Lagos State and California in the United States have entered into a sister-state partnership to strengthen cooperation between the two jurisdictions in areas including trade, technology, culture, and economic development.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and California Assemblyman Matt Haney signed the agreement at a ceremony held at the Leland Stanford Mansion in Sacramento.
Government officials, lawmakers, business executives and members of the Nigerian community in the United States attended the signing ceremony.
The agreement followed the adoption of Assembly Concurrent Resolution 129 (ACR 129), which Assemblyman Haney sponsored alongside Assemblymember Isaac Bryan. The resolution secured bipartisan backing in the California Legislature.
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Lagos State lawmakers Lukmon Saheed Olumoh, Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, and Kehinde Joseph, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, witnessed the signing.
California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin, Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty and Afretrade Chief Executive Officer Lekan Salaam were also present.
The ceremony took place at the Leland Stanford Mansion, a Victorian-era building covering about 19,000 square feet and dating back to 1856. The venue previously served as a meeting place for California governors and other state officials.
The event also featured cultural displays celebrating Lagos and Yoruba heritage. Performers presented the traditional Eyo masquerade, accompanied by the gangan talking drum, while Yoruba musician Nkan Eleduwa entertained guests with songs highlighting Lagos’ economic influence.
Speaking at the ceremony, Sanwo-Olu said Lagos and California shared several economic, demographic and creative characteristics that could provide a foundation for closer cooperation.
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He described Lagos as a major economic centre with a population of more than 20 million people and a strong presence in banking, commerce, entertainment, music and software development.
The governor said the partnership went beyond a ceremonial relationship, arguing that both jurisdictions could draw on their similarities to develop practical areas of collaboration.
He compared California’s Hollywood with Lagos’ Nollywood, Silicon Valley with Yaba’s technology ecosystem and the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach with the Lekki Deep Sea Port.
Sanwo-Olu also pointed to environmental challenges shared by both regions, noting that California contended with wildfires and drought while Lagos faced coastal flooding and rising sea levels.
Haney recalled his previous visits to Yaba and spoke about his interest in Nigerian culture, cuisine, fashion and Afrobeats.
The California lawmaker said the youthful populations of both jurisdictions provided opportunities for increased engagement and cooperation.
Salaam, who represented the private sector at the event, spoke about his personal experience of travelling to California as a young person and accessing opportunities that influenced his entrepreneurial career.
His company, Afretrade, currently works to promote cross-border trade and facilitate direct investment in Nigeria.
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The agreement connects two major sub-national economies. Lagos State has an estimated GDP of $259.75 billion, making it the second-largest city economy in Africa after Cairo, Egypt.
California, meanwhile, has the largest state economy in the United States, with an estimated GDP of between $4.25 trillion and $4.3 trillion, accounting for about 14 per cent of the country’s total economic output.
