Lagos Govt deepens citizen engagement at 2026 Budget Consultative Forum

The Lagos State Government has intensified its citizen engagement efforts ahead of the 2026 budget through a consultative forum in the Lagos division, where residents presented their concerns and outlined priority projects.

The forum also served as an accountability platform, enabling government officials to brief residents on programmes and infrastructure projects delivered across the state.

Speaking at the second day of the exercise, held at the Eko Club in Surulere, the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Ope George, explained that the initiative was part of an annual process of engaging residents in all five IBILE divisions—Ikorodu, Badagry, Ikeja, Lagos Island, and Epe.

“What we do every year is go around the divisions to speak to our people, hear from them, and also give an account of what has happened with the last budget,” George said.

“This is our second forum, and we’re here to listen to the people of this division and show them how far we’ve gone in implementing their earlier inputs.”

The commissioner disclosed that the state had recorded nearly 80 percent budget performance for 2025, a trend he described as encouraging.

He expressed confidence that Lagos would meet both its revenue and expenditure targets before the end of the year.

According to him, infrastructure, healthcare, education, and social protection remain top priorities for the state, with feedback from the forums feeding directly into the 2026 budget framework.

“We’ve had positive responses from island residents who acknowledged progress on infrastructure projects they requested last year. But we also know social protection, healthcare, and education are areas we need to ramp up,” George noted.

Chairman of the House Committee on Economic Planning and Budget, Hon. Saad Olumoh, urged residents to actively participate in the process by presenting the pressing needs of their communities.

While commending Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s achievements, he pledged continued legislative support for the citizen-driven initiative.

Community leaders also used the platform to voice their concerns. The Baale of Oro Okeland in Eti Osa, Chief Bashir Arowolo Afolami, appealed for the urgent rehabilitation of the Oro Oke road, a key access route to schools and the only health centre in the Ikota Resettlement Scheme.

“The road is critical because without it, children cannot access the only primary and junior secondary school in the area. Teachers are even posting themselves out because the place is inaccessible,” he lamented.

Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Lekan Balogun, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to inclusive governance.

“Guided by our vision of all-inclusive governance and the maxim ‘No One Must Be Left Behind,’ we are determined to integrate citizen-driven projects into the 2026 budget framework,” Balogun said.

The consultative forums will continue across the remaining divisions, with the state government pledging to sustain the exercise as a tool for accountability and participatory governance.