It was a harvest of infrastructure in Badagry Division, as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday, inaugurated key projects in the ancient town located on the western part of Lagos State.
Sanwo-Olu commissioned seven newly completed road projects that cut across more than eight communities in Badagry Local Government Area and Olorunda Local Council Development Area within the Badagry Division.
The new road infrastructure, measuring 16.4 kilometres in length, bridged connectivity gaps and improved transportation access across the beneficiary communities.
Residents, who heaved sigh of relief following the completion of the road, organised a cultural fanfare to welcome the Governor and his entourage into the town for the projects’ inauguration.
Samuel Ekundayo-Toga Road, a critical arterial route leading to the town from Marina area, is now expanded and upgraded from a single lane to dual carriageway with proper drainage.
Construction of the 7km-long road was executed in two phases, with Phase 1 taking the work from Joseph Dosu Junction to Toga Road, connecting Lagos-Badagry Expressway. The second phase of the project started from Toga intersection and opened to Aradangun-Mosefejo Road.
The Samuel Ekundayo-Toga Road also serves as a bypass to Lagos-Badagry Expressway by Limca/Ibereko and Badagry Roundabouts.
Other roads commissioned by Sanwo-Olu included Aradagun Road, Mosafejo Road, Ilado Road, Imeke Road and Hospital Road, with each road linking the other.
Inaugurating the road projects, the Governor said the intervention was delivered under the State Government’s aggressive Urban Regeneration and Intermodal Transportation Strategy rolled out to rehabilitate and modernise key transport infrastructure critical to unlocking socio-economic opportunities in beneficiary communities.
Sanwo-Olu said the initiative aligned with his administration’s broader vision of inclusive growth, where no community would be left behind in development projects.
The seven road projects, the Governor said, demonstrated his Government’s commitment to harnessing immense tourism and economic growth potential which Badagry offered.
He said: “Recognizing Badagry’s rich cultural heritage, strategic location, and natural attractions, we deliberately prioritised provision of modern transport infrastructure that not only supports tourism but also stimulates broader socio-economic development in this part of Lagos. This approach aligns with our broader vision of inclusive growth, where no community or area is overlooked or left behind.
“Our inclusive infrastructure initiative has extended development far beyond the central and urban areas to the inner parts and less accessible corners of the metropolis, ensuring every community benefits from the fruits of progress. By delivering these road projects, we have once again demonstrated that our administration is not just about promises and hopes, but about concrete plans, execution, and a steadfast commitment to serve our citizenry better.”
Sanwo-Olu said Badagry had continued to hold enormous economic importance to Lagos and the country, as the boundary town serves as a gateway to five West African countries.
He said his administration took the responsibility to rebuild and upgrade Hospital Road in order to improve access to the popular Agbalata Market and also Badagry’s tourist sites and historic monuments, which include Agiya Tree Monument, Nigeria’s first storey building, Early Missionary Cemetery, Slave Trade Relic and Town Hall, Heritage Museum and Eko Theatre, among others.
Sanwo-Olu, however, appealed to residents of Oko Afo, Ilogbo, Eremi and Pota in Badagry Division to exercise more patience, given the pace of work on the ongoing construction of a network of roads in the communities.
The Governor promised to accelerate the work to completion.
He said: “By upgrading Hospital Road, we are not just improving a road; we are reinforcing the foundation for sustainable tourism growth, economic development, and broader regional integration in our desire to transform Badagry. Our administration will continue to prioritise development in our inner cities.
“I am aware that in the past, some residents of the Badagry Division felt neglected and yearned for Government’s presence in providing infrastructure to boost local socio-economic activities. I assure you that we are sparing no effort to fully harness Badagry’s tourism potential by providing the necessary infrastructure to complement and accelerate its growth.”
Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure, Engr. Olufemi Daramola, said the projects highlighted the Sanwo-Olu administration’s commitment to sustainable infrastructure development and efficient intra-community connectivity across the State.
He said the infrastructure upgrades were strategic to ensure easier movement of goods and people, while enhancing community resilience to flooding, and ensuring improved living standards for Badagry residents.
Chairman of Badagry Local Government Areas, Hon. Babatunde Hunpe, thanked the Governor for transforming the town with the modern infrastructure.
He said the commissioning demonstrated visionary leadership and commitment to purposeful governance at the grassroots.
“This intervention is a testament to Governor Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to infrastructural development in every part of Lagos. The seven roads being opened today will enhance mobility, stimulate local commerce, improve access to education, health care and social services. The roads will open new doors of economic opportunities through tourism for our people,” Hunpe said.