Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday, said that his administration is committed to a private sector-driven economy where the government is preoccupied with designing and implementing policies and providing critical infrastructure and amenities that will support the growth and development of private enterprise in the various sectors of the economy.
Sanwo-Olu gave this assurance while speaking at the launch of “The World Ahead 2023” a publication of The Economist Magazine held at the Ecobank Pan African Centre, Victoria Island, Land.
Sanwo- Olu, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, disclosed that one of the key policy objectives which his administration had pursued vigorously in the past four years was to achieve a significant improvement in the investment profile of the state through the provision of an enabling environment for investments to thrive.
“As a pragmatic and proactive administration, our policy initiatives and programs are designed to provide solutions to present and future challenges.
“One of the key policy objectives of our administration and which we have pursued vigorously in the past four years is to achieve a significant improvement in the investment profile of the state through the provision of an enabling environment for investments to thrive,” he said.
He emphasized that his administration would continue to sustain a friendly and collaborative relationship with the business community with a view to developing solutions to issues of mutual concern.
The governor, while noting that Nigeria’s economy and several economies across the world had been impacted by the attendant results of global issues as well as other incendiary circumstances in the security space, said the state government was constantly seeking out innovative strategies to ensure that the state’s economy maintained its steady rise, adding: “Lagos continues to play a leading role as Africa’s fastest growing economy and a choice destination for investment.”
Sanwo- Olu said his administration believed that technology was a key enabler, and was, therefore, working assiduously that the state becomes a hub for innovation and talent by creating an environment for young people to develop their skills and drive the technology of companies of the future.
He said his administration, to this end, saw the official opening of Microsoft’s first Africa Development Centre in Ikoyi, being the first of such in Africa, that would support the development of technology and engineering solutions driven by world-class African talents.
The governor disclosed that as a result of the improved and enabling environment which the government had created through its business-friendly policies, Lagos State had continued to attract over 60per cent of all Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) into the country.
“These investments cut across different sectors with the Lekki Free Trade Zone which recently witnessed the commissioning of a multi-purpose, ultra-modern deep sea port facility becoming Africa’s major industrial hub,” he said.
Commenting on the publication, Sanwo-Olu described it as the “most valuable document for policymakers, and top private sector players whose perspectives and understanding of events and their implications will greatly help in corporate and strategic planning.”
He added that the insights which the publication would provide and enhance the capacity of policymakers and business owners to develop more realistic plans and strategies to achieve set goals in 2023 and beyond.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Regional Executive and Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria Limited, Bolaji Lawal, stated that the publication presented a unique opportunity and facilitate knowledge-sharing platform for many Nigerians and business operators across Africa.
He said that the publication would assist in providing new ways to explore or drive the growth of the economy of Africa and how to unlock the capabilities of the African digital and technological sector for the overall good of Africans.
“We are all to get it right. We need to drive economic growth. We need to drive economic transformation and ultimately create more jobs for the overall African population,” he said.
Also speaking, the Managing Deputy, CT Productions, Camellia Oros Tsarouchis, disclosed that the publication, “The World Ahead 2023” is a flagship publication of the most influential media day part and was actually shaping the world willingly with its future-oriented topics simply relied on by many.
She added that the publication was based on issues that were most paramount to African economic growth.
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
