Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has described the Dangote Refinery as proof that Africa has the capacity to deliver major projects on a global scale.
Sanwo-Olu made the remarks on Thursday during the Lagos-New York 2026 Learning Journey at the Dangote Refinery in Lekki. The event was hosted by the Aliko Dangote Foundation and the Forum of Young Global Leaders.
Reflecting on the transformation of the Lekki corridor, the governor noted that the site where the refinery now stands was once open water and had to be reclaimed before development could begin.
“A decade ago, the ground beneath our feet was open water. Everything built here had to be imagined, funded and reclaimed from the sea,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He said the transformation reflected the spirit of Lagos, which he described as a city that does not wait for perfect conditions before pursuing development.
With a production capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, Sanwo-Olu said the Dangote Refinery demonstrates Africa’s ability to execute projects at massive scale.
The governor commended Aliko Dangote and the organisations involved in the learning programme for their contributions to Lagos and the wider African development agenda.
He also highlighted the challenges facing Lagos, saying the city is already confronting many of the pressures that could shape Africa’s future, including infrastructure demands, energy needs and a rapidly growing young population.
According to Sanwo-Olu, his administration is focused not only on completing major projects but also on creating an environment that makes it easier for future investors and entrepreneurs to succeed.
“A system that relies on one man’s extraordinary willpower is not a business model. That is heroism and heroism is hard to repeat,” he said.
He added that the real measure of the refinery’s success would be whether future investors could build major projects more easily than those who came before them.
Sanwo-Olu pointed to projects including the Lekki Deep Sea Port, the Free Zone, the Blue Line rail project and the planned airport as part of efforts to develop an integrated investment corridor.
He urged the Young Global Leaders participating in the programme to transform discussions about Africa’s future into practical partnerships.
“Africa is not waiting for permission to build,” the governor said. “We have already started, and now is the time to turn conversations into partnerships.”
