Lagos State is set to deepen its bilateral relationship with Kenya, focusing on key economic sectors including hospitality, tourism and creative industries, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced during a meeting with Kenya’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Isaac Parashina, at Lagos House, Marina.
The high-level diplomatic engagement, which took place on Friday, represents an important step in strengthening African economic cooperation, with Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, playing a pivotal role in fostering continental trade relations.
During the meeting, Governor Sanwo-Olu emphasized the importance of leveraging technology and sharing innovations between both nations to build a more economically vibrant Africa. “At this difficult moment for global leaders, there is a need for us to lean on one another, learn about new innovations, and create new inventions,” the governor stated.
The Kenyan High Commissioner, who assumed office eight months ago, expressed particular interest in Lagos’s thriving creative arts industry and its young population. Parashina outlined plans to tap into the wealth of knowledge within Lagos’s youth sector to develop similar capabilities in Kenya, highlighting the potential for cultural and creative exchange between both nations.
In a significant development for bilateral relations, Parashina sought the state government’s support to establish a Kenya House in Lagos, which would serve as the country’s consulate. This move could potentially enhance trade relations and facilitate easier business interactions between both regions.
The governor highlighted successful examples of African cooperation in the aviation sector, citing Kenya Airways and Ethiopia Airways as models of successful pan-African business ventures. “We need to ensure that as African countries we can reach each other and thrive together,” Sanwo-Olu emphasized.
The meeting, attended by key state officials including Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hazmat and other cabinet members, represents Lagos’s commitment to fostering international partnerships that could drive economic growth across the continent.
Building African Economic Integration
This diplomatic initiative comes at a time when African nations are seeking to strengthen intra-continental trade and economic cooperation. The proposed partnership between Lagos and Kenya in tourism, hospitality and creative industries could create new market opportunities and job prospects for both regions, while potentially offering some relief from current economic pressures through increased trade and cultural exchange. However, the success of these initiatives will depend on effective implementation and the ability to overcome existing barriers to intra-African trade and cooperation.
