With a 20-million-strong population, $260 billion GDP and status as West Africa’s maritime gateway, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Obasa, has once again declared Lagos as Africa’s premium business destination.
The Speaker reaffirmed this stance when he hosted a high-profile delegation from China’s Guangxi Province, led by Zhang Xiaoqin, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Guangxi People’s Congress, on Monday at the Assembly complex.
While hailing the visit as a ‘watershed moment’ for cross-continental collaboration, Obasa lauded the delegation’s expression of interest in deepening bilateral ties between Nigeria and China, with Lagos as a focal point – saying it underscores the state’s growing geopolitical clout as Africa’s fifth-largest economy and a hub of innovation, commerce, and cultural dynamism.
He said, “Lagos is more than a city – it is a vision of progress. Lagos is the best place to invest in Africa because we have the population and the enabling laws for ease of doing business. Our economy is huge and vibrant, one of the biggest in Africa. Whatever you invest here, you will recoup your investment. In the area of tourism, we are still expanding, and every idea is welcome to make us harness our potential.”
Further, he declared the state’s readiness to welcome investments in infrastructure, citing the existing collaboration between Lagos and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) in the construction and operation of the Red and Blue Rail lines.
The proposed engagement with Guangxi Province, the Speaker said, unlocks doors for mutual growth in trade, technology, and cultural exchange. Therefore, he continued, “Our Assembly is committed to crafting legislative frameworks that foster sustainable development and global partnerships, and collaborating in the area of legislation and exchange of ideas for good governance.
“Lawmaking is the bedrock of progress. We will ensure our statutes align with global best practices to secure win-win outcomes for Lagos and our partners.”
Earlier, Xiaoqin had described the visit as “a foundation for enduring friendship,” with plans for follow-up technical exchanges. He described Lagos as a “vibrant economic ecosystem” and said that it shares maritime advantages with Guangxi that could be leveraged to grow tourism. “We are looking forward to enhancing collaboration in the area of trade, economy, and tourism. We hope you will provide more care for the Chinese citizens in Lagos,” he said.
Indeed, Guangxi, a southern Chinese region bordering Vietnam and famed for its ASEAN trade corridors, shares synergies with Lagos in port logistics, agriculture, and tourism. Guangxi’s interest signals China’s broader strategy to expand its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) footprint in Nigeria, with Lagos positioned as a linchpin.
For Obasa, the engagement is both diplomatic and symbolic: a reaffirmation of Lagos’s legislative maturity and its readiness to shape Africa’s 21st-century narrative.
