Ehingbeti, the Lagos Economic Summit, will begin tomorrow with notable business leaders and political figures across the globe expected to join the private sector in setting the agenda for Lagos State towards the next decade.
Themed ‘For a Greater Lagos: Setting The Tone For The Next Decade’, Ehingbeti 2021 has drawn about 150 speakers from across the world to discuss and deliberate on pragmatic optimisation of the inherent opportunities in Africa’s 5th largest economy and offer perspectives on how to manage the peculiar socio-economic landscape of Lagos in the coming decade.
Leading the array of speakers at the summit are Founder and Chair of Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Mo Ibrahim; Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola; Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation, Mr. Ben Akabueze; former Managing Director of the World Bank, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, President, African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina and UNDP Resident Representative, Mohammed Yahaya.
Other speakers at the summit include Managing Director, Nigerian Breweries PLC, Jordi Borrut Bel; Prof. Pat Utomi of the Centre for Values in Leadership; Academic Director, Lagos Business School, Prof. Yinka David-West; Director-General NACCIMA, Ayoola Olukanni and Director-General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Muda Yusuf.
While President Muhammadu Buhari, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Governor of Lagos State and Catriona Laing, British High Commissioner to Nigeria will give goodwill messages, the Summit opening address will be delivered by the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, with the Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, the Deputy Governor and Mudashiru Obasa, Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly leading the session on strengthening governance, institution and legislation.
The three-day summit, which is structured into segments, will have subject experts speak on specific themes such as ‘Destination Lagos: Becoming the World’s Best Investment Destination’, ‘Eko to the World: Shaping the Future of Trade and Economic Independence’, ‘Lagos, the Industrial Hub’, ‘Made in Lagos: Shaping the Future of Media, Entertainment, Culture and Tourism’, ‘Security, Law and Order (Balancing Regulation and Economic Growth)’ and ‘Citizens Participation in Governance’.
“Our realities from 2000 when the first Ehingbeti held, exactly 20 years ago, have significantly changed. As a state, we now have to cater to the infrastructural needs of more than 22 million population and ensure that Lagos remains on the path of continuous growth” said Sam Egube, Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget and Co-Chair of Ehingbeti.
