Sanwo-Olu: Lagos to partner World Bank on key sectors
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has reaffirmed his administration’s readiness to partner with the World Bank Group in key sectors, including energy, agriculture, tourism and human capital development.
The governor said the Lagos State Government remains committed to attracting investments and strategic partnerships that will improve the living standards of residents, stressing that the state is prepared to meet all requirements to access increased World Bank support for infrastructural development.
Sanwo-Olu made this known on Sunday during a courtesy visit by a World Bank Group delegation led by the Managing Director (Operations), Ms Anna Bjerde, and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Regional Vice President for Africa, Mr Ethiopis Tafara, at the Lagos House, Marina.
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*L-R: Managing Director of Operations, World Bank, Annie Bjerde, receiving the Lagos State government plaque from the Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during a courtesy visit at Lagos House, Marina on Sunday, February 1, 2026.
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Etim Ekpimah
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has reaffirmed his administration’s readiness to partner with the World Bank Group in key sectors, including energy, agriculture, tourism and human capital development.
The governor said the Lagos State Government remains committed to attracting investments and strategic partnerships that will improve the living standards of residents, stressing that the state is prepared to meet all requirements to access increased World Bank support for infrastructural development.
Sanwo-Olu made this known on Sunday during a courtesy visit by a World Bank Group delegation led by the Managing Director (Operations), Ms Anna Bjerde, and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Regional Vice President for Africa, Mr Ethiopis Tafara, at the Lagos House, Marina.
During the visit, the governor highlighted the achievements of his administration over the past six years through the implementation of the THEMES+ development agenda, noting that the policy framework has positively impacted millions of Lagos residents.
He disclosed that Lagos ranked 29th on the national Ease of Doing Business index four years ago but rose to first place last year, attributing the improvement to significant reforms and enhanced government performance across critical sectors.
Earlier, the leader of the World Bank Group delegation, Ms Anna Bjerde, expressed the organisation’s willingness to deepen its collaboration with the Lagos State Government, describing the Sanwo-Olu administration’s governance approach as a model with national relevance.
According to her, Lagos occupies a strategic position on the World Bank’s dashboard, even as a subnational entity, due to its economic significance and reform-driven policies.
“Nigeria has been very consistent. Policies have not been changing frequently, and that is helping predictability, especially for investors. We commend the government’s efforts on ease of doing business and the reduction of bureaucratic bottlenecks,” Bjerde said.
She added that the World Bank Group plans to conduct a five-year country review to assess Nigeria’s progress, including Lagos State’s development trajectory over the period.
Bjerde added that the World Bank Group is prepared to harness Lagos State’s strengths to enhance private sector–driven financing models across its interventions, especially in infrastructure, energy, agriculture, tourism and human capital development.
This was contained in a statement made available to journalists on Monday by Gbenga Akosile, Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on Media and Publicity.
