Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State spoke at the Justice Reform Summit 2024 at Marriott Hotel, Ikeja, urging the state to think globally and emulate the successes of Singapore, a tiny city-state that has achieved significant economic and judicial reforms despite its small size.
Sanwo-Olu began by acknowledging the achievements of Singapore, which has earned its place as a major economic hub worldwide. He noted that Lagos, with its own unique strengths, can also achieve similar success if it focuses on collaboration and innovation.
The Governor emphasized that Lagos needs to take its achievements to an international scale, citing the example of Singapore, which has a population of less than five million people compared to Lagos's 24 million. He highlighted the need for Lagos to think out of the box and challenge the status quo to achieve its full potential.
Sanwo-Olu also touched on the importance of ease of doing business, citing Singapore's ability to register a business in less than 30 minutes and clear a container in seven hours. He noted that while Nigeria has made some progress in these areas, there is still much to be done.
The Governor also emphasized the need for the best of Lagos's citizens to work in the public service, citing the example of Singapore where the best talent from top universities like Oxford and Harvard are drawn into the public sector. He noted that Lagos has a public service that it can be proud of but needs to raise the bar.
Sanwo-Olu concluded by urging the state to think globally and act locally, emphasizing that the global space is available for Lagos to pick.
