The governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, says the drive for urban transformation is urgent and necessary, explaining that it reflects the need to prepare cities for future demographic realities.
The governor noted that the action has become more urgent and necessary now that Nigeria is urbanising rapidly, with its population projected to exceed 300 million by 2050.
The governor spoke at a one-day conference, organised by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Nigeria Group, with the theme, ‘Building for 300 Million: Driving Urban Transformation.’
The conference called for stronger collaboration among various professionals and the government to ensure an efficient and inclusive built environment.
Sanwo-Olu revealed that Lagos State and RICS share a common vision—building sustainable, well-planned, and resilient cities that can serve as engines of national development, stressing that the state government has a longstanding relationship with the RICS community.
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“Many of our major urban, real estate, and infrastructure projects have benefited from the professional input and ethical standards that RICS promotes. The partnership between Lagos and RICS shows how government and professional bodies can complement each other, with the government setting the enabling policy framework, and professionals providing the technical competence, innovation, and integrity required to deliver the vision,” the governor noted.
He noted further that this collaboration has strengthened areas such as property valuation, project management, infrastructure planning, and the promotion of global standards within the housing and construction ecosystem.
He added that Lagos remains a living case study of urban transformation in Africa, with its THEMES+ Agenda focusing on a sustainable economy anchored on inclusive urban growth, and continuous upgrades of physical and social infrastructure.
In his welcome address, Tayo Odunsi, chairman of RICS Nigeria Group and CEO of Build Africa, said the theme ‘Building for 300 Million’ is more than aspirational; it is a clarion call rooted in demographic certainty.
“Nigeria’s population is projected to reach 300 million in the near future,” he said. “This growth presents both extraordinary opportunities and formidable challenges. The question is not whether this future will arrive, but whether we will be prepared,” he said.
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Odunsi stressed that professionals in the built environment—estate surveyors and valuers, quantity surveyors, land and building surveyors, project managers, financiers, and academics—play interconnected roles in creating sustainable real estate for Nigeria’s expanding population.
“Expertise alone is insufficient,” he warned, adding, “We must recommit to upholding and advancing the rigorous standards that RICS champions—standards representing global best practices. Society expects us to deliver not just buildings and infrastructure, but quality, sustainability, and resilience.”
Also speaking, Uche Obi, a fellow of the RICS Governing Council, said the idea of “building for 300 million people” captures the urgency and magnitude of Nigeria’s future needs.
“But beyond the statistics is a deeper story,” he noted. “A story of cultural richness, national pride, and global potential. Nigeria leads with energy, creativity, and resilience—and this spirit will shape the next chapter of the built environment profession.”
In his goodwill message, Akin Opatola, President of FIABCI Nigeria, remarked that, “If Lagos succeeds in aligning urban transformation with professional excellence, Nigeria will not just build cities—we will build global confidence.”
