The Campaign for Dignity in Governance (CDG) has commended Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, for the continued implementation of grassroots economic empowerment programmes designed to help residents build sustainable livelihoods.
The organisation specifically praised the recent empowerment of 3,792 Lagos residents through the 2026 Micro Enterprise Support Initiative (MESI), describing the programme as an example of how government intervention can move beyond policy statements to provide practical support for ordinary citizens.
The beneficiaries received various forms of equipment to establish or strengthen their businesses, including sewing machines, catering and baking equipment, photography kits, hairdressing and barbing equipment, agricultural processing machines, deep freezers, grinding machines and other business tools.
According to CDG Convener Razaq Olokoba, the significance of the initiative lies in its potential to help residents become economically productive rather than remain dependent on government assistance.
Olokoba said the empowerment programme reflects an important principle of governance: that public resources should translate into opportunities that allow citizens to improve their own lives.
The organisation noted that Lagos has a large population of artisans, traders, small business owners, women entrepreneurs and young people whose businesses contribute significantly to the state’s economy.
CDG therefore described investment in micro and small enterprises as an important component of poverty reduction and economic development.
“We commend Governor Sanwo-Olu because this is the kind of intervention that people can physically see and use. Giving an entrepreneur the equipment needed to start or expand a business can affect an entire household. When thousands of people receive such support, the impact can extend across communities,” Olokoba said.
The organisation also noted that the Lagos State Government disclosed that more than 35,000 residents had graduated from its tuition-free Skills Acquisition Centres since the beginning of the Sanwo-Olu administration, while 18,990 people had received start-up equipment through MESI.
CDG said these figures demonstrate the importance of linking skills acquisition with actual economic opportunities.
The group, however, urged beneficiaries to make productive use of the equipment and encouraged the state government to strengthen monitoring, mentorship and business-support mechanisms so that beneficiaries can build sustainable enterprises.
According to the organisation, empowerment should not end on the day equipment is distributed. Beneficiaries should have access to business education, financial literacy, markets, digital tools and relevant government support that can help them grow.
CDG further urged the Lagos State Government to continue expanding such programmes to communities across the state, particularly areas where unemployment and household economic pressure remain significant.
The organisation said Lagos’ economic strength is ultimately measured by the ability of ordinary residents to participate meaningfully in economic activity.
It therefore commended the Sanwo-Olu administration for continuing to combine major infrastructure projects with programmes targeted directly at household livelihoods.
The Campaign for Dignity in Governance reaffirmed its commitment to recognising government initiatives that positively affect citizens, saying good governance must always be connected to the everyday realities of the people.
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