The Lagos State Government has urged the over 500 beneficiaries of its 2026 skills acquisition and empowerment programme to leverage the knowledge and empowerment tools provided to build sustainable livelihoods, promote self-reliance, and contribute to the state’s economic growth.
The appeal came as the Office of Rural Development in the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, through the Centre for Rural Development (CERUD), concluded its 2026 capacity-building and empowerment programme for youths, farmers and small-scale business owners across the five divisions of Lagos State.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Kehinde Adebayo, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Rural Development, Dr. Nurudeen Yekinni Agbaje, who addressed beneficiaries at the final phase of the programme held at the Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area Secretariat on Thursday, described the initiative as one of the strategic interventions of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration aimed at alleviating poverty, stimulating entrepreneurship, and improving the economic well-being of rural residents.
Agbaje said the programme aligns with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s T.H.E.M.E.S. Plus Agenda of building a 21st Century Economy by equipping residents with practical vocational skills and the resources needed to establish sustainable businesses.
He disclosed that the programme was implemented across the state’s five divisions, with participants receiving hands-on training in fish farming, bread and pastries production, honey harvesting, and the production of household consumables using chemicals.
According to him, more than 500 direct and indirect beneficiaries were equipped with relevant skills and empowerment tools to enhance self-reliance and stimulate sustainable economic development in their respective communities.
The Special Adviser urged beneficiaries to maximise the opportunity by putting the knowledge acquired and the empowerment tools received to productive and commercial use.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Mrs. Kikelomo Bolarinwa, commended Governor Sanwo-Olu for his unwavering commitment to empowering youths and rural dwellers across Lagos State.
She noted that the positive impact of the administration’s empowerment initiatives had been felt across the state’s five divisions and encouraged participants to apply the skills acquired to achieve financial independence.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area, Hon. Sulaimon Kazeem Olarewaju, lauded Governor Sanwo-Olu for sustaining programmes aimed at improving the livelihoods of rural residents and reducing rural-urban migration.
He observed that similar empowerment initiatives had enabled many beneficiaries to establish viable businesses, thereby contributing to economic activities and the socio-economic development of their communities.
Earlier, the Director and Chief Executive Officer of CERUD, Mr. Musibau Balogun, expressed appreciation to Governor Sanwo-Olu for his sustained investment in the empowerment of Lagos residents.
Balogun urged participants to justify the government’s investment in them by making effective use of the knowledge, skills, and empowerment tools provided during the programme.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Ajibola-Ogunde Anuoluwapo expressed appreciation to the Lagos State Government for providing an opportunity to acquire practical skills and receive empowerment tools capable of improving livelihoods and fostering economic self-reliance.
