Govt Must Provide Enabling Environment For Businesses To Thrive – Sanwo-Olu

Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called on the government to create an enabling environment for private investment to thrive.

Sanwo-Olu stated this at a forum organised by The Alternative Bank in Lagos, tagged ‘Beyond Interest: Capital, Innovation, and the Future of Wealth.’

The stakeholders discussed non-interest finance and the role of long-term capital in supporting Nigeria’s productive economy.

But represented by the Commissioner for Finance, Abayomi Oluyomi, the Lagos State Governor cited infrastructure projects such as the Blue and Red Line rail systems as initiatives designed to improve connectivity, reduce transport costs, and stimulate economic activity.

Sanwo-Olu also stressed the importance of stable regulations, policy consistency and strong institutions in attracting investment, noting that investors are more likely to commit funds where there are credible systems and predictable governance.

Former Lagos State Governor and former Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, urged investors and financial institutions to prioritise investments linked to productive assets and long-term economic development rather than focusing solely on short-term financial returns.

Also speaking at the forum, the Chairman of The Alternative Bank, Muhtar Bakare, called for greater investment in productive sectors of the economy, arguing that capital should support enterprises and systems capable of generating sustainable economic growth.

He said productive investment creates employment, strengthens supply chains, increases government revenue and delivers long-term returns for investors.

Other speakers at the forum included Abubakar Suleiman, Board Member of Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc; Dr Stanley Jacob, Group Chief of Innovation and Technology at Meristem; and Ajibola Tobi-Osho, Executive Director of Tugrande Alliance Limited. They delivered presentations on ethical finance, pan-African payment systems, asset tokenisation and Nigeria’s macroeconomic outlook.

The event was attended by senior investors, business executives and public-sector officials, including Olatunji Mayaki, Chairman of Sterling Bank; Hassan Yusuf, Managing Director of The Alternative Bank; Tonye Cole, Co-Founder and former Group Executive Director of Sahara Group; Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes, Founder and Managing Partner of Aruwa Capital Management; Aminu Tukur, Vice-Chairman of Noor Takaful; Korede Demola-Adeniyi and Garba Mohammed, Executive Directors of The Alternative Bank; Chief Idris Olorunnimbe, Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Communications Commission; Yemi Keri, President of the Africa Business Angel Network (ABAN); Sadiq Dantata, Chairman of Golden Alchemy; Dr Adesegun Akin-Olugbade, Founder and Managing Partner of Luwaji Nominees; Sulaiman Adedokun, Group Managing Director of Meristem Securities Limited; and Jimi Ogbobine, Associate Director and Head of Consulting at Agusto Consulting.