Lagos Reaffirms Strong Support For Vulnerable Residents

According to Ireporter Online, the Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to providing sustained support for thousands of vulnerable residents across the state, including widows struggling to care for their children and small-scale entrepreneurs affected by ongoing economic challenges.

The pledge was made by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Mrs. Olayinka Ojo, during a Social Protection Policy Measures onboarding and adoption workshop organised by the Social Protection Coordinating Department in Alausa, Ikeja. She was represented at the event by the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr. Fuad Oyede.

Mrs. Ojo noted that the initiative is aimed at strengthening the capacity of government institutions to integrate social protection principles and international best practices into their programmes. She explained that the workshop was designed to deepen understanding of Lagos State’s approved social protection policy framework while equipping stakeholders with practical skills to design and implement interventions that reduce poverty, promote social inclusion, and protect vulnerable groups.

She emphasised that effective social protection delivery depends on collaboration among government agencies, improved targeting mechanisms, and stronger accountability systems to ensure assistance reaches those most in need. According to her, “Our interventions will only be effective when we work together, improve our targeting and ensure that government support reaches the most vulnerable members of society.”

Also speaking at the workshop, the Director of the Social Protection Coordinating Department, Mr. Yusuf Semiu, said that while progress has been made, further efforts are required to align Lagos State’s social protection systems with global standards. He urged participating ministries, departments, and agencies to critically evaluate the impact of their programmes, particularly in areas such as education access, resilience to economic shocks, and responses to climate-related challenges like flooding, as well as inclusivity and gender responsiveness.

In his remarks, the Director of the Lagos Bureau of Statistics, Mr. Tayo Oseni, described social protection as a key pillar of sustainable development alongside education, healthcare, and economic growth. He stressed the need for implementing agencies to take ownership of the initiative and maximise the state’s Single Social Register to better identify and support residents requiring assistance.

It would be recalled that in April, the Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, intensified efforts to strengthen its social protection framework by updating the state’s Single Social Register in collaboration with community-based targeting teams, local government coordinators, and field enumerators across the 57 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas in the state.