Lagos Commissioner Says His Cheapest Watch Costs $80,000

By George Omagbemi

Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, has drawn public attention after revealing that the cheapest of the luxury watches he wears costs at least $80,000, equivalent to about ₦106 million at recent exchange rates.

Wahab made the disclosure during a heated exchange on social media with Babatunde Gbadamosi, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) deputy governorship candidate in Lagos, over flooding, waste management and the performance of the state government.

Responding to questions about his wristwatches, Wahab said he wears two at a time and that the least expensive costs no less than $80,000.

He identified the watches as products of Swiss luxury watchmaker Patek Philippe, adding that they were worth considerably more than the figure being discussed. The original post was subsequently deleted.

At $80,000 each, the two watches would have a combined minimum value of $160,000, or roughly ₦212 million based on the exchange rate used in recent reports.

The revelation has generated debate because it came in the middle of a wider argument about flooding, blocked drains, refuse collection and environmental management in Lagos.

Some Nigerians questioned how a public official could afford watches of such value, while Wahab rejected the criticism, describing the assumption that public servants should not have substantial personal assets as a “poverty mentality.”

Wahab has previously said that he had a private career before entering government. He worked as a lawyer for decades and served as Special Adviser on Education before becoming Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources in 2023.

There is, however, no evidence in the reports that the watches were purchased with public funds, and the disclosure by itself does not establish any wrongdoing. Wahab has also not publicly disclosed when the watches were acquired or whether they were purchased before his appointment as commissioner.

The controversy therefore centres less on whether a public official is legally entitled to own expensive personal property and more on the contrast between extraordinary personal wealth and the economic realities facing many Lagos residents.

For now, Wahab’s $80,000 watch statement has become the latest flashpoint in an increasingly political debate over wealth, public office and accountability in Lagos.