Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has appointed Lekan Fatodu as his new Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of efforts to deliver the United Nation’s agenda in the areas of education, healthcare, poverty eradication, environment and sanitation among others.
Mr Fatodu, a renowned development expert has over 18 years of experience in the areas of international development, strategic communications and diplomacy garnered through his early years of engagement in global actions and focusing on common good in different parts of the world.
Prior to this appointment, Fatodu was the publisher of Checkout Magazine, a business and development-focused publication; the lead consultant at Leeman Communications, a development, digital solutions and strategic communications firm and the producer of the highly successful entrepreneurship forum, the Africa Shapers Initiative, a platform for the exchange of great ideas between established and aspiring entrepreneurs on the continent.
The new SSA will support Sanwo-Olu’s vision to mainstream the SDGs across ministries, departments, agencies and the Local Council Development Areas to ensure Lagosians feel the impact of governance in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S agenda of the government.
With his extensive global network, Fatodu has been facilitating greater support and initiatives from the international development space to Africa and Nigeria in particular, thereby opening up the country to invaluable skills and resources that will enable it confront its development challenges more effectively.
In 2017, Fatodu convened the 1st African Roundtable on Business and Sustainable Development in the British Houses of Parliament, London, a high-level engagement that played host to the then British Prime Minister’s Envoy on Trade to Nigeria, John Howell, and the Private Parliamentary Secretary on International Trade, Iain Stewart, and other influential stakeholders in international development towards engendering better outcomes from actions.
For his numerous positive and exemplary endeavours, Fatodu has received many recognitions and awards.
He was the recipient of the Most Outstanding Entrepreneur Award by Strides Media UK in 2011 and was awarded for his “outstanding achievement and exemplary public endeavours” by the University of Lagos Alumni Association, Lagos State Chapter in 2014 among other honours.
Fatodu is a graduate of the University of Lagos, Nigeria where he bagged a degree in Mass Communication. He also attended the University of Westminster, London for his Master’s degree in Diplomatic Studies. He is also a PRINCE2 Certified Project Management Practitioner from the UK.
