Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called on African stakeholders to embrace clean urban transport innovation and investment, describing them not as abstract ideals but as tools for continental renaissance.
The governor made the call on Wednesday at the 2025 Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) International Conference on Sustainable Urban Mobility (SUMConference25), themed ‘Harnessing Clean Urban Transport Innovation and Investment in Africa.’
Speaking at the event held at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Ikeja, the governor, who was represented by his deputy, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, urged Africans to build a continent that moves efficiently, inclusively, and sustainably.
He noted that across the continent, cities were expanding rapidly, and with them, the demand for safe, reliable, and affordable mobility had become essential.
According to him, the African continent must be united by a shared and urgent mission focused on harnessing innovation and investment for clean, sustainable urban mobility.
‘For Africa, sustainable mobility is not a luxury but a necessity for achieving economic development, social equity, and climate resilience.
‘I challenge us all to think big, act bold, and move together. Let us harness clean urban transport innovation and investment not as abstract ideals but as instruments of continental renaissance. Let us build an Africa that moves efficiently, inclusively, and sustainably,’ the governor said.
Sanwo-Olu further stated that the conference aligned with the United Nations’ forthcoming Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026-2035), urging governments, cities, and citizens to develop transport systems that are safe, inclusive, energy-efficient, and climate-resilient.
He emphasised that Africa could not afford to be a spectator in this global movement, noting that the continent was urbanising faster than any other region in the world.
‘By 2050, over 1.3 billion Africans will live in cities. How we move those people cleanly, affordably, and equitably will determine whether our growth is sustainable or self-defeating,’ he said.
The governor acknowledged that the journey towards sustainable mobility required political courage, financial creativity, institutional resilience, and partnerships across the continent.
He pointed out that Lagos, through perseverance, had demonstrated what was possible when African cities believed in themselves, adding: ‘This transformation is still unfolding in our Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridors, our ferry terminals, our smart ticketing systems, and our upcoming electric bus pilot. Each project tells a story.’
Sanwo-Olu further revealed that Lagos was among the first African cities to deploy a citywide sensor network, coordinated by LAMATA and the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), to track urban transport-induced emissions in real time.
He envisioned that the conference must move participants ‘closer to a continental Air Quality Alliance linking African cities in a shared platform of open data for clean air.’
In his address, Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to driving Africa’s clean and sustainable transport revolution. He said the convergence of critical stakeholders and decision-makers from across the continent continued to address the challenges and opportunities shaping Africa’s transportation future.
Osiyemi noted that Africa’s rapid urbanisation presented both great challenges and immense opportunities for sustainable development, adding: ‘As our cities grow, we must prioritise clean, affordable, and efficient mobility for all.’
Highlighting the vast potential of clean transport investment across Africa, the commissioner explained that sustainable mobility was key to improving air quality, reducing congestion, and promoting economic growth. He cited several African cities – including Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Cape Town, Accra, and Lagos – that were already implementing electric mobility initiatives, non-motorised transport infrastructure, and multimodal public transport systems.
In her welcome address, LAMATA Managing Director, Engr Abimbola Akinajo, stated that the conference, held in partnership with sustainable development organisations, aimed to serve as a knowledge hub for policymakers, planners, engineers, researchers, operators, and other key stakeholders at both national and sub-national levels in Nigeria.
She recalled that in 2024, the Lagos State Government, through LAMATA, formally institutionalised the annual conference on sustainable urban mobility and that from 2025 onwards, the agency decided to incorporate international stakeholder participation, especially from Africa, into the SUMConference framework.
‘This is geared towards fostering synergy, cooperation, commitment, and unity among African governments, businesses, and communities to adopt sustainable transport practices, reduce carbon footprints, and promote renewable energy sources,’ she said.
Akinajo added that the main objective of the SUMCourse workshops was to continue building institutional and organisational capacity across state ministries, departments, agencies, and local governments, and to coordinate their activities towards achieving a unified and consistent policy framework for sustainable transport development in Lagos.