The relentless architect of a future-ready Lagos
In the history of Lagos State governance, few leaders have matched the intensity and velocity of development currently being witnessed under Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.
As the 15th Governor of Lagos State, the State has entered the mature phase of his administration, his momentum has not only sustained, it has accelerated. In 2025, his work rate has become so frantic and result-oriented that it has birthed a popular joke on the streets of Lagos, “With this pace of work, is Sanwo-Olu auditioning for a third term?”
While constitutionally impossible, the sentiment underscores a profound reality, Sanwo-Olu governs with the urgency of a man who refuses to leave a single task unfinished.
Since securing a landslide victory in 2019 with 75.6% of the vote, Sanwo-Olu has systematically dismantled the barriers to Lagos’ potential. The year 2024–2025 has been defined by the aggressive execution of his THEMES+ agenda. He has fundamentally altered the state’s transit landscape through the operational success of the Blue and Red Rail Lines, moving Lagos closer to the intermodal connectivity of a true 21st-century megacity.
Beyond transport, his administration has championed a holistic renewal. From the delivery of modern housing units and the upgrading of health infrastructure to the expansion of educational facilities, Sanwo-Olu’s footprint is visible in every quadrant of the state. His decisive handling of environmental renewal, security threats, and economic shocks has proven him to be a leader who is as humane as he is pragmatic, solution-driven, empathetic, and timely.
Governor Sanwo-Olu’s success is not accidental, it is the product of a career meticulously built for public service.
Born on June 25, 1965, he is a seasoned administrator with a unique blend of private sector agility and public sector discipline.
An alumnus of the University of Lagos (Surveying & Geo-Informatics; MBA in Management) and a product of executive training at Harvard Kennedy School, London Business School, and Lagos Business School, he possesses the intellectual depth required to manage Africa’s fifth-largest economy. His journey from the banking sector to becoming a three-time Commissioner (Economic Planning, Commerce & Industry, and Establishments) prepared him to modernize the state’s workforce and strengthen fiscal planning effectively.
A Fellow of NITAD and a member of the Institute of Directors (IOD) and CIPM, Sanwo-Olu balances the rigours of governance with a grounded personal life. A devoted husband to Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu and a fitness enthusiast, he remains connected to the social fabric of Lagos through memberships in the Ikoyi Club 1938, Yoruba Tennis Club, and the Island Club.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is nominated as the 2025 Man of the Year not just for what he has started, but for his refusal to slow down. He is being honoured for his resilience, his visionary leadership during challenging times, and his measurable impact on the daily lives of Lagosians. He has proven that with the right driver in the seat, the engine of Lagos never stops roaring.