Lagos Begins 2027 Budget Consultation, Reports 80% Performance

The Lagos State Government has commenced consultations with residents across its five divisions as part of preparations for the 2027 budget, with stakeholders calling for more inclusive development and stronger community participation.

At the first 2027 Budget Consultative Forum for the Ikeja Division, held at the Multipurpose Hall of Radio Lagos, Agidingbi, Ikeja, Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Ope George, said the exercise was designed to enable residents to influence government priorities and assess the implementation of demands made during previous consultations.

George said the government would continue to engage residents annually to understand their needs and incorporate feasible demands into its budget.

He explained that the consultation had evolved into a two-way process, with the government presenting an account of previous commitments before receiving fresh demands from residents.

“Every year, we go around our IBILE Divisions to listen to our citizens and hear what they want to see in their upcoming budget,” he said.

The commissioner also disclosed that Lagos had sustained budget performance of about 80 per cent in recent years, with the 2026 budget currently recording between 79 and 80 per cent implementation.

He said the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) had also remained strong, typically achieving between 85 and 90 per cent of annual targets, while the latest half-year assessment stood at about 80 per cent.

On the state’s economic output, George said Lagos’ real Gross Domestic Product was estimated at ₦16.2 trillion, adding that the government tracks both nominal and real GDP.

Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Olayinka Ojo, said the consultation was no longer limited to receiving requests from residents but had become a platform for feedback, accountability and assessment of government interventions.

She said demands and priorities raised by citizens were documented, reviewed and forwarded to relevant government institutions, with approved requests translated into budgetary interventions.

Ojo also highlighted the contribution of Community Development Committees and Community Development Associations in strengthening grassroots participation across Lagos’ 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas.

Chairman of the Community Development Committee, Isolo LCDA, and Executive Council member of the Lagos State Community Development Council, Adesegun Olatunde, commended the initiative.

Olatunde, who said he had participated in the consultations for almost eight years, claimed that about 70 per cent of requests presented by communities were usually addressed through the budget implementation process.

He said the level of government response had encouraged communities to continue participating in the annual exercise, although some demands could not always be implemented because of emerging priorities.

The consultation is expected to continue across Lagos’ five divisions as the state works towards finalising its 2027 budget priorities.