Sanwo-Olu deepens poverty fight, empowers 3,792 Lagosians

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to economic inclusion and grassroots development as 3,792 residents received tools and equipment under the Micro Enterprise Support Initiative (MESI) aimed at strengthening small businesses and improving livelihoods across the state.

Speaking at the empowerment programme organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA) at the Blue Roof, Lagos Television (LTV), Agidingbi, Ikeja, the governor described the initiative as a practical demonstration of his administration’s resolve to create opportunities, reduce poverty and promote self-reliance among Lagosians.

Sanwo-Olu said the true measure of any government lies not only in economic growth or infrastructure development but in its ability to positively impact lives and empower citizens to succeed.

“The strength of any government is measured not merely by the size of its economy or the scale of its infrastructure, but by how many lives it touches and how many people it empowers to succeed,” he said.

The governor noted that the beneficiaries would receive empowerment tools and equipment to expand their businesses, improve household incomes and contribute to the state’s economic development.

He said the initiative aligns with the objectives of his administration’s THEMES+ Agenda, which prioritises inclusive growth by ensuring that development reaches every part of Lagos, including urban, rural and riverine communities.

According to him, small business owners, artisans, traders, women entrepreneurs and young people remain the backbone of the state’s economy, stressing that empowering them would create jobs, stimulate economic activities and strengthen families.

“When we empower one entrepreneur, we strengthen a family; when we support thousands, we strengthen the economy of Lagos State,” Sanwo-Olu said.

The governor explained that MESI goes beyond the distribution of tools, describing it as an investment in human capital designed to create wealth, encourage entrepreneurship and foster financial independence.

He maintained that his administration had consistently backed its promises with tangible programmes over the past seven years through investments in infrastructure, healthcare, education, transportation, technology, security, social protection and enterprise development.

Congratulating the beneficiaries, Sanwo-Olu urged them to make productive use of the equipment provided, expand their businesses, create employment opportunities and become agents of economic transformation in their communities.

He assured Lagosians that his administration would continue implementing policies that promote entrepreneurship, expand opportunities for small businesses and ensure that the dividends of good governance reach every community across the state.

In her welcome address, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Bolaji Cecilia Dada, described empowerment as a catalyst for lasting social and economic transformation rather than the mere distribution of equipment.

She said the MESI programme was designed to bridge the gap between vocational training and business start-ups by providing graduates of the state’s tuition-free Skills Acquisition Centres with the tools needed to establish sustainable enterprises.

Dada disclosed that since the inception of the Sanwo-Olu administration, 35,101 residents had graduated from the ministry’s Skills Acquisition Centres, while 18,990 beneficiaries had received start-up equipment through MESI.

She added that over 1,100 residents had acquired digital skills, 18,241 people had benefited from the Life Skills and Economic Empowerment Programme, more than 4,040 vulnerable families had received food support under the Ounjẹ Lọ Rẹ Awo initiative, and over 5,500 widows had been empowered with financial grants to strengthen their businesses.

She explained that beneficiaries of this year’s programme received a wide range of business support equipment, including sewing machines, photography kits, catering and baking equipment, pepper grinding machines, deep freezers, agricultural processing machines, complete hairdressing and barbing sets, vulcanising tools and food items to enable them to establish or expand their businesses.