Lagos remains engine room of Africa’s creative economy, says Sanwo-Olu
By Adeola Ogunrinde
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to keeping Lagos open to the world, competitive in innovation, and firmly positioned as Africa’s leading hub for creative and cultural enterprise. He said the state government remains dedicated to partnering with the Federal Government and continental institutions to ensure Africa’s creativity translates into sustainable value, shared prosperity, and global impact.
Sanwo-Olu made the remarks in his goodwill message at the 9th edition of the All-Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), held on Sunday night at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island. He described Lagos as the engine room of Africa’s creative economy.
According to the governor, Lagos State’s engagement with the creative and cultural industry is strategic, deliberate, and guided by clear policy intent. He noted that under his administration, the creative sector has been positioned as a core pillar of economic diversification, job creation, tourism development, and global competitiveness, in line with the state’s development framework, the THEMES+ Agenda.
“We have moved beyond rhetoric to action by embedding the creative economy into our broader economic strategy, supporting enabling legislation and institutional reforms, encouraging private sector participation, and positioning Lagos as a secure and scalable destination for creative investment,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He added that in Lagos, music is not just entertainment but economic infrastructure, stressing that the government is focused on transforming talent into sustainable careers through investments in skills development, creative hubs, and digital infrastructure. According to him, these efforts are designed to help young people convert creativity into long-term economic opportunities rather than short-lived visibility.
Sanwo-Olu noted that whenever African music dominates global charts, sells out international arenas, or shapes global culture, Lagos plays a central role. He said the responsibility of government is to ensure that this global success is anchored at home through infrastructure, policy stability, and an enabling environment that attracts investment while empowering local talent.
The governor also acknowledged the Federal Government’s support for AFRIMA and other initiatives advancing Africa’s creative economy. He said that under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the creative sector has been recognised as a strategic driver of economic diversification, youth employment, and global competitiveness, adding that the establishment of dedicated institutional support reinforces the importance of platforms like AFRIMA.
Commending the organisers, Sanwo-Olu praised AFRIMA for nine years of vision, resilience, and leadership in elevating African music beyond celebration into a serious economic conversation and continental collaboration. He reiterated Lagos State’s commitment to deepening investment in creativity, expanding economic opportunities, strengthening institutions, and securing Lagos’ position as Africa’s creative and cultural capital.
At the awards ceremony, Nigerian superstars dominated the night. Rema won three awards — Artiste of the Year, Best Male Artiste in Western Africa, and Best African Artiste in RnB and Soul. Burna Boy clinched Album of the Year for No Sign of Weakness, while Yemi Alade won Best Soundtrack in a Movie, Series or Documentary for her song You Are from Iyanu: The Animated Series.
Shallipopi won Song of the Year with Laho and also emerged Best African Collaboration alongside Burna Boy. Phyno won Best African Artiste in African Hip-Hop, Qing Madi was named Most Promising Artist of the Year, while fast-rising singer Chella emerged as African Fans’ Favourite.
