Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said politicians in Abuja are reluctant to support the state’s demand for special status, despite its historical importance and significant contribution to Nigeria’s economy.
Speaking at the Financial Times Africa Summit in London over the weekend, Sanwo-Olu acknowledged that the Federal Government was supporting Lagos through infrastructure development and reforms but said more could be done to meet the state’s unique needs.
When asked whether President Bola Tinubu, a former Lagos governor, was doing enough for the state, Sanwo-Olu said discussions with the Federal Government were continuing.
He maintained that Lagos deserved special consideration because it once served as Nigeria’s capital and remains the country’s commercial centre.
“It’s an ongoing conversation. I cannot pretend that the current federal government is not helping out,” he said.
“So, the federal government is helping us. Lagos used to be the capital of the country and the administrative head until when Abuja came up. So, they are helping but it could be a bit more.”
The governor said Lagos had repeatedly sought special status but continued to encounter resistance from politicians in Abuja.
He argued that the state was different from other parts of the country because it accommodated people from diverse ethnic backgrounds.
“We have talked about Lagos being given a special status but constitutionally, the politicians in Abuja will never let that happen. So, we are having conversations,” he said.
“We are one of 36 states but they just need to look at us very differently because indeed, every single ethnic national have a place in Lagos.”
Sanwo-Olu acknowledged that granting Lagos special status would require political negotiations but expressed confidence that the Federal Government was considering the state’s concerns.
The governor also advocated a more favourable allocation of value-added tax (VAT) revenue to Lagos, noting that the state generated a substantial proportion of the revenue collected nationally.
“You know it is a political environment but they are listening to us. It takes a while for some of those changes to happen,” he said.
“Also, a lot of the VAT that is distributed nationally gets collected from Lagos. We are having some discussions about ensuring that Lagos still continues to earn more on value added taxation.”
On infrastructure, Sanwo-Olu pointed to the Lagos section of the coastal road and the proposed Sokoto-Badagry superhighway as examples of the Federal Government’s support for the state.
He said the 70-kilometre Lagos section of the coastal road was largely completed, adding that the project would strengthen connectivity between Lagos and other parts of Nigeria.
“The coastal road which is one place where we thought it was impossible which is now 700km, the 70km coming out of Lagos is largely completed,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu also highlighted the expected benefits of the proposed Sokoto-Badagry superhighway, explaining that its planned network of 250 dams would support irrigation and agricultural production, thereby increasing food supplies to Lagos.
He identified electricity sector reforms under Tinubu’s administration as another significant development, saying the changes had enabled state governments to play a more active role in power generation and distribution.
The governor said Lagos had established its electricity regulatory commission and signed approximately 22 public-private partnership agreements aimed at adding 2,000 megawatts to its power generation capacity within three years.
Sanwo-Olu further disclosed that discussions on state policing were ongoing, expressing hope that a constitutional amendment would enable states to play a greater role in maintaining security.
He said the proposed reform would strengthen public safety and create a more favourable environment for economic activities.