Lagos has long been one of Africa’s most complex and ambitious urban experiments — a megacity whose growth, pressures, and potential reflect the broader story of a rapidly urbanizing continent. Today, more than 24 million people call Lagos home, making it not only Nigeria’s economic heartland but one of the most influential urban centres anywhere in the Global South. Managing such a city requires more than routine governance; it demands vision, long-term planning, and a willingness to confront structural challenges head-on.
It is against this backdrop that TIME Africa presents the 2025 Special Recognition Award to His Excellency Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State. The award honours his administration’s sustained contributions to infrastructure modernisation, urban renewal, and the ongoing transformation of Lagos into a globally competitive, 21st-century megacity.
Sanwo-Olu’s leadership has been guided by a wide-ranging development blueprint — the T.H.E.M.E.S.+ Agenda — which stands for Traffic Management & Transportation; Health & Environment; Education & Technology; Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy; Entertainment, Tourism & Culture; Security & Governance. Together, these pillars have represented a holistic approach to modernising a city whose pace of growth could otherwise overwhelm its potential.
What Lagos has achieved in the past six years is not simply incremental improvement; it is structural and generational. And, increasingly, it offers a continent-wide roadmap for how African megacities can transition from overburdened to future-ready.
Re-Engineering Mobility: The Blueprint for a Modern African Transit System
Nowhere is Lagos’ transformation more visible than in its transportation sector — historically one of the city’s greatest pressure points.
The Lagos Rail Mass Transit: A Landmark for West Africa
The launch of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT), beginning with the Blue Line, marks one of the most significant achievements in Nigerian infrastructure in decades. The rail system has already moved millions of passengers, reducing reliance on road traffic and offering an affordable, efficient alternative to the informal transport networks that have dominated Lagos for generations.
The Blue Line — fully powered by an independent electricity system — has become a proof of concept that large-scale rail is viable in West Africa. As new phases advance, the LRMT is expected to evolve into a multi-line network that will reshape commuting patterns for decades to come.
Road Expansion and Modernisation at Unprecedented Scale
Since 2019, the Sanwo-Olu administration has delivered hundreds of kilometres of new and rehabilitated roads, bridges, and linkways. These include:
- 172 completed roads across Lagos by mid-2024
- 61 additional roads and five bridges were commissioned in 2025
- Major interventions such as the Abiola-Onijemo Link Bridge, access roads in Lekki, upgrades in Ikorodu, Alimosho, Surulere, and Epe
- The ongoing transformation of the Lagos–Badagry Expressway, a strategic corridor connecting Nigeria to the wider West African region
Crucially, these projects were not centralised in wealthy districts. Local councils and historically underserved areas have received road renewals, showing a commitment to equitable infrastructure distribution.
A Model for Other African Cities
Across Africa, cities are struggling with congestion, exponential population growth, and inadequate transport systems. Lagos demonstrates that:
- Rail cannot be optional — megacities need multimodal transit.
- Road investments must be strategic – linking economic nodes and residential clusters.
- Inclusive transport planning – reduces social disparities and widens economic access.
Lagos is proving that transport reform is not only possible but essential for sustainable urban futures.
Health, Education & Social Infrastructure: Building a City for People
The T.H.E.M.E.S.+ agenda extends beyond construction into the social fabric of Lagos, where population density places enormous pressure on public systems.
Strengthening Public Health Capacity
The administration has overseen significant expansions in healthcare access, including:
- Upgraded maternal and child-care facilities
- New emergency and trauma centres
- Greater investment in medical equipment, specialist training, and diagnostic capacity
- Environmental sanitation reforms and climate resilience programmes
For a city that faces both communicable and non-communicable disease burdens, these reforms are foundational to long-term resilience.
