Countdown to 2019: Profile of the APC governorship candidate, Sanwo-Olu

Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu was born on June 25, 1965 in Lagos Island. He obtained a bachelor’s degree from the University of Lagos in 1998 and also an MBA in surveying from same university in 2001.

He attended the Kennedy school of Government, USA; Havard University, USA; the London Business School as well as the Lagos Business School (LBS).

He was the Managing Director/CEO of Lagos State Property Development Commission (LSPDC). He is an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) and Fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Training and Development (NITAD).

Sanwo-Olu was the treasurer at former Lead Merchant Bank from 1994 to 1997 after which he moved to the United Bank for Africa as the head of foreign money market. He then proceeded to First Inland Bank, Plc (now First City Monument Bank) as Deputy General Manager and Divisional Head.

He is the chairman of Baywatch Group Limited and First Class Group Limited. He is a board member of the Department for International Development (DFID/DEEPEN) Fund and Audit Committee of Caverton Offshore Services Group Plc.

The ruling All Progressive Congress gubernatorial candidate in Lagos State for the forthcoming March 2nd 2019 election began his political career in 2003, when he was appointed a Special Adviser on Corporate Matters to the then deputy governor of Lagos State, Femi Pedro.

He was later made the acting Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget until 2007, when he became the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry by then Governor, Bola Tinubu.

After the General Elections of 2007, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu was appointed Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions by Governor Babatunde Fashola.

Sanwo-Olu was made Managing Director/CEO of the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC) by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in 2016.

Some of his notable public sector achievements include the supervision of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) privatization projects.

He set up and was the Pioneer Board Chairman of Lagos Security Trust Fund. The LAGBUS System and the Control & Command Centre in Alausa were subsequently established under his directives.

The APC gubernatorial candidate has obtained a variety of awards in his career, some of which include:
• Platinum award from the Lagos State Public Service Club.
• 2009 Best in Human Capital Development award from the Industrial Training Fund (ITF).
• Merit award from the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria.
• Merit award from the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management in Nigeria (CIPMN).
• Merit Award from the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN).
• LSDPC Impactful Leadership and Recognition Award.

He is married to Dr C. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu and their union is blessed with 4 children.