ANNUAL ‘EURO CHAM’ EVENT: EUROPEAN UNION SEEKS HOSTING PARTNERSHIP WITH LAGOS
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has stated that his administration will continue to create an enabling environment for foreign and local investment to thrive for the growth of the nation’s economy.
The Governor, who spoke through the Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, while receiving the Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Samuela Isopi on a courtesy visit on Wednesday in Alausa Ikeja, emphasised the need for Lagos to streamline things and make it easier for business to flourish in the state.
He noted that Lagos is responsible for about 35 percent of the GDP of the country, which makes it essential for commerce or services in the country to strive, stressing that “Lagos is like a golden egg and we must keep it for the survival of our country”.
Sanwo-Olu highlighted that Lagos is becoming the largest Agriculture Hub in Africa, and that she has continued to have a relationship with agriculture-based countries like the Netherlands, among other countries to improve her agricultural initiatives.
Speaking on the achievements of the Lagos government on transportation, the Governor stressed that his administration has increased the volume of the state water transportation from about 170,000 to 750,00 and there is a need to increase it for more people to make use of water transportation rather than just the road.
According to him, “The challenge for us as a state is that Lagos occupies 0.4 percent of the landmarks of the country and has about 11 percent of the population, that is why we appreciate what you are doing on our water transportation. We are also expanding the rail infrastructure which is basically to make it easy for people to invest in Lagos”.
He, therefore, pledged support for the team to host an annual European Champ event that will help showcase the importance of the state as the economic hub of the country.
Earlier in her remarks, the Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria, Samuela Isopi, while corroborating the request of the Governor stated that the delegate is in Lagos to seek the support of the Lagos State government to host an annual Euro Cham event which will help showcase the importance of the state as an economic hub of the country.
She noted that the event will also showcase the state’s potential in the economic, education, innovation, and infrastructure sectors, among other successful sectors.
While speaking on some of the contributions of the European Union to the country and Lagos State, the Ambassador said EUD’s top companies are based here in Lagos and over one hundred of them have made a good contribution to the economic growth and development.
She added that this confirms that the economic partnership between the European Union and Nigeria and Lagos state is very solid. “It also demonstrates the volume of our trade to the development and growth of the Nigerian economy, creating over 50,000 jobs directly or indirectly to Nigerians, training over 15,000 Nigeria staff and creating an innovation app in the University of Lagos”, said.
Isopi stressed that the European Union is working very closely with the federal government as the Union is interested in the financial engagement of the country to work together and improve the business environment, and transparency including increased investment flow from Europe.
“In Lagos, we have been doing quite a lot in the digital market as Lagos is the Economic Capital of Nigeria. Our objective is to help develop infrastructure projects of the state that aim at developing Lagos waterways”, she added.