President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday inaugurated the reconstructed Lagos Governors’ Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja, declaring that public assets must outlive the individual leaders who oversee them. The President, who was represented by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, used the occasion to urge political leaders across the country to preserve and improve public infrastructure for the benefit of future generations.
A Call for Lasting Legacies
Speaking at the ceremony, Tinubu said governance should be measured by the quality of infrastructure and institutions bequeathed to the people. He stressed that public assets belonged to the people and must be preserved, improved and developed to serve generations yet unborn.
“Public assets belong to the people, and it is our responsibility as leaders to preserve what has been entrusted to us, improve it where necessary, and provide lasting infrastructure that future generations can inherit and benefit from,” the President said.
Tinubu noted that Lagos, as Nigeria’s commercial hub and centre of excellence, deserved infrastructure that reflected its status and aspirations. He commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for delivering the facility, describing it as evidence of the state’s commitment to excellence and responsible management of public infrastructure. He also said the timely completion of the project demonstrated the Lagos State Government’s commitment and the efforts of all those involved in its execution.
The President recalled that the old structure was demolished in October 2025 to pave the way for the new facility, which he described as a befitting official residence for the Lagos governor and his family in Abuja. He expressed the hope that the lodge would remain a place of peace, comfort and hospitality for successive administrations and their families.
Sanwo-Olu: A Milestone for Lagos in Abuja
Governor Sanwo-Olu described the commissioning as another historic milestone, explaining that the lodge was designed as an institutional centre for government business, strategic engagements and relations with the Federal Government. He noted that Lagos continued to maintain significant economic and political interests in Abuja despite the relocation of Nigeria’s capital to the city in December 1991.
According to the governor, successive Lagos governors regularly visit Abuja for National Economic Council and Council of State meetings, as well as engagements with ministers, lawmakers, diplomats, governors and investors. He said the old lodge had served the state for decades but no longer reflected its present status and growing responsibilities.
Sanwo-Olu disclosed that Julius Berger Nigeria Plc executed the reconstruction project, which commenced in July 2025 and was completed in September 2026. He commended the construction company for delivering the project within schedule despite technical challenges, including excavation work approximately 10 metres deep. The governor said the facility belonged to Lagos residents and would provide a suitable environment for official engagements, hospitality and the advancement of the state’s interests.
Sanwo-Olu, who is expected to leave office in May 2027, said the facility was built for successive administrations, stressing that governments should prioritise lasting legacies. “I believe a government should build things, not stay long for itself to enjoy,” he said.
Scope of the Project
In his remarks, Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat described the reconstructed lodge as a renewed institutional presence of Lagos in Abuja and a strategic investment in government business, hospitality and official engagements.
Julius Berger Nigeria Plc’s Managing Director, Dr Peer Lubasch, said in his project briefing that the facility occupied approximately 2,700 square metres and comprised the main residence, a guest house and a utility building. He said the project involved several subsidiaries of the Julius Berger Group, with PrimeTech handling the designs, while other subsidiaries supplied windows, façade components and furniture.
The inauguration attracted former Lagos governors Babatunde Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode, members of the National Assembly, traditional rulers, state officials, captains of industry and other dignitaries.
