The Lagos State Office of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has reiterated its dedication to evidence-based governance to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals across the state. The office emphasized that its primary focus is on leveraging reliable data, effective coordination, and measurable impact to ensure that development initiatives tangibly enhance the quality of life for residents.
Speaking on Tuesday during the 2026 annual ministerial press briefing, which marked the third year of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu's second term, the Special Adviser to the Governor on SDGs, Oreoluwa Finnih, highlighted that Lagos is enhancing its data tracking and service delivery systems by integrating information across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
According to Finnih, this data-driven approach is already yielding concrete results, particularly through Lagos State's active participation in the Human Capital Development (HCD) 2.0 Core Working Group. She explained that this initiative enables the state to design and implement evidence-based interventions in key sectors such as health, education, and social development.
“Data is the bedrock of sustainable development; it allows us to move from intuition to impact,” Finnih stated. “By strengthening inter-agency data frameworks, we are not only tracking progress but also deepening accountability to every resident of Lagos. Our focus is to use these insights to close gaps in inclusion and economic opportunity.”
Finnih also underscored the successful coordination of Lagos State’s second Voluntary Local Review (VLR), which brought together communities, stakeholders, and development partners to assess progress on the SDGs at the local level. She noted that this exercise further solidified Lagos's position as a leading voice in localizing and reporting on the SDGs globally.
Other achievements highlighted by the office include the second edition of the Advocacy for Women’s Financial Inclusion initiative, which targets underserved communities, improved policy alignment across MDAs to support the 2030 Agenda, and expanded awareness campaigns such as SDG Clubs in primary schools and social impact cinema projects aimed at promoting behavioral change among young people.
The Special Adviser added that the office continued to actively participate in global sustainability engagements, including the United Nations General Assembly, as well as the Rabat, Khartoum, and Niamey Processes. According to her, these engagements help Lagos align its development priorities with global best practices.
As the office marks its 10th anniversary, Finnih said preparations are underway to strengthen institutional capacity through the 2025 Annual Strategic Retreat and other capacity-building programs to meet the evolving development needs of the state.
“As we look to the future, our goal is to further strengthen our systems and accelerate progress through measurable action,” she concluded. “We remain committed to ensuring that no one is left behind in the journey toward a resilient and prosperous Lagos.”
