Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has received the National Peace and Humanitarian Award in recognition of his contributions to promoting peace and security.

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The award was presented on Monday, October 26, 2026, during the South-West Peace Summit and Humanitarian Awards 2026, organised by The Nigeria Peace Summit Group at the NECA Building in Ikeja, Lagos.

Sanwo-Olu was represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office, Mrs Oluwatoyin Oladeji. The ceremony attracted public office holders, security personnel, religious leaders and community representatives.

In his acceptance remarks, the governor expressed gratitude to the organisers, describing the recognition as a renewed motivation to sustain efforts towards building a safer and more compassionate society.

“Peace in a city of more than twenty million people does not happen by accident. It is funded, staffed and defended every day by people who are rarely credited when it holds,” he said.

The governor added that the award belonged to the people and institutions working to protect residents and prevent conflicts across Lagos State.

“I accept it on behalf of the people of Lagos State, our security agencies, the men and women who risk their lives to protect our communities, and our traditional, religious and community leaders whose interventions often prevent disagreements from becoming crises,” he stated.

Speaking on his administration’s approach to security, the governor said the state had adopted a collaborative strategy involving government agencies, security operatives and local communities.

He cited the Lagos State Security Trust Fund as one of the mechanisms through which the government had supported security agencies with operational equipment and technology.

According to him, the administration has also invested in intelligence gathering, surveillance and emergency response while working with communities to strengthen trust in law enforcement.

Sanwo-Olu stressed that peace should not be measured solely by the absence of crime, noting that it also involves protecting vulnerable people, assisting victims of violence and creating opportunities for young people.

“We also recognise that peace goes beyond the absence of crime. It means protecting vulnerable people, responding to emergencies, supporting victims of violence and creating opportunities that give our young people hope,” he said.

He added that these priorities were reflected in the administration’s THEMES+ Development Agenda, which he said was aimed at improving the welfare of residents.

The governor reiterated his appreciation to the organisers and acknowledged the contributions of security agencies, community leaders and other stakeholders to maintaining peace across the state.

He said the recognition would encourage his administration to continue working towards a safer environment, while acknowledging that more work remained to be done.

The South-West Peace Summit and Humanitarian Awards brought together stakeholders from government, security, religious institutions and community organisations to recognise contributions to peacebuilding and humanitarian efforts.

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Sanwo-Olu’s award places the spotlight on the role of collaboration between government institutions and communities in addressing security challenges in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub.