By Ogeyi Ebinyi
A large-scale stakeholders’ engagement and empowerment programme aimed at strengthening economic sustainability in Lagos State was held on Saturday, January 10, 2026, in Ikeja. The initiative brought together community leaders, sector representatives, and residents from across the Lagos-West Senatorial District to review development efforts and support grassroots livelihoods.
Speaking at the event, Senator Idiat Oluranti Adebule described the programme as part of ongoing efforts to engage stakeholders, provide accountability on public service activities, and expand access to economic opportunities for women and young people. She explained that the empowerment initiative followed intensive skills-acquisition training designed to help beneficiaries transition into self-employment and small-scale entrepreneurship.
According to the Senator, the programme focused on practical, income-generating skills, with participants trained in six areas: information and communication technology (ICT), hairdressing, catering and hospitality, barbing, tailoring, and cosmetology. A total of 1,000 beneficiaries were selected from across the 28 local governments and local council development areas within Lagos-West, ensuring broad geographic inclusion.
In addition to skills training, beneficiaries received tools and starter equipment to enable immediate business take-off. Items distributed included sewing machines, hair-care and barbing equipment, catering tools, laptops, make-up kits, generators, and small commercial buses. Some participants also received financial support of ₦200,000 to help stabilize their start-up operations.
The engagement also highlighted ongoing community-focused infrastructure projects facilitated within the district. These include the construction of two primary healthcare centres in Igbolobi, a riverine community in Ojo Local Government, and Isokan in Ojokoro, Ifako-Ijaye Local Government. A multi-purpose Youth Development Centre is also under construction in Badagry, featuring ICT facilities, sports amenities, and skills-acquisition spaces aimed at youth development.
Beneficiaries expressed appreciation for the support, describing the programme as timely and impactful. Community leaders present encouraged recipients to use the tools responsibly to build sustainable livelihoods, noting that initiatives of this nature play an important role in job creation, poverty reduction, and long-term community development.
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