Lagos Trains Council Planning Officers On Data-Driven Development

The Lagos State Government has strengthened its focus on data-driven grassroots development with a capacity-building programme for Heads of Planning, Research and Statistics (HPRS) Departments across the state’s 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).

The state government disclosed this in a post on its official X page, saying the one-day engagement was organised by the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ikeja.

The programme was designed to improve the ability of planning, research and statistics officers to generate, manage and use credible data for development planning, policy formulation, evidence-based decision-making and improved service delivery at the grassroots.

Speaking at the event, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Mrs Olayinka Ojo, stressed that reliable and actionable data was essential to effective governance and sustainable development.

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“Effective governance and sustainable development cannot be achieved without reliable, accessible and actionable data,” Ojo said.

She noted that local governments, as the tier of government closest to residents, had a critical responsibility to generate and utilise information that accurately captures the needs, priorities and socio-economic conditions of their communities.

Ojo said the councils were strategically positioned to provide vital grassroots information because of their direct engagement with Community Development Associations, Community Development Committees, households and other community structures.

She urged participants to regard the programme as more than a conventional training exercise, describing it as an opportunity to deepen cooperation between the state and local governments.

According to her, data generated at the grassroots level must be properly collected, managed and applied to support Lagos State’s wider development agenda.

The Permanent Secretary also emphasised the importance of strengthening data systems within the councils, saying quality information would improve planning, budgeting, programme implementation and the monitoring of development interventions.

The engagement featured technical presentations and knowledge-sharing sessions involving the Lagos Bureau of Statistics, UNICEF, the Economic Planning Department, N-CARES, the Budget Department and the Social Protection Coordinating Department.

The sessions provided participants with practical knowledge on improving data generation, management and utilisation, while encouraging collaboration and the exchange of experiences among institutions.

The government said the discussions also focused on improving the availability, accuracy, reliability and completeness of data needed for development planning, budgeting, policymaking and service delivery.

The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening institutional capacity and promoting a responsive social protection system based on credible data, effective coordination, accountability and strategic partnerships.

It said improving the quality and use of data generated across Lagos’ 57 LGAs and LCDAs would support more responsive planning and evidence-based governance, while improving the implementation of development programmes across the state.