Lagos Don Open Ground For 2026 Budget Matter

Lagos State government don begin consult people for 2026 budget, as dem call on residents make dem show face and talk wetin dem want make government focus on. For the opening session of the Budget Consultative Forum wey happen for Ikeja Division inside Radio Lagos Multipurpose Hall, Agidingbi, the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Ope George, talk say the whole idea na to carry citizens along for the budget matter and still give update on how the 2025 budget don perform so far. E talk say: “Na our first stop be this for the different divisions of Lagos. We come here make we hear directly from una wetin una want make we put for 2026 budget. E also give us chance to report back on wetin una ask for inside 2025, and show una wetin we don actually do.” George talk say Lagos don already score over 80% for 2025 budget performance, both for money wey dem dey collect and the one wey dem don spend.

As e take talk am, Lagos sure say dem go meet their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) target before year go finish. “We dey build on the better things wey we don achieve for 2025. Our IGR dey grow steady and as at August–September, we don hit like 80% of wetin we target. Last year, we meet our IGR target and we sure say 2025 go still follow that same road,” na wetin George yarn. George still talk say dem go expand the state agribusiness project, Lagos Produce, to make sure say food dey ground well for everybody. Oga Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mobolaji Ogunlende, come talk him own side. E raise alarm say drug abuse dey increase among youths for Lagos, and e don turn serious matter wey need urgent attention. Ogunlende describe the wahala as one kind “pandemic”, as e talk say the ministry don set up one special department under Lagos State Kicks Against Drug Abuse (LASCADA) to face the gbege head-on. “As I dey talk now, our rehab centres don full. Drug abuse na wetin we dey see for street and even inside people house. At least 35% of our youths don dey depend on drugs,” na so e yan. Ogunlende talk say Lagos State dey work hand-in-hand with NDLEA, private organisations, and civil society groups to push awareness, do rehab, and provide rescue support for people wey don fall inside drug wahala. E beg communities make dem no fold hand, say make dem own the fight and help chase this drug matter commot from their areas. The consultative forum go run from September 9 to 16, 2025, and e go happen across all the divisions for Lagos. People wey go show face include traditional rulers, professional bodies, civil society groups, market/trade people, persons with disabilities, and youths, everybody go get chance to talk their mind for the 2026 budget.