The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has expressed confidence that Nigeria’s global perception is shifting positively, as he attributed the gains to the country’s recent economic reforms and initiatives by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
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He stated this during the 2025 Lagos Annual Thanksgiving Service, themed “Harvest of Thanksgiving,” held at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Sanwo-Olu highlighted the changes underway in Nigeria, especially under the leadership of President Tinubu.
Today, we celebrated the 25th edition of the Lagos New Year Thanksgiving Service, at Tafewa Balewa Square, a yearly event that began with His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, when he was governor of Lagos State.
We used the opportunity to reflect on the significant… pic.twitter.com/JIgwjdjCeI
— Babajide Sanwo-Olu (@jidesanwoolu) January 5, 2025
The Governor, who acknowledged the challenges faced by the nation and state in 2024, spoke on the necessity of tough economic decisions.
“In 2024, we faced tough and difficult, but necessary, decisions. Under the leadership of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we tackled long-overdue economic reforms to lay the foundation for the country of our dreams.
“While recognizing that the reforms had led to short-term hardships for many Nigerians, the governor remained optimistic, stating that the pain would soon give way to long-term benefits.
“We are already seeing the emerging shoots of the positive outcomes of these reforms. The harvest that awaits us as Nigerians, following our many sacrifices and perseverance, will be a very gratifying one”, he said.
Sanwo-Olu pointed to the country’s growing public revenues and macroeconomic stability as signs of progress.
He also highlighted the positive impact of these changes on job creation, investments, and social welfare, noting that the new national minimum wage is now being paid, with Lagos going beyond the minimum.
The Governor also touched on the nation’s economic performance in 2024, citing the Nigerian stock market’s impressive performance, with the All-Share Index closing the year above the 100,000-mark.
He also celebrated Lagos’ infrastructure milestones, including the commissioning of the first phase of the Red Line and progress on the Blue Line project, along with the advancement of large-scale initiatives such as the food and logistics park and a new children’s hospital, both among the largest in Africa.
Furthermore, Sanwo-Olu noted the significant influx of Nigerians from the diaspora, particularly in Lagos, which he described as a glimpse into the immense cultural and economic potential of the country.
According to him, “We have seen an exciting glimpse of the huge economic and cultural potential that lies in the enthusiastic homecoming of our people from around the world,” he said, urging stakeholders to tap into the potential in the years to come.
The Governor also commended private sector achievements, including the start of petrol production at the Dangote Refinery and the groundbreaking of the 12,000-seat Lagos Arena, which promises to redefine Nigeria’s arts and entertainment sector.
He further expressed confidence that Nigeria’s future, powered by these reforms, would be bright, with the country’s global image continuing to improve in the coming years.
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