By Ebunoluwa Sessou

The Lagos State House of Assembly has commenced moves to regulate the activities of artisans and craftsmen in the state with the consideration of a bill seeking to establish the Lagos State Artisans and Craftsmen Regulatory Board.

The bill, titled Lagos State Artisans and Craftsmen Regulatory Board Bill 2025, seeks to provide a legal framework for the registration, training, certification and regulation of artisans and craftsmen.

Presenting the bill for second reading, Majority Leader of the House, Noheem Adams, said the proposed legislation would bring dignity, order and accountability to the informal sector while protecting consumers from unqualified practitioners.

Adams said the board would register, train and certify artisans, maintain a database of qualified practitioners and receive complaints from members of the public.

He added that registration would help curb quackery by enabling consumers to verify the competence and professional status of artisans before engaging their services.

The proposed board would also facilitate access to government empowerment programmes, soft loans, insurance schemes and skills-upgrading initiatives for registered artisans.

However, lawmakers raised concerns over environmental safety, registration fees, age requirements, the composition of the board and possible duplication of functions with existing agencies, particularly the Lagos State Vocational Education Board, LASVEB.

Representing Oshodi/Isolo 1, Stephen Ogundipe, said proper licensing would help reduce disputes between clients and artisans and enable residents to distinguish qualified practitioners from unskilled ones.

Adebola Shabi called for environmental safety to be incorporated into the bill, particularly for activities such as welding, while suggesting that the Lagos State Safety Commission and Ministry of Environment be represented on the proposed board.

Lukmon Olumoh, representing Ajeromi 1, sought clarification on possible overlaps between the proposed board and LASVEB, while Femi Saheed of Kosofe 2 questioned the qualification requirements for the chairman of the board.

Kehinde Joseph, representing Alimosho 1, urged the Assembly to consider reducing the proposed minimum registration age from 18 to 16 years, noting that many young people begin acquiring vocational skills early.

He also called for a review of registration fees to avoid imposing excessive financial burdens on artisans.

The speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, commended the lawmakers for supporting the bill, saying proper regulation of artisans could improve security, economic growth, employment and internally generated revenue.

Obasa said a comprehensive database of artisans would enable the government to identify and monitor practitioners while providing useful data for policymaking and development programmes.

He also urged the state to leverage technology and partnerships with countries such as China and Taiwan to expose Lagos artisans to advanced skills and international opportunities.

Following the debate, the bill was committed to the House Committee on Commerce and Industry for further legislative scrutiny and report back to the Assembly in two weeks.