Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola Plans Towards the Development of More Shopping Malls

  With the obvious success consumer markets are having in Africa as a result of rising disposable income, Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola is planning towards the development of more shopping malls and complexes in the state. He indicated this at a meeting with Paul Polman, the Global CEO of Unilever where he expressed his optimism that more shopping centres in the state will increase the demand for goods by manufacturing companies which will eventually lead to job creation. “We are supporting the development of more malls and shopping complexes. Apapa has just opened, and in about 10 years we have had malls open in Ikeja, Lekki, and Adeniran Ogunsanya. We hope that it will represent a major demand pool that will stimulate you to give more supply, and in that way employ more people,” he said. Governor Fashola asserted that the “story of Unilever was the story of Nigeria,” recalling that all of the state’s shopping outlets during the decade after Nigeria’s independence heavily featured Unilever brands which at the time included Lifebuoy and Sunlight soaps.