Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu says Lagos has strengthened its position as Africa’s digital economy hub through deliberate investments in technology and enabling infrastructure.

Mr Sanwo-Olu spoke during the inauguration of the Kasi Cloud Hyperscale Data Centre Campus in Lekki on Tuesday.

He described the facility as a major contribution to Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and economic transformation.

The governor urged foreign investors and development partners to support infrastructure projects in Lagos, citing the state’s investment-friendly environment.

“Lagos is open for infrastructure investment, and we honour the commitments we make.

“If you are building cloud infrastructure, Lagos wants to work with you. If you are building AI infrastructure, Lagos wants to work with you.

“Enabling infrastructure is not charity; it is economic strategy,” the governor said.

Mr Sanwo-Olu said Lagos had evolved into Nigeria’s leading technology ecosystem and data centre hub over the past decade.

According to him, the state continues attracting innovation, enterprise demand and investment despite operational and infrastructure challenges.

“Over the past decade, Lagos has established itself as the beating heart of Africa’s digital economy.

“This is the city that produced unicorns; the city where fintech evolved from experiments into global enterprises.

“Our innovators looked at power constraints, connectivity gaps and every operational obstacle and still chose to build,” he said.

According to Mr Sanwo-Olu, Lagos currently accounts for a significant share of Nigeria’s installed data centre capacity.

He added that the state remained strategically positioned to lead the next phase of the global digital economy.

“Today, Lagos is already the data-centre capital of Nigeria. Connectivity lands here. Enterprise demand lives here.

“Innovation grows here. Capital gathers here. But we are not satisfied.

“The next phase of the global digital economy will be led by cities deliberately building enabling infrastructure at scale,” he said.

Mr Sanwo-Olu said the government had sustained policies supporting industrial growth, advanced manufacturing and digital infrastructure development.

He listed the Lagos State Electricity Law, fibre-optic expansion projects, digital skills programmes and innovation funding initiatives among key reforms.

The governor said, “Great infrastructure does not arrive in a vacuum. It is attracted by policy.

“That is why our administration has been deliberate about creating an enabling environment.”

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, described the project as a defining moment in Nigeria’s economic modernisation and digital transformation journey.

Mr Oyedele said the facility would strengthen innovation, improve enterprise productivity and position Nigeria competitively in the emerging AI-driven global economy.

“The project is a national infrastructure that strengthens the foundation for innovation and expansion opportunities for enterprise.

“It enhances productivity across sectors and positions Nigeria as a competitive player in an increasingly AI-driven world,” he said.

Lagos State Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Tunbosun Alake, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting investors and technology-driven businesses.

Mr Alake said Lagos was investing heavily in fibre optics, data centres, innovation programmes and startup ecosystem development.

“Lagos State, under the leadership of Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is investing in critical infrastructure such as fibre optics, data centres and smart technology funds.

“We are strengthening the startup ecosystem not just so that we will be technology adopters, but technology creators,” he said.

Earlier, Kasi Cloud Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Johnson Agogbua, said the hyperscale data centre was established to support technological advancement and digital innovation in Nigeria. 

(NAN)