Education & Digital Future-Readiness
Lagos has also prioritised education and digital advancement. Key achievements include:
- Classroom construction and rehabilitation across multiple districts
- Introduction of new technology learning tools
- Investments in teacher training
- The expansion of tech hubs and digital infrastructure
Notably, the state has attracted over US$1.2 billion in digital infrastructure investment, including data centres and broadband expansion — positioning Lagos as a future African tech capital.
Economic Transformation: Steering Lagos Toward a 21st Century Economy
Lagos accounts for a significant share of Nigeria’s GDP, yet the city continues to pursue deeper diversification and global competitiveness.
Industrial Expansion & Job Creation
Under Sanwo-Olu’s leadership:
- New industrial facilities and logistics hubs have been launched across Ikorodu, Badagry, Lekki and Epe.
- Creative industries — from film to tourism — have been supported through targeted investment and infrastructure.
- Government reforms aim to improve ease of doing business and reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks.
These initiatives align with Lagos’ ambition not only to expand its economy, but to shift into higher-value sectors that can withstand global shocks.
A Governance Model Focused on Inclusion
The state’s budgeting approach — with recent proposals labelled the Budget of Shared Prosperity — highlights a deliberate move toward balancing growth with human development. The focus is on:
- Infrastructure consolidation
- Youth empowerment
- Community revitalisation
- Public safety
- Digital transformation
Governance reforms have modernised public service delivery and strengthened transparency, aiming to rebuild confidence in state institutions.
Lessons for the Continent: Lagos as a Playbook for African Megacities
Urbanisation in Africa is accelerating faster than anywhere else on Earth. By 2050, African cities will house more than one billion people. The challenges facing Lagos today are the challenges others will face tomorrow.
Sanwo-Olu’s Lagos offers several transferable lessons:
1. Integrated Urban Mobility Is Non-Negotiable
Cities like Nairobi, Kinshasa, Dar es Salaam, Cairo, Addis Ababa and Johannesburg can draw from Lagos’ multimodal strategy.
A combination of rail, modernised roads, BRT, ferry services and last-mile connectivity is key to reducing congestion and improving productivity.
2. Urban Renewal Must Be Holistic
Transport alone cannot stabilise a megacity.
Lagos shows that health, education, environmental policy, flood control, and economic development must advance together.
3. Public–Private Partnerships Are Catalysts
Lagos’ ability to attract global digital infrastructure investment demonstrates how public policy can unlock private sector capacity.
4. Infrastructure Must Reach the Underserved
Urban inequality is one of Africa’s biggest challenges.
By distributing road upgrades, bridges, and public services across multiple districts, Lagos illustrates the importance of equitable development.
5. Long-Term Vision Matters
The T.H.E.M.E.S.+ agenda provides a structured, multi-year roadmap — a model many African cities lack.
Continuity of policy is essential for large-scale infrastructure success.
A City Still in Motion
While Lagos has made significant strides, its transformation is still unfolding. Challenges remain — from population pressure to maintenance demands, environmental risks, and the complexity of sustaining megacity-scale infrastructure. But the foundations being laid today will determine the city’s trajectory for decades.
Sanwo-Olu’s administration has positioned Lagos as a laboratory of African urban possibility: a place where large-scale public projects are delivered, where ambition is matched by execution, and where the future of African megacities is being imagined in real time.
Conclusion: Why TIME Africa Honours Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu
The TIME Africa Special Recognition Award is presented to Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu for:
- His leadership in delivering large-scale, high-impact infrastructure
- His commitment to a more inclusive, modern Lagos
- His role in steering one of the world’s most dynamic megacities toward global competitiveness
- His administration’s multidimensional approach to urban governance, mobility, health, technology, and economic growth
In elevating Lagos, Sanwo-Olu is contributing to a broader continental narrative: Africa’s cities are not waiting to be defined by the world — they are defining themselves.
Lagos’ transformation is far from complete, but its trajectory is unmistakable. As African nations look ahead to an era of unprecedented urbanisation, Lagos stands as both a model and an inspiration — a city proving that with vision, strategy, and sustained investment, the future can be reshaped for millions.