The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has defended the concentration of federal projects in Lagos State, describing the state as a “no-man’s land” and the economic pride of Nigeria.
Speaking on Arise News Channel’s breakfast programme ‘Daybreak’ on Wednesday, Bwala argued that the N3.9 trillion worth of federal projects reportedly allocated to Lagos State within two years should not be seen as favoritism but as a strategic investment in the nation’s commercial hub.
“Let me tell you why Lagos State is different. Lagos State is a no-man’s land. In the last election, the President who comes from the South-West did not win Lagos. That tells you the cosmopolitan nature of Lagos State,” he said.
Bwala highlighted Lagos’s diverse economic base, noting that it has become a home for people from all parts of the country. “The richest man in Africa is a northerner. His business is not in Kano, it’s in Lagos. Almost every rich man that you know in Nigeria has business undertakings in Lagos and the Nigerian people are represented in Lagos.”
“If not because probably the majority of the people are Yoruba speaking, you will wonder whether Lagos indeed is from the South-West,” he added.
Drawing parallels with global cities, Bwala argued that the concentration of resources in commercial centres is a common phenomenon worldwide. “London has more investment than the entire states in England put together. New York has more infrastructure and investment than the rest of the United States, including California. Paris has more investment.
“So in every country, wherever you find the commercial nerve of that country, you are likely to see the need to put infrastructure in place in order to boost the economy. Whatever Lagos benefits, the country benefits,” he said.
He maintained that Lagos remains the heartbeat of Nigeria’s commerce and infrastructure development, which translates into national growth. “So the idea that you put more in Lagos than in other states or the federation should be put into a proper context. Lagos is a no-man’s land. Lagos is the hub of Nigeria. Lagos is the pride of the country,” Bwala declared.
