Nigerian Concord Newspaper
… Says Lagos Is West Africa’s Natural Anchor For Shared Prosperity
The Lagos State Government, in collaboration with the Republic of Liberia, on Wednesday hosted the inaugural Liberia–Nigeria Trade & Investment Forum (LNTIF) 2026 at the Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, with Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu delivering a special address, urging both Nations to convert decades of diplomatic goodwill into tangible Trade and Investment Partnerships.
The landmark Forum, themed “Building Bridges for Shared Prosperity: Strengthening Liberia–Nigeria Trade and Investment Partnership,” brought together a high-powered Liberian delegation led by Her Excellency Mme. Sara Beysolow Nyanti, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia, and Hon. Magdalene E. Dagoseh, Minister of Commerce and Industry.
Also in attendance were His Excellency, John Akel Ballout Jr., Ambassador of the Republic of Liberia to the Federal Republic of Nigeria; the Honorary Consul to the Federal Republic of Liberia in Lagos, Barrister Dapo Akinosun; and representatives of the Nigerian Federal Government, including Amb. Sola Enikanolaiye, Hon. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, represented by Dr. Ilesanmi Bakare, and Dr. Umar Joseph, representing the Hon. Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole.
Welcoming the Liberian delegation to Lagos, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Honourable Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Hon. Folashade Bada Ambrose-Medebem, described the Forum as a critical platform to close the gap between the current volume of Trade and the vast potential that exists between both nations.
He noted that Nigeria’s exports to Liberia stood at only 21 million United States dollars in 2024, a figure he said “should give all of us in this room both pause and purpose.”
“The bonds between our two Nations are not just Diplomatic; they are Historical, Cultural, and Fraternal. From the shores of Monrovia to the markets of Lagos, our Peoples have traded, travelled, and prospered together for generations,” the Governor stated. “Yet we must be honest with ourselves: the volume of Trade and Investment between our two Countries does not yet reflect the depth of our friendship or the scale of our possibilities.”
The Lagos State Governor emphasised the critical role of sub-National Governments in driving regional Economic Integration, noting that “treaties are signed in Capitals, while Trade happens in Cities, identifying Lagos as a natural anchor on the Nigerian side of the bridge, even as the State’s Gross Domestic Product is approximated as 59 billion United States dollars, in purchasing power parity terms, making it the second-largest city Economy in Africa.
“Lagos is where Africa’s ambitions meet execution. If Liberia and Nigeria are to build bridges for shared prosperity, then Lagos offers itself as a natural anchor on the Nigerian side of that bridge,” he said.
The State Governor outlined four priority bridges for collaboration: trade facilitation through improved Maritime connectivity and Customs simplification; Investment in Agriculture, Mining, Energy, Tourism, and Infrastructure; Innovation and Skills Development through Technology Ecosystem Exchanges, and Institutional Partnership between Lagos State Agencies and Liberian Counterparts.
Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu reiterated Lagos State’s total commitment to the Partnership, declaring: “Lagos is open for business, open to Liberia, and open to the shared prosperity of West Africa.”
In her address, Her Excellency Mme. Sara Beysolow Nyanti, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia, underscored Liberia’s commitment to Economic Diplomacy as the cornerstone of its Foreign policy, noting that while Liberia may be small, it is uniquely positioned along a coastline blessed with 40 per cent (40%} of Africa’s rainforest, which boasts the World’s Largest Ship Registry.
“The government cannot be the largest employer in the country. The government will not be able to build a private sector to create jobs. The government will create a living environment for that to happen,” Minister Nyanti stated. “This is why Nigeria is important. There is no Nigeria without Lagos.”
She cited the transformation of Bar Beach into Eko Atlantic City as an enviable development that Nigerians achieved, expressing confidence that similar transitions are possible in Liberia through Symbiotic Partnership.
According to Hon. Magdalene E. Dagoseh, Minister of Commerce and Industry, who reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to Building Partnerships that promote Economic Growth and Regional Innovation, accentuating ongoing Reforms, including the digitisation of Business Registration, the decentralization of the Liberia Business Registry, and the Liberia Investment, Finance and Trade Project, which has supported 250 Small and Medium Enterprises, many led by women and young people.
“Our goal is open. It should generate jobs, encourage innovation, and improve people’s lives. I want to share a single message with investors: Liberia is open for business,” Minister Dagoseh declared.
Also speaking, Dr. Ilesanmi Bakare, who represented the Hon. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Sola Enikanolaiye, described the Event as Historic, stressing that Nigeria and Liberia share more than Geography. “Our greatest export is not oil; it is our people. Our entrepreneurs fill African markets, connecting creativity,” he said.
While emphasising the prospects of the symbiotic liaison, Dr. Umar Joseph, who represented the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, and Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, underlined three pillars for Nigerian Enterprise in Liberia: Agro-processing and Value addition, Fintech and Digital Trade Integration, and Manufacturing and Special Economic Zones. “When we look across our borders, we do not see competitors. We see missing pieces of one gigantic simple power that we have to work together to fix,” he stated.
In his remarks, Barrister Dapo Akinosun, Honourary Consul to the Federal Republic of Liberia in Lagos, stressed that investment follows bankable projects and called for full implementation of agreements to achieve inclusive development. “This Forum must open a new chapter of promises and open doors in crossing the bridge,” he implored.
His Excellency, John Akel Ballout Jr., Ambassador of the Republic of Liberia, on his part, averred that Liberia is implementing digital business systems to make activities more transparent and invited Nigerian partners to collaborate in Logistics, Transportation Services, and Agro-Economy.
The Forum concluded with a collective resolve to move beyond declarations, with a focus on signing new Memoranda of Understanding aligned with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), establishing Factories, opening Shipping Routes, and creating jobs in both Nations.