In his two four-year terms as governor of Lagos State from 2007 to 2015, Babatunde Fashola became a key player in the ruling All Progressives’ Congress and a household name in Nigerian politics. As governor of a state that generates a third of Nigeria’s economic output and hosts the nation’s commercial capital, he increased tax revenues and overhauled security and law and order.
Now in the key portfolio of Minister for Works and Housing, the 57-year old is flexing his muscles on the national stage as a crucial player in the country’s infrastructure drive.
The government, hampered by Covid-19 and an oil price decline, has been accused by some of moving too slowly. But since the start of the year, it has unveiled a raft of ambitious projects, and Fashola remains positive about the country’s prospects.