By Olasunkanmi Akoni
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said the state’s annual food festival has empowered many entrepreneurs over the past six years, while also bringing families together to relax and experience diverse cuisines that reflect the Lagos food story.
Sanwo-Olu made the remark on Sunday after participating in the cooking and tasting of seafood rice with stir-fried spinach at the 2025 Lagos Food Festival.
The 2025 edition of the festival, themed “Taste Beyond Borders,” was held at Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island, where residents were entertained with music and treated to a wide range of local and international delicacies.
According to the governor, the Lagos Food Festival is one of the flagship initiatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems, which has implemented several interventions aimed at boosting agriculture, food security and entrepreneurship in the state.
“The Lagos Food Festival is part of the activities of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems. They have carried out a lot of activations and interventions in the agriculture and food security space,” Sanwo-Olu said.
“They have empowered many entrepreneurs and continued to support innovators in the food business, giving them opportunities to grow and thrive as entrepreneurs.
“But beyond that, this festival allows families to come out, enjoy themselves and experience the exhibition of various food cultures. Food is one of the ways we tell the Lagos story.”
The governor noted that the festival encourages players in the catering and food industry while promoting unity and cultural appreciation.
“I cooked seafood rice with stir-fried spinach and tasted my own cooking. The food festival is about families coming together, encouraging people in the food and catering space, and using food to showcase the uniqueness of Lagos,” he added.
Sanwo-Olu also visited an art exhibition in Lagos on the same day, where about 40 artists showcased wall paintings. He described the works as a reflection of the creativity that defines Lagos, stressing the need to continue supporting diverse skills and professions in the state.
“We must continue to lift people up and encourage different skills and professions so that Lagos can remain safe and a home for everyone,” he said.
Earlier, the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, described the festival as a celebration of the cultural diversity and culinary heritage of Lagos.
“Lagos Food Festival is a celebration of everything Lagos — our culinary culture, traditions, entertainment and all that makes Lagos what it is,” she said.
“Lagos is diverse and multicultural, and food embodies that diversity. As the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems, we are the curators and custodians of this celebration.”
Olusanya explained that the festival provides exposure for food value chain actors, noting that several food entrepreneurs have gained recognition through the event.
“This festival helps to give visibility to our food actors. Many stars have emerged from the Lagos Food Festival, simply because the governor cooks, tastes their food and gives words of encouragement,” she added.
She said the event also serves as a platform to consolidate the ministry’s interventions over the years and celebrate everyone involved in ensuring food availability in Lagos.
The festival attracted members of the State Executive Council and House of Assembly, current and former public office holders, political and traditional leaders, celebrity chefs, youths, vendors and students from tertiary institutions across the state. Some participants showcased their culinary skills and won prizes during the event.
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