The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday charged the Commonwealth’s 56 member states to invest in Africa, particularly Lagos, by bringing their capital, technology and other expertise, promising that they will find not just market and opportunity but partner and relationship.
He said the Commonwealth’s greatest advantage is not simply its shared language, shared laws or shared history but its people, noting that nowhere is that advantage more vivid, dynamic or consequential than in Africa.
Speaking as a Keynote Speaker at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Trade and Investment Summit held at Mansion House, London, on Monday, Governor Sanwo-Olu said Lagos is ready for partnerships and relationships with global investors.
The theme of the opening session is “The Commonwealth’s Advantage”. The event was attended by the Chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, Lord Marland; Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Shirley Botchwey; Deputy Prime Minister of Malta, Dr Ian Borg; Lady Mayor of the City of London Corporation, Dame Susan Langley; Heads of Government; Ministers; High Commissioners; Captains of Industry; Global Investors; and Business Leaders, among others.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said, “Africa is home to the world’s youngest population. By 2050, one in four people on this earth will be African. The Commonwealth already counts 56 member states with a combined population of 2.7 billion.
“A significant and growing share of that number lives on our continent. If the Commonwealth is to remain relevant — not merely as a sentimental compact, but as a genuine engine of global trade and investment — then Africa must be central to its strategy. And within Africa, Lagos must be part of that conversation.
“We live in an age of fracturing — of retreating globalisation, of tariff walls rising like storm barricades, of geopolitical uncertainty that rattles supply chains and spooks investors. In such a moment, the Commonwealth offers something rare and valuable: a network built not on fear, but on trust.
“Fifty-six nations that share foundational commitments — to the rule of law, to democratic governance, and to open markets — constitute a remarkable platform for doing business with confidence. The Commonwealth’s advantage will only be fully unlocked when we treat emerging markets not as recipients of investment but as partners in shaping the terms of it.
