31/07/2026
A story of inequality.
Today I took a boat ride through one of the coastal communities in Lagos. It left me with an even greater appreciation for the sheer strength of commerce that is Lagos, Nigeria’s economic capital and the gateway for much of our trade with the world.
As we moved across the water, I looked in one direction at a waterfront settlement where families were going about their daily lives. Then, across the same stretch of water, I saw container ships, cranes and one of Africa’s busiest ports handling goods worth billions of dollars.
It was a reminder that economic growth and inequality can exist side by side.
But inequality is not a Lagos story alone; it is a Nigerian story. Across the country, prosperity is unevenly shared. In many parts of northern Nigeria, where I come from, poverty and deprivation are even more pronounced.
The experience also reminded me why tax matters. Tax is more than a tool for raising revenue. When designed well and matched with transparent, accountable public spending, it helps convert economic growth into better schools, healthcare, infrastructure and opportunities for everyone.
As I looked across the water today, I wasn’t seeing two different worlds. I was thinking about one Nigeria and the challenge before us: ensuring that the prosperity created in places like Lagos becomes an opportunity for people across the country.
