IBRAHIM QUADRI
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has unveiled the organisation of Invest in Lagos Summit 3.0, the State Government’s flagship international investment platform for the year 2026, in partnership with the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC).
Governor Sanwo-Olu disclosed the details of the forthcoming programme and partnership scheduled to hold on 9th and 10th June, 2026, while addressing the media, alongside the CEO, CWEIC, Samantha Cohen, at Lagos House, Marina on Thursday.
This year’s Summit is expected to convene between 500 and 600 high-level delegates, including global institutional investors, sovereign wealth entities, development finance institutions, multinational corporations, structured finance specialists, trade networks across the Commonwealth, and senior public sector leaders from multiple jurisdictions.
Speaking at the media conference, Sanwo-Olu stated that Invest Lagos 3.0 has been deliberately designed to consolidate Lagos’ role as Africa’s leading subnational gateway for capital flows, trade integration, financial innovation, and infrastructure development.
His words: “Our ambition is clear. Lagos must not only attract capital, but it must also structure capital. It must not only host investment conversations, but it must also convert them into deployable pipelines. Invest Lagos 3.0 aligns directly with our long-term development priorities as articulated under the T.H.E.M.E.S+ Development Agenda and the Lagos State Development Plan 2052.
“Over the past two editions, Invest Lagos 1.0 and 2.0, we have strengthened Lagos’ global investment visibility, catalysed structured engagement with capital providers, and deepened strategic conversations around bankable projects across priority sectors. This year, we are deliberately scaling the platform further through strategic partnership with CWEIC, a globally respected institution that connects governments, private sector leaders, and capital networks across the Commonwealth of Nations.
“With this expanded collaboration, we are strengthening our capacity to mobilise global capital, deepen cross-border trade relationships, and position Lagos State as a premier destination for large-scale, transformative investment. It reflects a shared commitment to structured capital mobilisation, disciplined project presentation, and measurable transaction outcomes.”
According to the Governor, beyond capital attraction, the summit is structured to drive sustained private sector investment that expands Gross Domestic Product and strengthens Internally Generated Revenue for Lagos State and Nigeria, as structured investment inflows into productive sectors will generate output, stimulate enterprise growth, deepen value chains, broaden the tax base, and reinforce fiscal sustainability.
“Invest Lagos 3.0 is therefore positioned not merely as a convening platform, but as an economic growth acceleration mechanism.
“Let me state clearly: Invest Lagos 3.0 is not a ceremonial gathering. It is a transaction-focused investment platform built for capital alignment and project conversion. Its architecture is intentional. Its processes are structured. Its outcomes are measurable. Every element of the Summit has been carefully designed to support disciplined engagement between project sponsors and capital providers.
“Under these frameworks, we are scaling transport infrastructure across road and rail corridors, strengthening logistics and port connectivity, investing in renewable energy systems, expanding digital infrastructure, accelerating housing development, deepening healthcare delivery systems, and building industrial growth corridors that connect production to markets,” he said.
In her address, the CEO, CWEIC, Samantha Cohen, CVO OBE, described Lagos as the most important city in Africa and Nigeria, about the strongest business network outside the UK.
“Lagos has built something exceptiona as a CWEIC partner. The State investment programme enables trade facilitation and we will be glad to showcase what Lagos has to offer as we jointly deliver a summit where policy meets capital. We will bring international investors here through the Commonwealth Private sector hub across 56 countries, with 25 partners in Nigeria. We are indeed deeply grateful for trust and partnership,” she said.
In her opening remarks earlier, Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Bada-Ambrose affirmed that global capital increasingly gravitates toward jurisdictions that demonstrate credible leadership, institutional clarity, bankable pipelines, disciplined governance, and defined execution frameworks.
“Investment competition now extends beyond national positioning. Subnational governments like Lagos, now compete directly by differentiating themselves through governance quality, policy coherence, and transaction ecosystem strength. Lagos recognises this structural shift and has positioned itself to compete effectively within it. Our objective is not merely to attract capital for visibility purposes. It is to mobilise structured private sector investment that translates into increased productive capacity, expanded Gross Domestic Product, strengthened Internally Generated Revenue, and sustained fiscal resilience for Lagos State and Nigeria. Investment must convert into enterprise growth, value chain expansion, job creation, and enhanced revenue performance. This is the economic discipline guiding Invest Lagos 3.0,” she said.
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