Lagos Hosts World Bank Mission to Strengthen Governance, Improve Public Service Delivery

The meeting, scheduled for November 10 and 11, 2026 in the State’s capital city – Ikeja, will bring together officials from Lagos, Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo to assess progress, provide technical support and discuss adjustments to the programme’s implementation framework.

The engagement is part of the World Bank’s November 9–30 Implementation Support Mission, designed to review the progress of the national HOPE Programme and coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, under the leadership of the Minister, Senator Atiku Bagudu to strengthen its implementation across participating states.

At the centre of the discussions is the need to build stronger public institutions, improve the management of government resources and ensure that public policies translate into better services for citizens

The HOPE-GOV component specifically focuses on strengthening public financial management, institutional accountability and governance processes, while the broader HOPE Programme also covers primary healthcare and basic education through its HOPE-PHC and HOPE-EDU components.

These complementary interventions are designed to improve access to essential services, particularly in healthcare and education, while strengthening the institutions responsible for delivering them.

It would be recalled that Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, few months ago at Marina, launched e-learning platform and free academic materials for students in Public Schools to signal a new phase of the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity (HOPE)-initiative in the State.

Speaking ahead of the engagement, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Mrs. Olayinka Modupe Ojo, described the mission as an opportunity to strengthen coordination among participating states, address implementation bottlenecks and deepen collaboration towards achieving the programme’s objectives.

She emphasised the importance of sustained engagement and evidence-based approaches in improving governance and service delivery, particularly in the education and primary healthcare sectors.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Mosopefoluwa George, said the programme was important to Nigeria’s human capital development agenda, particularly in promoting accountability, effective governance and public sector efficiency.

He reaffirmed the Lagos State Government’s commitment to strengthening public institutions and improving access to quality basic education and primary healthcare services.

Participants at the physical meeting will include State Focal Persons and technical officers from the Ministries of Finance, Budget, Education and Health, as well as officials of the Offices of the Accountants-General, State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) and State Primary Health Care Development Agencies (SPHCDAs).

Following the Lagos meeting, a virtual engagement scheduled for November 17 and 18 will extend technical discussions and implementation support to participating states across the country.

The Lagos-hosted mission forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen intergovernmental collaboration and ensure that the objectives of the HOPE Programme translate into more effective governance, improved institutional performance and better public service delivery.