Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has expressed confidence that Nigeria can overcome its security challenges through collaboration, effective governance, and empowering states and local governments to play a more active role in national development.

He made the remarks on Tuesday during a special lecture in Kaduna marking Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary. The event, organised by the Arewa Think Tank, drew an audience of former governors, ministers, traditional leaders, academics, and development experts.

Speaking on the theme “National Security, Unity and Development,” Sanwo-Olu stressed that addressing insecurity, poverty, and hunger requires strong local policing, economic reforms, and infrastructure projects connecting rural and urban communities.

He advocated for decentralised governance and greater grassroots autonomy as essential steps toward national stability and unity.

“The time has come for Nigeria to embrace state-driven innovation and accountability. We must strengthen local governance and ensure that every Nigerian feels the benefits of democracy. Together, we will overcome poverty, hunger, and, as President Bola Tinubu has assured, terrorism,” Sanwo-Olu said.

The governor highlighted Nigeria’s diversity as a source of strength, rooted in the country’s rich cultural and religious pluralism. He urged leaders to draw inspiration from the vision of the nation’s founding fathers, noting that unity and reform remain crucial for progress.

Sanwo-Olu also praised President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for increasing allocations to states and local governments, reforming tax policies, and enhancing financial autonomy for local authorities. He said these measures complement Lagos State’s THEMES+ agenda, which prioritises infrastructure, human capital development, inclusion, and sustainable growth.

He called on Nigerians to embrace unity as the nation’s greatest strength, stressing:

“Our diversity is not a weakness but a strength. With collective will, Nigeria will overcome insecurity and all challenges that lie ahead.”