.
And what is a city without a soul?
The creative economy in Lagos is not just alive, it is ablaze. Through the Lagos Creative Industry Initiative (LACI), we are converting passion into profit. From the Lagos Film City to performance hubs across the metropolis, the artist, the storyteller, the gamer, and the innovator now have a home and a future in Lagos.
Six years have demanded not just vision, but vigilance; not just policies, but people-first implementation. We have governed with open ears, open hearts, and open minds. Through town halls, digital platforms, and community forums, we have not spoken to our people – we have spoken with them.
Having assembled a team who knows not just the weight of responsibility but the honour of service, with diligent, forward-thinking civil servants who have all been the sinews of our progress, we have built an engine of governance that runs on excellence, accountability, and an unyielding commitment to the greater good. Their dedication is the quiet force behind every street illuminated, every policy executed, and every life touched across Lagos State.
Their brilliance, resilience, and sacrifice are stitched into every success we celebrate. The private entities, too, have stood as dependable partners, bringing innovation, investment, and agility to complement our vision. Together, we have nurtured a governance ecosystem where collaboration fuels transformation, and every milestone is a shared victory.
The journey to the future is not a destination—it is a commitment. As the sun rises over Epe, glistens across the Lagos Lagoon, lights up Agege’s rooftops, and kisses the bustling skyline of Victoria Island, it carries with it the promise of a tomorrow we are building today.
My dearest citizens of Lagos, you are the true architects of this city’s greatness. Your hustle, your hope, and your belief are the reasons we rise every day with renewed purpose. Lagos is not waiting for the future; we are building it, one initiative at a time. I invite you to be part of this shared dream.
As citizens who protect and preserve our environment, as entrepreneurs who build wealth ethically, and as youths who innovate with purpose. As parents who inspire the next generation, as leaders in communities, workplaces, and families, Lagos belongs to all of us.
Every block we lay is a foundation for the future. Every policy we implement is a promise to our children. This city of over 20 million stories is rising, not as a place of survival, but as a beacon of innovation, inclusion, and inspiration.
And to the world, we say: Come and see what Africa’s pride truly looks like.
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