The Deputy Gov. of Lagos State, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, has unveiled a policy agenda for the state, promising reforms in transportation, housing, security, technology, food distribution and justice delivery ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
Hamzat made the commitments while presenting his Promise Agenda, tagged, ‘An Afternoon to Discuss the Facts and Figures of Lagos State: The 8th Largest Economy in Africa’.
The event was organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) in collaboration with the Contact and Mobilisation Committee, Formal Sector for PBAT and KOH on Tuesday in Victoria Island, Lagos State.
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Hamzat, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the 2027 elections, described it as a social contract with Lagos residents, which he pledged to implement from May 29, 2027, if elected governor.
He said the agenda was designed to establish measurable targets for government, enabling residents to assess performance and hold the administration accountable for its promises.
Hamzat said transportation remained one of Lagos most pressing challenges, noting that traffic congestion costs the state an estimated economic losses of N1 trillion annually, with residents spending an average of four hours daily in traffic.
He said Lagos had a vehicle density of 212 vehicles per kilometre, compared with the national average of 16, making the development of alternative transportation systems imperative.
According to him, the state has identified 63 traffic junctions for improvement and addressed 33 of them, while plans are underway to expand Bus Rapid Transit services, improve terminals, develop rail infrastructure and increase water transportation.
He said his administration would prioritise waterways to reduce pressure on roads, including developing ferry terminals and improving connections between communities such as Ikorodu, Badagry and other parts of Lagos.
Hamzat also promised improved pedestrian walkways, greener public spaces and better organised bus terminals to separate commuters from vehicular traffic.
He said the state aimed to plant 10 million trees within four years.
On water supply, Hamzat said the completion of an ongoing water infrastructure project would provide additional access to water for six million people.
On Jobs, technology and business growth, the APC candidate said the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund had supported businesses and activated about 340,000 jobs since 2019.
He added that his administration if elected, would strengthen mentorship and business management support to help small enterprises survive and expand.
He said the state had proposed four industrial parks in Epe, Badagry, Ikorodu and Ojo under its 2025–2030 industrial policy.
Hamzat also pledged to harmonise government levies and regulatory processes to reduce the burden on businesses, while reviewing charges imposed on petty traders and micro-enterprises.
On technology, he described Yaba as a major technology hub, saying its technology ecosystem had developed into a 15.3-billion-dollar economy with about 2,000 start-ups.
He noted that Lagos was implementing a 1,000-kilometre fibre-optic cable network, with plans to expand it to 6,000 kilometres, while reducing broadband costs and supporting local technology companies.
The deputy governor further added that the state would adopt a local-first procurement approach by giving qualified Nigerian technology firms the first opportunity to supply products required by the government.
On food security and creative economy, Hamzat said the state was developing a 420-hectare food logistics hub and cold-chain network to reduce food wastage, improve storage and cut transportation costs between farmers and markets.
He said: “The cold-chain facilities in Mushin and Gbagada has helped market women reduce logistics costs by 40 per cent while government is expanding medium-scale markets across the state.”
“Also, the state will support farmers through a proposed N500 billion guarantee scheme, alongside arrangements in facilitating the purchase and distribution of locally produced food.”
On the creative industry, Hamzat said Lagos would strengthen training in contract negotiation and intellectual property to enable artists and other creative professionals to earn better returns from their work.
On Justice, inclusion and social welfare,
the APC governorship candidate said the state was working with the judiciary to increase the civil jurisdiction of magistrates courts from N10 million to N15 million to reduce the backlog of cases in the High Courts.
He said the government also wanted landlord-tenant disputes resolved within three months, adding that more courts would be established to improve access to justice.
He disclosed that about 198 people had been prosecuted for domestic violence, stressing the need to strengthen support for survivors and encourage more victims to seek justice.
On inclusion, Hamzat said women-led enterprises performed well among small businesses, adding that the government planned to allocate five per cent of its business support to women-led enterprises.
He also promised to certify artisans and other skilled workers in their preferred languages and establish an online platform where customers could assess their services through reviews.
He said the government would pay 40 per cent of the stipends of trainees placed in companies under its vocational and technical training programmes to encourage businesses to employ them.
Hamzat added that the state would strengthen child protection by ensuring that children below 18 years were either in school or acquiring vocational skills.
On security, he said Lagos had about 6,800 personnel in its safety agency and was recruiting an additional 2,500, adding that the personnel could form a foundation for state policing if the necessary constitutional approval was secured.
He said the state had increased insurance benefits for police officers who died in service to N4 million for junior officers and N10 million for senior officers, stressing the need to improve support for their families.
Hamzat also called for stronger climate adaptation measures, including improved drainage, community protection and early-warning systems to prepare residents for extreme rainfall and flooding.
On housing, the deputy governor said the state would collaborate with private developers to increase the supply of affordable homes, noting that the average period for an African to build a house was about 17 years.
According to him, we will explore housing and mortgage arrangements that enabled young people and low-income earners to secure decent accommodation without sacrificing other basic needs.
Hamzat said the commitments would be assessed against measurable targets to ensure accountability, adding that government, businesses and residents must work together to achieve a more inclusive and prosperous Lagos.
Earlier, the LCCI President, Mr Leye Kupoluyi, stated that the engagement provided an opportunity for the business community to assess the economic policies and development priorities of prospective political leaders.
He said: “it gives us direct impact of government policies on investment, operating costs and business growth.”
Kupoluyi identified five key priority areas for the next administration, which included reducing the cost of doing business, improving infrastructure and mobility, reforming the tax and regulatory framework, promoting economic growth and investment, and empowering small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs).
He said addressing high energy and logistics costs, traffic congestion, freight bottlenecks and regulatory challenges would improve productivity and create a more conducive business environment.
The LCCI president also called for improved access to capital, technology and markets for SMEs, emphasising the need for stronger collaboration between government and the private sector to unlock Lagos State economic potential.
He reaffirmed the Chamber’s commitment to constructive, evidence-based engagement with political leaders and future administrations.
The LCCI Deputy President, Mr Knit Ulvmoen, emphasised the need to strengthen local manufacturing and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported finished goods.
He noted that the country had the people, market and raw materials required to produce more goods locally.
He cited the transformation of Nigeria’s cement industry from heavy reliance on imports to local production and exports as evidence of the benefits of adding value to domestic resources.
Ulvmoen called for greater investment in sectors such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, textiles, petrochemicals and renewable energy, while stressing that education and skills development are essential to preparing Nigerians for industrial growth and economic self-sufficiency.
In his goodwill message, the Managing Director of Sterling Bank, Mr Abubakar Suleiman, identified Lagos State real estate sector as a major untapped source of capital.
Suleiman urged the government to make land assets more accessible to investors through funding.
He added that Lagos possessed a unique economic advantage as a financial hub, with substantial lending and investment activities already concentrated in the state.
According to him, unlocking real estate value can significantly expand development funding.
“If the government can do this, I am confident that the initiative could attract more domestic investment, boost development and strengthen Lagos ambition to become a leading global financial centre,” he said.
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