We are not where we used to be economically – Sanwo-Olu

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, on Thursday, said Nigeria may not have met up is with its target economically, but “we’re not where we used to be.”

Sanwo-Olu spoke during the Nigerian Economic Summit 30th Anniversary Public Lecture and Founders’ Forum by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) held at the Lagos Business School, Lekki.

The theme of the event is “In the National Interest: Reflecting on the Past, Reimagining the Future.”

Governor Sanwo-Olu, who launched the 30th anniversary logo of the Nigerian Economic Summit alongside the Chairman of the NESG Board of Directors, Mr. Niyi Yusuf, said with the current economic and social realities, it is more advantageous to begin to build a foundation of like-minded people in all sectors.

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He charged the NESG to continuously push for synergy between the public and private sectors for a collective agenda of service and benefit to citizens.

He said, “We are not yet where we would like to be, but we are also not where we used to be. We must continue to set goals to inspire ourselves to do better and be better as a nation. We may not always achieve the targets according to the envisioned timelines, but that should never be an excuse for not trying.

“One of the areas that the public sector definitely needs to improve on, especially internally, is synergy; having various actors on the same page, overcoming what I call the silo impulse, to pursue a collective agenda of service and benefit to citizens. I think the NESG can scale up its relevance here.

“I would also like to touch on the linkage between policy work and public consciousness. The more an organisation is able to connect with the general public, the greater its effectiveness. This is why I think that the Nigerian Economic Summit should explore ways of deepening the public-facing side of its work.

“I am pleased to note that you (NESG) have recently launched a podcast that allows for engaging conversations with experts as one of the ways to bring your work to new audiences. I encourage more efforts in this regard, taking advantage of digital technologies, so that more Nigerians can see not just the work that you do but also how that work contributes to improving the quality of their lives and livelihoods.”

Sanwo-Olu, who was a Special Guest Speaker at the event to mark the 30th anniversary of the Nigerian Economic Summit, commended NESG for providing a platform for the nation’s economic growth as a champion of the gospel of collaboration in Nigeria.

He said the Nigerian Economic Summit, which started in 1994 a few months after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, has lived up to expectations, becoming one of the most influential institutions enabling the most impactful reforms that the country is experiencing.

Speaking during the event, the Chairman of the NESG Advisory Board and pioneer Chairman of the NESG Board of Directors, Dr. Pascal Dozie, who was represented by the CEO of Business Day and a Board Member of NESG, Frank Aigbogun, said the summit is a constructive platform for dialogue to reflect on Nigeria’s economy.

Also speaking, the Managing Partner, Compliance Professionals PLC, Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru, stressed the need for partnerships between the public and private sectors to build a foundation of like-minded people in all sectors.