By Sodiq Adelakun
Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has renewed calls for Lagos State to be granted Special Status, citing the state’s crucial role in sustaining Nigeria’s economy and managing an outsized share of the country’s population and infrastructure burden.
Speaking on Tuesday at the Banquet Hall of Lagos House, Ikeja, during the opening session of an on-the-spot assessment by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Sanwo-Olu, represented by Deputy Governor Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, said the appeal was grounded in Lagos’ strategic importance and the disproportionate pressure it bears compared to other states.
He described the Commission’s visit as a meaningful step in the federal government’s pursuit of equity, fairness and greater transparency in the allocation of national resources. He also noted the need for policy decisions in Nigeria to be informed by data and facts, rather than sentiment.
“If it is correctly recorded that Lagos accounts for 33 per cent of the country’s GDP, then it is evident that what happens in Lagos determines, in large part, what happens to the Nigerian economy,” he said.
Citing the Apapa and Tin-Can ports, which handle almost 90 per cent of goods imported into Nigeria, Sanwo-Olu noted that such facilities in other countries are supported with commensurate federal infrastructure within a significant radius. He pointed out that, in contrast, Lagos shoulders the responsibility for maintaining surrounding roads and related infrastructure without sufficient federal support.
He warned that continued neglect of Lagos’ infrastructural demands could have far-reaching consequences for the country.
“Every Nigerian is represented in Lagos,” he said. “If we do not give Lagos what it needs to function properly, the ripple effects will eventually affect the entire nation.”
Sanwo-Olu also called on the Commission to formally recognise the 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) created in Lagos in 2003. These councils, he said, have successfully brought governance closer to the people and accelerated development at the grassroots.
He further stated that efficient revenue mobilisation remains vital for sustaining national development and ensuring citizens continue to benefit from government services. He described the financial environment in Lagos as both dynamic and challenging, requiring deliberate and supportive interventions from the federal level.
Professor Adekunle Wright, a Federal Commissioner at RMAFC, responded by acknowledging Lagos’ infrastructural and fiscal challenges. He said the Commission’s visit was initiated in response to the state’s request for support from the federal stabilisation fund to deliver critical infrastructure projects.
“The Commission is in Lagos to assess the request presented. We are committed to transparent, evidence-based processes and ensuring a fair allocation of the country’s resources,” he said.
Professor Wright recognised Lagos as a vital engine of Nigeria’s economy and affirmed the Commission’s readiness to continue supporting the state’s development.
Commissioner for Finance, Mr Abayomi Oluyomi, in his welcome address, reinforced the significance of regularly monitoring statutory allocations to both states and local governments for better planning and sustainable national resource management.
Oluyomi explained that RMAFC’s mandate can only be fulfilled through close federal-state collaboration, transparency, and income-based evaluations. He appealed for the Commission’s continued backing of Lagos’ budgeting and development systems, noting that the state has so far invested over ₦1.1 trillion in infrastructure.
He stated that Lagos still faces an infrastructure gap of over ₦20 trillion, affecting key areas such as security, water, sanitation, education, healthcare, and housing.
“As we review sites and projects related to sanitation and other initiatives, we are not only working towards economic and social stability but also aiming to uphold the quality of life and the right of our people to prosperity,” he said.
Oluyomi concluded by stressing that Lagos’ economic output represents nearly half of Nigeria’s GDP, and any disruption to the state’s growth or capacity would inevitably affect the nation at large.
