The Lagos State Government has called on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Champions to translate data and evidence into actionable policies that will drive sustainable development across the State.
The call was made at the Annual SDGs Champions’ Capacity Building Workshop held in Alausa, Ikeja, with the theme “From Data to Action: Using Voluntary Local Review to Drive the SDGs.”
The Special Adviser to the Governor on SDGs, Dr. Oreoluwa Finnih, described data as the cornerstone of effective governance and resource allocation, stressing that accurate data helps government identify gaps in areas such as education, infrastructure and waste management.
Finnih also highlighted Lagos State’s achievement of conducting two Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs), positioning the State as a leading sub-national government in sustainability reporting.
The Permanent Secretary, Office of Sustainable Development Goals, Mrs. Kaphayah Olayemi Sarumi, urged participants to strengthen local ownership of global development goals and translate institutional insights into measurable improvements for Lagos residents.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Mrs. Olayinka Modupe Ojo, cautioned against poor data collection and administrative errors, noting that inaccurate information could negatively affect future decisions on healthcare, education and infrastructure.
The workshop equipped SDG Champions with practical tools to analyse sector-specific data, address operational gaps and develop actionable policy briefs aligned with the Lagos State Development Plan 2052 and the 2030 SDG targets.
