…trains over 1,200 women in financial literacy

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

Lagos State Government has identified 10 high-impact goals to prioritise in its drive for inclusive growth, improved quality of life, environmental sustainability and shared prosperity.

Meanwhile, over 1, 200 women have been trained in financial literacy across the five divisions of the state.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, Dr. Oreoluwa Finnih, disclosed this on Friday, during a ministerial press briefing to commemorate the second year of the second term of State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu/Dr. The Obafemi Hamzat administration, held at Alausa, Ikeja.

Finnih explained that the goals was part of state’s strategic roadmap to fast-track the realisation of the SDGs.

Revealing this, Finnih stressed the importance of setting a coordinated agenda for collective impact, noting that the Office is focused on fostering strategic partnerships, mobilising resources, and tracking measurable progress.

Describing the SDGs as a blueprint for a resilient, equitable and prosperous society, she disclosed that the 10 prioritised goals – Goal 2 (Zero Hunger), Goal 4 (Quality Education), Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), Goal 13 (Climate Action), Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), and Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) were prioritised based on a robust framework that assessed both impact and feasibility.

According to her, prioritising these goals is not a policy shift but a deliberate approach compelled by global and local imperatives. These 10 SDGs represent the areas where Lagos has the highest comparative advantage and can make the greatest difference without neglecting the other goals, which have been mainstreamed into the State’s broader development strategies.

She emphasised that this strategic direction is in line with the new global trends where every city prioritise each of the 17 goals according local need as revealed by the outcome of their various Voluntary Local Review (VLR), stressing that the initiative take cognisance of the SDGs with the highest multiplier effects that can drive progress through other SDGs.

Finnih explained that while the Office is balancing competing priorities through an approach that leaves no one behind, remarkable strides have been made in implementing transformative interventions in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S Plus development agenda.

Reeling out the achievements of the Office in recent years, she revealed that the maiden Lagos Sustainability Summit has further provided a roadmap on critical areas, including inclusive and equitable development, climate mitigation, resilience and adaptation, sustainable infrastructure and investment, green jobs, and sustainable livelihoods.

According to her, “Our Lighthouse Project, a flagship initiative targeting over 650,000 residents in hard-to-reach communities across the State’s 20 LGAs, has delivered tailored interventions in education, healthcare, and sanitation, positively impacting over 800,000 people.

“Through our Advocacy for Women’s Financial Inclusion, in collaboration with African HCD+, Opay, Cowrywise, NIMC, LASRRA, and LASHMA, 1,200 women in 12 underserved communities have been empowered with access to digital identification, health insurance, and financial literacy.”

She also remarked that the Office is institutionalising the SDGs in public institutions and fostering youth leadership across the state, with the establishment of SDG Clubs in public secondary schools and the publication of the “SDGs and I” handbook to enhance understanding and civic engagement, stressing that plans are in top gear to replicate same in all the public primary schools in the state.

While pointing out that 3,400 households have benefited from temporary employment under the NG-CARES programme, Finnih added that the Office has trained 5,000 youth-led Small Medium Enterprises, SMEs on digital skills through partnerships with the Alibaba Foundation and other innovation partners.

“The launch of the Human Capital Development (HCD) 2.0 Framework also signals a bold step toward systemic transformation.

“The government is building on past achievements to establish a new era of data-driven HCD with measurable outcomes, leveraging inter-agency collaboration,she stated.

Finnih noted that the designation of the Office as the SDGs Accelerator and Innovation Hub for the Southwest by the, United Nations Development Program,
UNDP further cements its leadership in deploying evidence-based, people-centric strategies.

“The Office is deepening its commitment with a series of ambitious plans, including hosting the Second Lagos Sustainability Summit, the Phase II of the Women’s Financial Inclusion Programme, and the development and validation of the 2nd Lagos Voluntary Local Review (VLR), as well as launching the “Lagos SDGs on Television” programme to improve public awareness and citizen engagement.

“Other upcoming initiatives include the High-Level SDGs Breakfast Meeting with members of the diplomatic corps and development partners, a quarterly Workshop for SDG Champions, and the deployment of the SDGs Monitoring Dashboard across MDAs to ensure real-time tracking and evaluation.

“The Office will also be publishing the SDGs Data Compendium, consolidating key indicators and best practices to guide future planning and resource allocation,” she revealed.

Stressing the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach, Finnih reiterated that Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) remains central to the Office’s strategy as it continues to mobilise public, private, and civil society actors to co-create solutions and scale up innovations.

“While the State Government under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu remains unwavering in its mission to make Lagos the most sustainable city in Africa, the SDGs Office is translating this vision into measurable results by lifting people out of poverty, advancing environmental justice, and creating inclusive prosperity for all,” she stated.

Empowering vulnerable women, youths

Finnih noted that the empowerment initiative was part of broader efforts by the SDGs Office to tackle poverty, promote gender equality, and ensure inclusive growth, especially in significantly underserved and hard-to-reach communities.

According to her, “10% of Lagosians live in significantly underserved and hard-to-reach communities,” highlighting the need for targeted interventions to bridge inequality gaps.

She stated that the SDGs Office had completed a needs assessment survey in five of such communities to better understand and address local challenges.

“We believe empowering women through financial literacy gives them the tools to become economically independent and active contributors to their communities,” Finnih said.