The governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, says the city is playing a leading role in shaping the future of urban development in Africa, as the continent experiences rapid population growth and economic change.
Speaking at the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum hosted by the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics in Boston, the governor described Lagos as a key driver of transformation across African cities.
The event, themed “Africa’s Urban Future: Cities at the Crossroads of Growth and Resilience,” was co-sponsored by the Harvard University Center for African Studies and the Bloomberg Center for Cities.
Mr Sanwo-Olu said Africa was entering a period of rapid urban expansion, with cities growing faster than in any other region of the world.
“Africa is entering a historic urban expansion, with its cities growing faster than any region globally,” he said, adding that the continent’s urbanisation rate stands at about 3.5% annually.
He said Lagos was at the centre of that transformation, arguing that the city’s development trajectory reflects the wider economic rise of the continent.
“Lagos’ trajectory is not just aligned with Africa’s rise; it is defining its urban future,” he told the audience.
The governor said his administration’s development strategy, known as the THEMES+ agenda, was focused on projects in transportation, tourism, technology, security and social inclusion.
Mr Sanwo-Olu noted that Lagos, which he described as Africa’s second-largest city by population after Cairo in Egypt, faces challenges linked to rapid population growth, including environmental pressure and waste management.
However, he said the state government had developed policies to address these issues while expanding infrastructure.
Highlighting recent developments, the governor pointed to new rail projects in the city, including the Blue and Red lines, as well as the growth of Lagos’ technology sector.
He said the city had become one of the continent’s leading technology hubs, hosting more than 2,000 start-ups and attracting significant investment.
Mr Sanwo-Olu also cited Lagos’s growing appeal to members of the Nigerian diaspora who return during the festive period in December, a phenomenon widely known as “Detty December”.
The forum brought together policymakers and city leaders, including the mayor of Monrovia, John-Charuk Siafa, to discuss how African cities are responding to challenges such as climate change, public health and infrastructure while pursuing new opportunities for growth.
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