By Aina Shehu
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has described the World Bank Group Business Opportunities Seminar as a practical platform connecting African companies to global development procurement, financing, and partnership opportunities.
The Governor made this known at this year’s seminar themed “Procurement for Development,” held in Lagos. Represented by the Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment (CCTI), Mrs. Folashade Bada Ambrose, Sanwo-Olu noted that Lagos State strongly aligns with the seminar’s objectives.
“As Africa’s largest subnational economy and Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, Lagos is both a major market and a major investment destination. Our administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S+ Agenda places the private sector at the heart of delivering infrastructure, services, and innovation,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu added that through its partnership with the World Bank, Lagos has executed impactful programmes in urban resilience, transportation, social protection, MSME support, and digital governance. He cited key initiatives under the Lagos Urban Transport Project, resilience programmes, social safety nets, and enterprise development schemes as efforts that have improved livelihoods and strengthened institutions across the state.
The Governor urged Nigerian and African businesses to leverage the seminar to better understand World Bank procurement standards, build strategic partnerships, and position themselves for large-scale development projects. He encouraged companies to evolve into prime contractors and solution providers within global development financing.
He reaffirmed Lagos State’s readiness to collaborate with the World Bank Group and the private sector to develop bankable, sustainable, and scalable projects capable of driving economic growth, creating jobs, and promoting shared prosperity.