July 5, 2025 – Lagos, Nigeria
At the 2025 edition of the EuroCham CEOs Roundtable, Honourable Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Folashade Bada-Ambrose, delivered a powerful address spotlighting Lagos State’s strategic push toward inclusive industrialisation and regional trade integration.
Speaking before a gathering of top business leaders and international stakeholders, Mrs. Bada-Ambrose described the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a defining force in the continent’s economic evolution.
“We converge today at a historic moment. AfCFTA is more than an ambitious policy—it is a continental awakening. A unified market of over 1.4 billion people and a GDP exceeding $3 trillion represents a bold economic frontier,” she said.
Highlighting Lagos State’s critical role, the Commissioner emphasized its alignment with national industrialisation goals, while also advancing homegrown strategies to attract and retain investment. As a coastal city with access to West African markets, Lagos is leveraging this advantage through targeted initiatives including:
Tax incentives for manufacturers in industrial clusters
Accelerated land allocation and titling services
Access to finance through the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF)
The ₦10 billion LASMECO scheme for MSMEs
A digital one-stop investment centre to ease business registration and operations
Mrs. Bada-Ambrose also underscored the role of human capital in sustaining economic growth.
“With a youthful, tech-savvy population and a median age of 18, Lagos holds a demographic advantage. The Sanwo-Olu administration is building robust skills-to-industry pipelines through vocational training, digital literacy, and strategic partnerships,” she noted.
She assured participants that Lagos remains committed to building a thriving industrial base anchored on innovation, infrastructure, and inclusiveness.
The Roundtable served as a platform for reinforcing trade alliances and shaping strategies to boost investor confidence and cross-border collaboration across Africa.