Lagos receives approval for Lekki Airport, commits to capacity building

The Lagos government (LASG) has stated that the State Development Plan 2022-2052 (LSDP 2022-2052) would prioritise infrastructure development, build a thriving economy and focus on achieving a human-centric economy.

The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said the plan would also ensure effective governance to achieve an all-inclusive economy for the citizens of Lagos State.

This comes as the Federal Government, yesterday, approved the construction of Lekki International Airport, at the Lekki-Epe axis of the state.

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, presented the approval on behalf of the Federal Government at the Lagos Economic Summit 2022.

Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Public Private Partnership, Ope George, had earlier disclosed that construction of the new airport in the Lekki-Epe area will commence in 2023. He said that the new airport would be constructed on 3,500 hectares of land in the Lekki-Epe area.

Sanwo-Olu, at the 2022 Ehingbeti summit, said the plan would also be focusing on 20 strategic areas driving the very deep ambition of the plan.

He noted that the plan was built around four strategic pillars, including a thriving economy, a human-centric city, modern infrastructure and effective governance.

He added that the long-term development plan is the beginning of a greater and better Lagos.

He noted that to fine-tune the development plan, the focus of this year’s Ehingbeti summit is a long-term socio-economic development plan for the citizens, saying that the implementation of the plan requires purposeful and dedicated leadership.

“As a government, we will provide the right leadership to move us from just an idea to move us to be able to transform Lagos from just a mega city to a model megacity. We will continue to build on our resilience. I am delighted as your fifteenth Governor of what the Lagos Development Plan has to offer this great State,” he said.

The Governor added that for decades the summit has been known as the economic powerhouse and a meeting point not just for Lagos State and Nigeria, but for entire West Africa.

He said the Ehingbeti summit is a forum for stakeholders in and out of Lagos, citizens in businesses, governments, regulators, civil society organisations, technocrats, partners, students, and international players to come for an exchange of ideas to address potential development roadblocks and to jointly chart forward a path accelerates sustainable economic development for the State.

According to him, since its launch over two decades ago, the summit has served as a veritable platform for convening the best and the brightest in class, stakeholders and engagement, and idea-focused development for Lagosians.

“Over the next two days, we will be listening carefully to policymakers and sharing thoughts with leading minds and listening to futurists, we will also listen to innovators and investors and I believe we will all be united by focusing on the development of this great city,” he stressed.

He pointed out that global cities play a critical role in defining their nation’s progress and prosperity.

He pointed out that cities across the globe are facing both threats and opportunities amplified by globalisation, technological keep up and climate change, reaffirming the State’s commitment to turn the challenges into economic opportunities for the State.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Sam Egube, said if Lagos was a country, it would be the sixth largest economy on the continent, adding that in terms of resilience, Lagos State is rated triple A by Fitch, while pointing out the rating is coming at a challenging time where a lot of economies are being downgraded.

He said the upgrade of Lagos is a demonstration of the commitment, governance, leadership and contribution and participation of the good people of Lagos State.

“For the benefit of national growth and nation building, Lagos should not just be treated as a state but accorded a better status as a national asset.

On her part, the Chairperson of the Lagos Economic Summit Group (LESG), Mary Iwelumo, said the Ehingbeti summit has birthed several landmark projects across the State, stressing that previous Summits have also provided the opportunity for stakeholders to evaluate the implementation status of the resolutions developed at the Summit.

She noted that the focus of the summit is to achieve consensus on the State’s path to sustainable socio-economic development.

“We intend to introduce and formally launch the Lagos State Development Plan (LSDP) 2052. This is a plan that would guide the State’s ambition to become Africa’s model city which is a global and financial hub that is safe, secure, functional and prosperous,” he added.