Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and former Minister of Works, Power, and Housing Babatunde Fashola have called for a national “mindset revolution,” stressing that both leadership philosophy and citizens’ attitudes must change if Nigeria is to achieve sustainable growth.
The appeal was made during the Lagos edition of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group’s (NESG) National Dialogue Series, part of the Nigerian Hamilton Project — a policy and governance initiative supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The project draws inspiration from Development as Attitude, a seminal book by Prof. Osita Ogbu, which examines how leadership thinking, citizen engagement, and collective responsibility shape national progress.
Speaking at the event, NESG Chief Executive Officer Tayo Aduloju emphasised that economic policies alone cannot transform Nigeria without a collective change in mindset.
“Economic policy is not enough; minds have to shift, paradigms have to shift,” Aduloju said. “We must achieve a developmental paradigm that matches our unique realities, overcoming political, social, and post-colonial constraints.”
Drawing parallels with Alexander Hamilton’s era in the United States, Aduloju stressed that robust national debates led by citizens and experts — not just governments — are critical for development.
Represented by Lagos Commissioner for Economic Planning, Ope George, Governor Sanwo-Olu said Nigeria’s leadership must combine vision, consistency, and an unshakable commitment to public welfare.
“True development comes when both leaders and citizens play their part,” he noted. “The government must lead with integrity, while citizens must embrace a culture of care and responsibility.”
Sanwo-Olu pointed to Lagos as a case study of how leadership philosophy and citizen orientation can work in tandem — citing road expansion, tech-driven governance, and education reform as examples of people-focused development.
Former Lagos Governor and senior lawyer Babatunde Fashola warned that Nigeria lacks a unifying national ideology, making it harder to rally citizens toward a shared vision.
“What does ‘Nigerianness’ mean? What is our creed as a people?” Fashola asked. “If we could simply be known as a nation of laws — law-abiding people — it could make us richer than just pursuing prosperity alone.”
He argued that rule of law should become Nigeria’s national identity, much like other nations that have built their success on discipline, shared values, and purposeful governance.
Author of Development as Attitude, Prof. Ogbu, highlighted that citizenship responsibility grows when people feel they have a stake in the nation. He lamented Nigeria’s “lack of national shame” in the face of repeated underperformance, citing the example of returning from the Olympics without a single medal and facing no accountability.
“Shame is revolution itself,” Ogbu declared. “When nations feel shame, it can fuel a leap forward — if they choose to rebuild and rise again.”
Sterling Bank CEO Abubakar Suleiman debunked the popular belief that Nigeria can “leapfrog” into industrial competitiveness without first building a foundation in science, technology, and research.
“There is no universe where modern economies thrive without research and manufacturing capacity,” Suleiman said. “Aba’s market can’t grow into a global force until its products match global quality and quantity standards.”
The Hamilton Project aims to spark critical nationwide conversations about development attitudes — focusing not only on government reform but also on the role of citizens, the private sector, and cultural values.
The Lagos dialogue underscored that Nigeria’s development journey is as much about mindset as it is about policy. Without a shared vision, respect for laws, accountability, and active citizen participation, the country risks repeating cycles of underachievement despite its vast human and natural resources.
