APC Asks NASS To Grant Lagos Special Status

…Cites Economic Contribution, Infrastructural Burden

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the National Assembly to grant Lagos State a Special Status, citing its immense contributions to the national economy, its overstretched infrastructure, and its vital role as a unifying force in Nigeria.

The party made the call on Wednesday in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Seye Oladejo.

THE WHISTLER reports that a paper titled ‘What is the Meaning of Special Status Regions’, published in 2019 by the Constitutional Options Project, refers to special status as the privileges a state or region enjoys to accommodate its peculiarities.

So, in other words, special status is a designation given to a sub-national (state), territory, or entity that grants it certain privileges, autonomy, or rights that differ from those of other similar entities within a federation.

According to the APC, Lagos is Nigeria’s economic power house and cultural melting pot, insisting that the state has earned recognition not by privilege, but through performance, sacrifice, and sustained inclusiveness.

The party noted that despite being home to over 22 million people and contributing more than 20 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), over 55 percent of its Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue, and handling nearly 70 percent of maritime imports, Lagos received just N531.1bn in federal allocation in 2024—representing only 3.48 per cent of the total shared funds from the federation account.

The APC dismissed claims that Lagos is unduly favoured by the federal government, calling such narratives both misleading and unfair.

It contended that Lagos remains functional and progressive not because of federal indulgence, but because of visionary governance and the hard work of its people.

“It is laughable, if not unfortunate, to suggest that Lagos is over-pampered by the federal government.

“In 2024, Lagos received just N531.1bn in federal allocation — about 3.48 per cent of the total shared from the federation account, even though it generates over 55 per cent of VAT and more than a third of the country’s non-oil revenue.

“What Lagos has earned is not privilege — but respect,” Oladejo said.

“Lagos is not a regional city. It is a national asset, a federating hub, and a home to all Nigerians, whether as traders in Alaba, executives in Ikoyi, artists in Yaba, or retirees in Lekki.”

He added that the city’s success story should be studied and replicated, not resented.

The statement also highlighted the heavy infrastructural and social pressures Lagos faces as a magnet for millions of Nigerians seeking economic opportunity, education, and healthcare.

From congested road networks and overloaded public hospitals to housing deficits and urban environmental degradation, Oladejo noted that Lagos continues to stretch its internally generated resources to accommodate a growing population, much of which originates from outside the state.

Despite these challenges, Oladejo emphasised, Lagos continues to offer security, opportunity, and dignity to all who live in it, regardless of state of origin, ethnicity, or religion.

He described Lagos as “Nigeria in microcosm,” pointing out that it has become the retirement home for many distinguished Nigerians—former governors, ministers, military generals, and public servants—who have found peace and belonging in the city.

Oladejo said no other state so freely embraces Nigerians from across the federation with the same level of openness, opportunity, and respect.

He urged lawmakers to act with foresight and fairness by giving Lagos the Special Status it has long deserved, insisting that this request is not partisan, but a matter of national survival and economic logic.

He recalled that the idea of granting Lagos Special Status has been supported by national figures such as Obafemi Awolowo and President Bola Tinubu, as well as multiple sessions of the National Assembly, yet it has remained unimplemented.

“The call for a Special Status for Lagos is neither new nor partisan. It is rooted in logic, in data, and in the national interest. From the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and successive National Assemblies, the need for Lagos to be formally supported as Nigeria’s economic and demographic hub has been widely acknowledged — but not yet acted upon,” Oladejo said.

“Lagos has given much — to Nigeria’s economy, to its unity, to its people. It has carried burdens, absorbed shocks, and provided platforms of opportunity for millions.

“We urge the National Assembly to rise above regional politics and partisan considerations, and do what is right, what is fair, and what is overdue:

“To finally accord Lagos the Special Status it has earned and long deserved.

“Let this generation of lawmakers be remembered as the one that acted with foresight. Let posterity write of a National Assembly that understood not only the needs of now, but the imperatives of the future,” he added.