Sanwo-olu woos investors, seeks deeper ties with Atlanta, Georgia

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos says the state is open for business and investment, as he seeks a stronger partnership with the state of Georgia in infrastructure, healthcare, education, technology, and the creative industries. Mr Sanwo-Olu said the state is ready to forge partnerships that would outlive the current administration and shape generations to come. The governor told participants at the U.S.-Nigeria Policy and Trade Forum, held alongside FNITCC-AFRICON 2025 at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta on Friday, that Lagos wants to work with Georgia to establish sister-city frameworks that will connect Atlanta and Lagos more deliberately. “When the two cities rise together, Nigeria and the United States will prosper together,” he said.
The event was attended by lawmakers of the State of Georgia, members of the Georgia African Legislative Caucus, business leaders, members of the Nigerian diaspora, and friends of Lagos and Nigeria. Mr Sanwo-Olu said the forum was not just about Nigeria and the U.S. but about Lagos and Georgia finding new synergies in trade, policy collaboration, and diaspora relations. He said that “Atlanta is a logistics and technology hub for the American South, and Lagos serves as the gateway to West Africa. Both cities thrive at the intersection of trade, innovation, and culture.” According to him, Georgia’s strengths in logistics, agribusiness, film, and technology align directly with Lagos’ strategic priorities. The governor described Nigerians in Georgia as “our greatest export, entrepreneurs, academics, and professionals who serve as bridges of trust and innovation.”
He pointed out that Atlanta hosts one of the largest Nigerian diaspora communities in the U.S., while Lagos is home to Africa’s most ambitious megacity project, a city of over 24 million people, generating more than 30 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP and over 50 per cent of its non-oil trade value. Mr Sanwo-Olu said the state government, through partnerships with Afreximbank, MOFI, and global investors, is unlocking billions in capital for transformative projects. He described Lagos as an economic powerhouse with a large population and a large market scale, boasting transformational infrastructure, innovation, and a vibrant youth population.
“In 2024 alone, Lagos attracted 5.95 billion dollars in foreign capital inflows, over two-thirds of Nigeria’s total. Even in Q1 2025, Lagos remained a dominant investment destination, drawing $2.56 billion despite global headwinds,” he said. He said by 2030 Lagos would have been projected to be the ninth-largest city economy in the world, with a population exceeding 30 million and offering one of the continent’s deepest consumer markets. Mr Sanwo-Olu emphasised that Lagos is the beating heart of Africa’s tech ecosystem, home to more than 2,500 start-ups, including unicorns such as Flutterwave and Andela. (NAN)