The Lagos State Government has pledged to remain focused on deepening infrastructure delivery, strengthening institutions, expanding climate-adaptive investments in drainage and resilience, and ensuring that urban growth translates into measurable improvements in quality of life.
The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, stated this while speaking at the 2026 Nigeria Construction and Real Estate Outlook organised by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in Lagos recently.
The event was themed, “Infrastructure Development: A Catalyst for Real Estate, Construction and Economic Growth.” Sanwo-Olu stressed that infrastructure is not an accessory to growth; it is its architecture. “It determines where value emerges, how cities expand, and whether growth is inclusive or exclusionary, resilient or fragile.”
Sanwo-Olu, who was represented at the event by the Lagos State Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, reiterated that the state is committed to providing a stable policy environment, improving data-driven planning systems, supporting innovation in construction methods, and broadening partnerships with the private sector and professional bodies.
“For Lagos, the next phase is clear. Our priorities remain focused on deepening infrastructure delivery, strengthening institutions, expanding climate-adaptive investments in drainage and resilience, and ensuring that urban growth translates into measurable improvements in quality of life. We are committed to providing a stable policy environment, improving data-driven planning systems, supporting innovation in construction methods, and broadening partnerships with the private sector and professional bodies,” he said.
According to Sanwo-Olu, this is where institutions like the RICS are indispensable. He added that chartered surveyors and built-environment professionals are custodians of value.
“You safeguard transparency, ensure accountability, and help align development with long-term economic and social outcomes. In a global investment environment where trust is currency, your role directly influences where capital flows and where cities thrive,” he added.
The governor emphasised that as Africa’s largest city and Nigeria’s economic nerve centre, Lagos absorbs thousands of new residents every day. This scale presents enormous pressure, but it also creates opportunity, provided infrastructure is planned ahead of demand, not behind it.
He said the state’s experience has shown that when the government leads decisively in infrastructure, markets respond with confidence. Sanwo-Olu highlighted that over the years, Lagos has pursued infrastructure as a long-term investment strategy rather than a short-term political exercise.
He maintained that integrated transport systems such as the Lagos Rail Mass Transit network are deliberately reshaping land-use patterns, unlocking new real estate corridors, reducing congestion costs, and supporting transit-oriented development.
“Road and bridge projects have been designed not merely for mobility, but for economic connectivity, opening up new districts for residential, commercial, and industrial development,” he stressed.
He expressed hope that the 2026 outlook for the construction and real estate sector is optimistic. “As we look toward 2026, the outlook for Nigeria’s construction and real estate sectors is cautiously optimistic, but it will reward only those who plan deliberately,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu pointed out that opportunities are emerging in transit-oriented development, urban regeneration, affordable housing, logistics and industrial parks, and climate-resilient infrastructure.
“However, these opportunities will not be unlocked by policy volatility or fragmented planning. Infrastructure success is cumulative. It requires persistence, predictability, and professional integrity,” Sanwo-Olu highlighted.
He mentioned that reforms in land administration, planning approvals, and project delivery frameworks have been critical in reducing uncertainty and improving project viability.
Sanwo-Olu maintained that through structured public-private partnerships, Lagos has demonstrated that infrastructure delivery can be accelerated while allocating risk appropriately and preserving public value.
The governor averred that as Nigeria navigates its urban and economic transition, Lagos will continue to lead by example, planning boldly, building responsibly, and partnering strategically to secure sustainable prosperity.
He commended the RICS Nigeria Group for its leadership and for assembling a distinguished community of public-sector leaders, regulators, investors, developers, and professionals at a moment when infrastructure choices will shape Nigeria’s urban and economic trajectory for decades.
Earlier, the Chairman of the RICS Nigeria Group, Mr Tayo Odunsi, highlighted the interconnectedness of construction, real estate, and economic development, describing three essentials for the sector: conviction, access to patient capital, and execution of projects.
The RICS is a professional body and a global benchmark with over 150 years of experience. It has consistently defined what professionalism, integrity, and value creation mean in the built environment.
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