By Samuel Agogo

As Ibrahim Babajide Obanikoro, Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Parastatals Monitoring, marks one year in office, his tenure has been characterised by intensified supervision, strengthened accountability mechanisms and a broader push for efficiency across Lagos State’s parastatals, agencies and government-owned companies.

Obanikoro assumed office in December 2024 at a time when the Parastatals Monitoring Office was expected to play a more strategic role in ensuring efficiency, transparency and compliance within public institutions. Over the past year, the office has intensified its oversight functions, aligning its activities with the T.H.E.M.E.S + Agenda of the Lagos State Government, particularly in the areas of institutional performance and service delivery.

A key milestone during the period was a comprehensive inspection exercise covering July 2024 to June 2025. The review examined financial records, procurement processes, internal controls and project execution across parastatals and agencies. The exercise was designed to identify gaps, promote adherence to due process and encourage better management practices rather than impose sanctions.

To reinforce the outcomes of the inspections, the office organised management-level engagements, including a three-day retreat themed “Driving Oversight, Delivering Results.” The programme focused on compliance requirements, auditing standards and performance management, with the goal of improving operational efficiency and accountability across government institutions.

Obanikoro also embarked on a series of working tours and on-the-spot assessments of thirty-five parastatals, agencies and government-owned companies. The visits provided firsthand insight into operational challenges and project implementation while offering opportunities for direct engagement with management teams. Strategic institutions visited included the Lagos State Sports Commission, Lagos State Wastewater Management Office, Lagos State Television and Video Exhibition Board, the Christian and Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards, and Lekki Worldwide Investment Limited.

Inter-agency coordination featured prominently during the year, with the Monitoring Office strengthening platforms for collaboration among agency heads. Regular engagements such as the Parastatals Revenue Generating Meeting, Parastatals Interface and Stakeholders’ Synergy Meeting were used to address revenue performance, operational overlaps and shared challenges, leading to improved information sharing and coordination.

Workforce welfare also received attention through the maiden Evaluation and Review of Contributory Pension Remittance for parastatals and agencies with directly recruited staff. The exercise reviewed compliance with pension remittance obligations and sought to address concerns raised by workers, reinforcing confidence in pension administration within the public service.

In January 2025, the Monitoring Office hosted its first leadership retreat for chief executive officers of parastatals and agencies, themed “Leadership and Good Governance: Strategies for Enhancing Performance, Service Delivery and Revenue Generation.” The retreat focused on leadership responsibility, institutional ethics and effective governance, in line with the state’s development agenda.

The year also saw a project monitoring exercise covering twenty-five parastatals, aimed at tracking project execution and ensuring judicious use of public funds. Officials said the exercise was intended to strengthen value-for-money principles and improve outcomes for residents.

As he completes his first year in office, Ibrahim Babajide Obanikoro’s tenure reflects a period of heightened oversight activity and renewed focus on accountability within Lagos State’s parastatals. The administration maintains that the measures introduced are part of ongoing efforts to strengthen public institutions and enhance service delivery across the state.

Samuel Agogo writes from Abuja