Lagos tightens project oversight to deliver better value for residents

The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening monitoring and evaluation (M&E) as a critical tool for improving project delivery, enhancing accountability and ensuring that public investments deliver measurable benefits to residents.

The commitment was reiterated at the 2026 Monitoring and Evaluation Stakeholders’ Forum, organised by the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget on Wednesday in Alausa, Ikeja. The forum was themed: “Leveraging Monitoring and Evaluation to Advance Shared Prosperity: Chart the Course, Track the Result, Share the Prosperity.”

Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Ope George, said Lagos has continued to distinguish itself as a leader in innovative governance by institutionalising monitoring and evaluation throughout the entire project cycle. He explained that the process begins with the annual budget preparation, during which government consults residents across the IBILE divisions-Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Island and Epe, to identify priority projects.

George stressed the need to modernise monitoring systems and strengthen institutional capacity to keep Lagos at the forefront of public sector innovation.

“We must continue to modernise our systems and build institutional capacity to ensure that Lagos remains at the forefront of public sector innovation. Let us move beyond identifying challenges and focus on practical, innovative and collaborative solutions that will strengthen our monitoring and evaluation ecosystem and accelerate sustainable development,” he said.

The commissioner noted that the ministry’s Monitoring and Evaluation Department tracks projects from the planning stage through implementation, assessing progress, documenting findings and working closely with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

*”We don’t wait until projects are completed. Our Monitoring and Evaluation Department follows projects from the planning stage through implementation, evaluating progress, reporting findings and working closely with the relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

“For every single project that the state undertakes, every naira and kobo is monitored, evaluated and accounted for,” he said, adding that no project is too small because every intervention directly affects the lives of Lagos residents.

According to him, the state’s monitoring framework covers major infrastructure projects such as the Opebi-Mende Bridge, Massey Children’s Hospital, rail projects and the Food Logistics Hub, alongside investments in education, healthcare and community development.

George also disclosed that technology is becoming central to project monitoring through digital platforms such as the EKO360 App, while emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, are expected to further strengthen data collection, project tracking and evidence-based decision-making.

Delivering a paper titled “Result-Oriented Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanism for Budget Efficiency, Effectiveness and Equity,” former Minister of Finance and National Planning, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman, represented by Aliyu Aminu Ahmed, pioneer President of the Nigeria Association of Evaluators (NEA), called for the institutionalisation of Results-Based Management to improve governance.

He argued that governments should no longer be judged by the number of projects executed or funds expended, but by measurable improvements in citizens’ quality of life.

According to him, efficiency, effectiveness, impact and equity should remain the key benchmarks for evaluating government performance and ensuring development interventions produce lasting benefits.

Also speaking, the Registrar-General of the Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (CIPMN), Henry Mbadiwe, identified poor planning and weak project control mechanisms as major factors responsible for project failures in the public sector.

He emphasised that every successful project must begin with proper planning, a clearly defined project charter and a robust monitoring framework capable of managing risks, controlling project scope and evaluating results throughout the project lifecycle.

Mbadiwe urged public institutions to move beyond monitoring activities to measuring outcomes, stressing that projects only create prosperity when they are successfully delivered, effectively utilised and achieve their intended objectives.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Mrs. Olayinka Ojo, described monitoring and evaluation as indispensable to achieving the goals of the Lagos State Development Plan (LSDP) 2052 and the THEMES+ Development Agenda.

She said sustainable development requires deliberate planning, diligent implementation, effective monitoring and continuous learning to ensure government programmes translate into measurable benefits for residents.

According to her, the forum was organised to deepen collaboration among stakeholders, facilitate the exchange of best practices and generate practical recommendations for strengthening Lagos State’s monitoring and evaluation framework.

Chairman of the Lagos State Community Development Advisory Council, Alhaji Amusat Azeez, commended the government for promoting community participation in project implementation, noting that communities now play active roles in identifying priorities, monitoring execution and taking ownership of completed projects, a development he described as vital for sustainability and accountability.

The forum brought together senior government officials, development partners, private sector representatives, civil society organisations, professional bodies, academics and community leaders to explore practical strategies for strengthening monitoring and evaluation as a catalyst for transparency, improved service delivery and sustainable development in Lagos State.