Lagos, California Deepen Partnership in Tourism, Creative Industry

 Lagos, California Deepen Partnership in Tourism, Creative Industry

LAGOS — The Lagos State Government has strengthened its international collaboration with California, United States, following a recent working visit by Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu and members of the Lagos State Executive Council to San Francisco and New York.

The delegation included the Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, and other members of the State Executive Council.

A major highlight of the visit was the formalisation of a Sister-State partnership between Lagos and California through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The agreement is expected to promote collaboration in key areas, including tourism, the creative industry, multimodal transportation and information technology.

According to the Lagos State Government, the partnership is designed to create opportunities for knowledge exchange, investment, innovation and stronger economic ties between Lagos and California.

The delegation also held engagements in New York with global investors and strategic partners to showcase investment opportunities in Lagos' tourism, arts, culture and creative economy sectors.

Benson-Awoyinka noted the growing international recognition of creative talents from Lagos, citing artistes such as Olamide, Tiwa Savage, Asake and Fireboy DML, alongside other Nigerian creative brands with a global audience.

She said the recognition underscored Lagos' continuing role in driving the growth and international visibility of Afrobeats and Nigeria's broader entertainment industry.

The Commissioner reaffirmed the State Government's commitment to creating platforms and an enabling environment for creative professionals to develop their talents, expand their reach and participate more effectively in the global creative economy.

She added that Lagos would continue to support emerging talents and provide opportunities for young creatives to showcase their work and build sustainable careers.

The engagements in the United States form part of the Lagos State Government's broader efforts to attract international partnerships and investment while positioning the state's tourism, arts, culture and creative sectors for greater participation in the global economy.