Sanwo-Olu: I’ve Started Counting My Days in Office

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared he has just 343 days left in his constitutionally mandated eight-year tenure, vowing to serve with unwavering passion and commitment until the end. Speaking at the Geo-Economic Optimization Summit 2026, organized by the Citadel School of Government, Sanwo-Olu reflected on his time in office, noting it has been 2,579 days since he began serving the people of Lagos.

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Today, in fact, marks my 2,579th day in the service of the good people of Lagos. By the grace of God, I have 343 days left in office, and I intend to spend every one of them with the same passion, determination and spirit of service with which I began.

Sanwo-Olu emphasized Lagos's unique position within Nigeria and Africa, describing it as a sub-national economy that shoulders the responsibilities of a sovereign nation. He stated that Lagos contributes approximately one-third of Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and has established itself as the second-largest metropolitan economy in Africa, trailing only Cairo, Egypt. The governor highlighted that Lagos's economic vitality is driven by a diversified base, with key sectors including finance, technology, logistics, trade, creative industries, and the blue economy.

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Lagos is a sub-national economy that carries the weight of a nation. We contribute roughly a third of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product and we are Africa’s second-largest metropolitan economy behind only Cairo.

Furthermore, the governor underscored Lagos's strategic importance as Nigeria's gateway to global commerce due to its Atlantic coast location. He asserted that Lagos is central to Africa's emerging economic narrative, advocating for the deliberate use of economic instruments like trade, investment, infrastructure, finance, technology, and talent to ensure prosperity and influence. Sanwo-Olu also stressed that Lagos's development is intrinsically linked to the fortunes of the entire South-West region, reaffirming the state's commitment to fostering regional economic integration through collaborations like the Odu'a Group and the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission.

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Geoeconomics is the deliberate use of economic instruments such as trade, investment, infrastructure, finance, technology and talent to secure prosperity and influence. In that regard, Lagos stands at the centre of Africa’s emerging economic story.