Behold! E1 Electric Powerboat Race as Destination Branding for Lagos

Raheem Akingbolu takes a cursory look at the E1 electric powerboat race, recently held in Lagos, and concludes that it has re-echoed the commercial city on the global map

Lagos State has always been in the world of its own, harnessing her potential and systematically drawing attention to her attractive selling points.

Looking back into the history of Lagos State in the last 50 years, it is easy to connect with the fact that the state’s success story is not by happenstance. It is a product of behind the scenes effective moves by its custodians to position the Lagos brand as among the best cities of choices in Africa and ensuring that people connect with it seamlessly.

The E1 electric power boat race held recently in the city spoke volumes for the fact that those behind the brand are deliberate in their pursuit to make it a mega city, not only in infrastructural development but also in Commerce but also in Tourism and other areas of human endeavour. Perhaps the best way to appreciate the importance of the competition is the fact that Lagos was the first city in entire Africa to host such.

From the build-up to the event to its execution, Lagos creates beautiful stories around it to connect the global audience. For the RaceBird pilots of the nine teams in the UIM E1 World Championship, they were already looking forward to a thrilling penultimate race of the season in the aquatic city.

The E1 is an all-electric international offshore powerboat racing series that debuted in Jeddah last year and was competed by nine teams across selected cities in different countries.

Ahead of the E1 Lagos GP, the pilots tested the waters with their RaceBirds two days before the qualifying on Saturday and the main race on Sunday.

Team Brady, owned by seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady, led the championship standings by just a single point over Team Rafa, which is owned by tennis legend and 22 Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal.

Ivory Coast football legend and former Chelsea striker, Didier Drogba, is also a co-owner of Team Drogba Global Africa, along with Gabrielle Lemaire, and he was expected to attend the race.

“It’s been a tough season, and the competition has been intense. We hold a one-point lead, which shows everyone is getting used to the event. We’ll see how it goes in Lagos. I can’t wait for the race,” Team Brady’s co-pilot Sam Coleman told Journalists in Lagos.

As admitted by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos has made a strong statement with the initiative. Meanwhile, observers have rated it as a strategic destination branding process that would create a unique and lasting identity for Lagos to make it more attractive for tourists, businesses, and residents. Among other things, Lagos State has thus created a unique identity that builds emotional connection and fosters awareness and consideration. In the end, all these are capable of attracting investments and talents to the state because branding often attracts businesses and people, thereby driving economic development.

After the event, Sanwo-Olu hailed the city’s debut as the first African host of the E1 electric powerboat race, describing it as a milestone in clean energy, innovation, and youth empowerment

According to him, “By joining cities like Monaco, London, and Venice on the E1 calendar, Lagos has once again shown that we are bold, resilient, and ready to take our place on the global stage,” the govenor said.

In a post on X, Governor Sanwo-Olu thanked President Bola Tinubu for his goodwill message and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to sustainability and the blue economy.

The championship, which came to an end on Sunday at the Victoria Island Lagoon, began Friday with a vibrant boat regatta showcasing the beauty of Lagos’ waterways.

Saturday featured qualifying trials and high-speed races, during which competitors demonstrated skill, precision, and teamwork.

“Lagos truly shone as we hosted the world with warmth, pride, and excitement. I’m proud of everyone who helped make this event a success and of the amazing Lagosians who came out to support,” the governor said.

Like Lagos, many countries have engaged in destination branding, including Spain, which successfully rebuilt its image in the 1980s, and Australia, which has a strong nation brand. Other examples include Costa Rica, the United States, and Dubai, which has built a global image through strategic media and marketing efforts, as well as African nations like South Africa, Kenya, Morocco, and Mauritius that use branding to attract tourists post-pandemic.