April 14, (THEWILL) — Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has revealed that youths in the state contribute an estimated N4.5 trillion annually to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), underscoring their critical role in driving economic growth and innovation.
The governor disclosed this on Monday at the Abuja Dialogue, themed “Scaling Excellence: Youth Leadership as Strategic Infrastructure for National Transformation,” held in Abuja.
The event was organised by the Office of the Vice President in collaboration with the Lagos State Government as a prelude to the Lagos Leadership Summit.
Sanwo-Olu expressed appreciation to Vice President Kashim Shettima for hosting the dialogue, noting that the initiative focuses on building the human capital required for national development.
He explained that Lagos’ leadership development framework is anchored on the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy, which provides young Nigerians with hands-on public sector experience, policy exposure, mentorship, and opportunities to tackle real-life challenges through structured fellowships.
According to the governor, youths are not just future leaders but active contributors to the economy, with about 70 percent of new businesses in Lagos founded by young entrepreneurs.
“These are not figures of potential; they are figures of performance,” he said, stressing that strategic investment in youth development yields measurable results.
Sanwo-Olu called on other states to adopt similar leadership development models and urged stronger collaboration between federal and state governments to prioritise human capital development nationwide.
Ogochukwu Onwaeze is a writer specializing in business and economic journalism. At THEWILL News Media, she translates market trends, financial developments, and policy shifts into clear and engaging stories.
