Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio touched down at the Presidential Wing of Murtala Muhammed Airport in Ikeja on Tuesday, and his arrival was as much a fashion statement as a diplomatic one.
Bio stepped off his jet in a flawlessly fitted navy-blue native attire, paired with crisp Black leather shoes and a matching traditional cap. He skipped the corporate suit entirely, opting for a look that blended African elegance with the bearing of a retired military man.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who received him, matched the energy on the tarmac.
The Nigerian military rolled out a guard of honour the moment Bio stepped off his jet. Soldiers in emerald-green and red-striped ceremonial uniforms staged a marching display as the Sierra Leonean leader walked the pink carpet to inspect the troops.
The fashion aside, Bio is in Lagos on official business. He is chairing the second meeting of the Private Sector Advisory Board for the West Africa Integration and Investment Summit, a key preparatory step ahead of the main summit in November 2026.
He is engaging directly with some of Africa’s biggest business figures, including Aliko Dangote and Tony Elumelu, to align market realities with regional economic policy, screen priority investment pipelines and address cross-border trade constraints.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said Lagos remains open to its West African neighbours.
“Today, I received His Excellency, Julius Maada Bio, President of Sierra Leone, at the Presidential Wing of Murtala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja,” he said. “Lagos remains open to our West African neighbours as we continue to strengthen ties across the region and build shared opportunities for our people. It is always a pleasure to extend our warm Lagos hospitality.”
