By Mogaji (Hon) Seye Oladejo<\/b><\/p>\n
Lagos is not just a city. It is Nigeria in microcosm \u2014 an urban miracle built not on oil wells or political favoritism, but on vision, hard work, sacrifice, and inclusiveness.<\/p>\n
The Lagos State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) issues this statement to reassert the indispensable role of Lagos in the Nigerian federation and to correct misguided narratives suggesting the state enjoys disproportionate attention or unmerited privilege from the federal government.<\/p>\n
Lagos: The Engine Room of the Federation<\/p>\n
No other state in Nigeria bears more of the weight of national productivity than Lagos. It contributes:
\n\u2022 Over 20% of Nigeria\u2019s GDP
\n\u2022 Approximately 55% of the nation\u2019s VAT revenue
\n\u2022 65% of corporate headquarters in the country
\n\u2022 70% of maritime imports and logistics activity<\/p>\n
These are not speculative figures \u2014 they are hard data, backed by facts and sustained by deliberate governance, not federal indulgence.<\/p>\n
A True National Capital in Spirit<\/p>\n
Long after Abuja took over as the official capital, Lagos has remained Nigeria\u2019s de facto capital of commerce, culture, and continuity. It is where Nigeria meets itself \u2014 in its beauty, its complexity, and its ambition.<\/p>\n
Nowhere is this more evident than in Lagos\u2019 unique ability to welcome all Nigerians as full participants in the Lagos story, regardless of state of origin, language, faith, or political affiliation.<\/p>\n
Lagos: The Retirement Home of the Nation\u2019s Statesmen<\/p>\n
Indeed, Lagos is not just where Nigerians come to start their dreams \u2014 it is where many come to retire in peace.<\/p>\n
From retired heads of service to former governors, ministers, generals, diplomats, and captains of industry, Lagos has quietly become the retirement capital of Nigeria. These distinguished men and women, many of whom built their careers elsewhere, return to Lagos for one reason: it feels like home.<\/p>\n
In no other state would public servants from other regions live, thrive, and be respected in such large numbers \u2014 without fear, without prejudice, and with full access to the fruits of society.<\/p>\n
That alone speaks volumes about Lagos\u2019 character, maturity, and national appeal and essence.<\/p>\n
The Toll of Being Everyone\u2019s Home<\/p>\n
However, this open-armed embrace comes with tremendous pressure. As a megacity with a population of over 22 million, Lagos bears the weight of:<\/p>\n
Infrastructure Overload
\n\u2022 Road networks, bridges, drainage, and transportation are under constant strain, requiring continuous reinvestment \u2014 often funded internally.<\/p>\n
Healthcare Demand
\n\u2022 Public hospitals serve not just Lagosians, but hundreds of thousands of health seekers from other states, stretching resources and staff.<\/p>\n
Educational Stress
\n\u2022 Public schools absorb the children of internal migrants daily, necessitating constant expansion, teacher recruitment, and infrastructural upgrades.<\/p>\n
Environmental Pressure
\n\u2022 Lagos battles coastal erosion, waste management, and urban pollution\u2014 made worse by unregulated population growth and migration.<\/p>\n
Security & Policing
\n\u2022 As a magnet for opportunity, Lagos must also confront crime, urban conflict, and overstretched policing \u2014 often with state-funded security innovations, like the Lagos Security Trust Fund.<\/p>\n
Housing Deficit
\n\u2022 Lagos continues to build and incentivize housing, but population growth continues to outpace supply, driving up costs and informal settlements.<\/p>\n
Social Welfare
\n\u2022 The state delivers extensive support to the unemployed, the elderly, widows, artisans and the underserved, many of whom are not originally from Lagos.<\/p>\n
And yet, despite these enormous pressures, Lagos remains functional, progressive, peaceful, and growing.<\/p>\n
Lagos Has Earned Its Place \u2014 Not Inherited It<\/p>\n
It is laughable, if not unfortunate, to suggest that Lagos is over-pampered by the federal government. In 2024, Lagos received just \u20a6531.1 billion in federal allocation \u2014 about 3.48% of the total shared from the federation account, even though it generates over 55% of VAT and more than a third of the country\u2019s non-oil revenue.<\/p>\n
What Lagos has earned is not privilege \u2014 but respect.<\/p>\n
Let Lagos Be Applauded, Not Attacked<\/p>\n
Lagos is not a regional city. It is a national asset, a federating hub, and a home to all Nigerians, whether as traders in Alaba, executives in Ikoyi, artists in Yaba, or retirees in Lekki.<\/p>\n
This is My Lagos. Your Lagos. Our Lagos.<\/p>\n
To those who envy its rise or resent its recognition, we offer an invitation: come and learn. Replicate the Lagos model. Compete in policy, not propaganda.<\/p>\n
But above all, tell the truth:<\/p>\n
Lagos is not over-pampered. Lagos is overburdened, over-performing, and under-credited.<\/p>\n
The Call for a Special Status: A Matter of National Survival<\/p>\n
Lagos is not asking for pity. It is asking for recognition and responsibility.<\/p>\n
The call for a Special Status for Lagos is neither new nor partisan. It is rooted in logic, in data, and in the national interest. From the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and successive National Assemblies, the need for Lagos to be formally supported as Nigeria\u2019s economic and demographic hub has been widely acknowledged \u2014 but not yet acted upon.<\/p>\n
Conclusion: A Call to History<\/p>\n
Lagos has given much \u2014 to Nigeria\u2019s economy, to its unity, to its people. It has carried burdens, absorbed shocks, and provided platforms of opportunity for millions.<\/p>\n
We urge the National Assembly to rise above regional politics and partisan considerations, and do what is right, what is fair, and what is overdue:<\/p>\n
To finally accord Lagos the Special Status it has earned and long deserved.<\/p>\n
Let this generation of lawmakers be remembered as the one that acted with foresight. Let posterity write of a National Assembly that understood not only the needs of now, but the imperatives of the future.<\/p>\n
Because in truth:<\/p>\n
This is My Lagos. Your Lagos. Our Lagos.
\nAnd Nigeria cannot succeed if Lagos is ignored.<\/p>\n
Mogaji (Hon) Seye Oladejo.
\nLagos APC Spokesman
\n04\/09\/25.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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