Lagos Seals Historic Partnership Deal With California

Lagos State and the State of California, United States, have signed a sister-state agreement to deepen collaboration in technology, entertainment, trade, ports development and climate action.

The agreement was signed last Thursday at a ceremony in Sacramento, California. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu signed on behalf of Lagos State, while Assemblyman Matt Haney signed for California.

The signing ceremony was held at the historic Leland Stanford Mansion in Sacramento.

It was witnessed by Lagos State House of Assembly members, Hon. Lukmon Saheed Olumoh, Chairman, Appropriations Committee, and Hon. Kehinde Joseph, Chairman, Public Accounts (State) Committee, Assemblyman Isaac Bryan, co-author of Resolution ACR 129 that enabled the pact, California Transportation Secretary, Toks Omishakin, Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty, business leaders and members of the Nigerian community.

The event featured an Eyo masquerade performance with traditional drums and Yoruba songs.

Speaking at the event, Sanwo-Olu said the partnership recognises shared strengths between both sub-nationals, noting parallels between Hollywood and Nollywood, Silicon Valley and Yaba, and the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and the Lekki Deep Sea Port.

“Lagos is a city-state of more than 20 million people. If she were a country, she would be among the largest economies in Africa. When this Legislature passed ACR 129 with votes from both sides of the aisle, they were not doing charity. They were recognizing a mirror,” Sanwo-Olu said.

He said both states face climate challenges and have much to learn from each other.

In his remarks, Haney recalled his visit to Yaba, praised Afrobeats and Lagos’ creative industry, and said the opportunities in fashion, food, culture and technology are limitless.

Afretrade CEO, Lekan Salaam, also spoke on the business and cultural ties between both states.

Lagos, with a GDP of about $259.75 billion, is Africa’s second largest city economy after Cairo. California, with a GDP of about $4.3 trillion, is the largest state economy in the United States, accounting for about 14 percent of the US economy.