lagThe Campaign for Dignity in Governance (CDG) has commended the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, for the latest intervention under the state’s Micro Enterprise Support Initiative (MESI), describing the empowerment of 3,792 residents as a practical demonstration of inclusive governance and grassroots economic development.
The organisation said the initiative reflects an administration that understands that sustainable economic growth must extend beyond major infrastructure projects to the ordinary residents whose businesses, skills and daily economic activities keep communities functioning.
The beneficiaries received various forms of productive equipment at an empowerment programme held on August 4, 2026, at De Blue Roof, Lagos Television, Agidingbi, Ikeja. The items covered several areas of enterprise, including tailoring, catering, photography, hairdressing, barbing, agriculture, food processing and other small-scale businesses.
In a statement signed by its Convener, Razaq Olokoba, the Campaign for Dignity in Governance said the intervention deserves commendation because it addresses one of the most important challenges facing micro and small businesses: the lack of equipment and productive assets needed to convert skills into sustainable income.
According to Olokoba, economic empowerment becomes meaningful when beneficiaries are given the practical means to build businesses, employ others and contribute to the wider economy.
“Government has a responsibility not only to create policies but also to create pathways through which ordinary citizens can become economically productive. The empowerment of 3,792 residents demonstrates an understanding of this responsibility. It is an investment in people, and investment in people is ultimately an investment in the future of Lagos,” he stated.
The group noted that Lagos has one of the most vibrant small-business ecosystems in Nigeria, with thousands of artisans, traders, entrepreneurs, women-owned enterprises and young people relying on micro businesses for their livelihoods.
It therefore described the latest MESI intervention as particularly significant because the equipment provided can help beneficiaries increase their productive capacity, improve the quality of their services and potentially create employment opportunities for others.
The Campaign for Dignity in Governance further noted that skills acquisition without access to productive tools can leave many beneficiaries unable to fully utilise the knowledge they have acquired.
The organisation welcomed the combination of skills development and equipment support under the state’s empowerment programmes, stressing that this approach gives beneficiaries a stronger foundation upon which to build sustainable enterprises.
“Teaching a person a skill is important, but providing the tools required to practise that skill makes the intervention even more impactful. The real measure of empowerment is whether the beneficiary can move from learning to earning and, ultimately, from being a job seeker to becoming a job creator.”
The organisation also highlighted the wider scale of the administration’s skills and empowerment programmes. According to the Lagos State Government, more than 35,000 residents have graduated from tuition-free Skills Acquisition Centres, while thousands of beneficiaries have received start-up equipment through MESI.
The Campaign for Dignity in Governance said these interventions demonstrate the importance of placing human capital development alongside physical infrastructure in the state’s development agenda.
According to the group, a modern Lagos cannot be built solely with roads, bridges and transportation systems. It must also be built by strengthening the economic capacity of its people.
“Every successful small business contributes to the Lagos economy. Every entrepreneur who expands a business has the potential to employ another person. Every skilled young person who becomes economically productive reduces dependency and strengthens the household. This is why grassroots empowerment should be regarded as an economic strategy, not merely a welfare programme.”
The organisation also called for continued monitoring and post-empowerment support for beneficiaries to ensure that the equipment provided translates into sustainable economic activity.
It recommended continued access to entrepreneurship training, financial literacy, market opportunities, mentorship and other forms of business development support.
The group said such complementary measures would help beneficiaries maximise the value of the equipment and increase the long-term impact of the programme.
The Campaign for Dignity in Governance further commended Governor Sanwo-Olu for maintaining an approach to governance that combines large-scale development with interventions targeted at ordinary residents.
According to Olokoba, the strength of any government is ultimately reflected in how effectively its policies improve people’s capacity to live productive and dignified lives.
“We commend Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu for recognising that Lagos’ greatest resource is its people. Empowering thousands of residents with productive tools means giving them an opportunity to build, earn, employ and contribute. That is the kind of intervention that strengthens communities from the grassroots upward.”
The organisation urged the beneficiaries to make responsible use of the equipment and turn the opportunity into sustainable businesses that can benefit their families and communities.
It also encouraged the Lagos State Government to sustain and expand programmes that support entrepreneurship, vocational skills, women-owned businesses and youth-led enterprises.
The Campaign for Dignity in Governance concluded by describing the latest MESI intervention as another example of how inclusive economic policies can complement Lagos’ broader development agenda.
“Development is ultimately about people. When residents are empowered to become economically productive, Lagos becomes stronger. We therefore commend Governor Sanwo-Olu for this intervention and encourage his administration to continue investing in programmes that put productive tools, opportunities and dignity within the reach of ordinary Lagosians.”
Signed:
Razaq Olokoba
Convener
Campaign for Dignity in Governance (CDG)
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