The Lagos State Government has commenced a comprehensive Qualitative Assessment exercise as part of its Voluntary Local Review (VLR) of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The initiative, driven by the Office of Sustainable Development Goals, is designed to capture the voices and lived experiences of citizens across communities, ensuring that Lagos’ SDG reporting reflects grassroots realities.
The exercise seeks to strengthen participatory governance by involving men, women, youth, community leaders, and vulnerable groups in evaluating the state’s progress toward the SDGs. According to the Special Adviser to the Governor on SDGs, Dr. Oreoluwa Finnih, the VLR is not merely a reporting tool but a platform to co-create solutions, identify gaps, and reinforce partnerships for sustainable development.
Dr. Finnih emphasized that the success of the SDGs lies not just in numbers but in how government policies improve everyday lives, adding that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration remains committed to accountable, transparent, and inclusive governance.
This marks Lagos’ second major step toward localized SDG reporting after its earlier engagement in National Voluntary Reviews. While past assessments relied heavily on statistical data, the current qualitative approach is intended to give depth and context to the figures by integrating real-life community voices.
Similar global reviews in countries like Colombia and South Korea have shown that people-centred assessments improve policy outcomes and enhance citizens’ trust in governance. Lagos is now adapting that model to its unique urban and peri-urban realities.
At the Ikosi LCDA engagement, the Permanent Secretary, Office of the SDGs, Mrs. Kaphayah Olayemi Sarumi, stressed that the SDGs will only have true meaning when they translate into tangible grassroots improvements—better schools, improved healthcare, accessible markets, and opportunities for youth and women.
She noted that the participatory assessment will shape state-level planning, budgeting, and policy formulation, ensuring that no one is left behind. The initiative has already extended to Ijede LCDA, demonstrating Lagos’ determination to institutionalize inclusive SDG reporting.
With Nigeria expected to contribute to the Global SDG Progress Review, Lagos’ initiative positions it as a pioneer in sub-national SDG accountability—a model that could inspire other states to deepen citizen participation in governance.
The Lagos SDG Qualitative Assessment exercise is more than an audit—it is a citizen-driven development blueprint. By grounding policy in lived experiences, Lagos is building a framework where statistics meet reality and governance meets people’s aspirations.
As traditional rulers, community leaders, women, youths, and people with disabilities take part, Lagos is signaling that the journey toward the SDGs will be measured not only in progress reports but in the daily lives of its citizens.
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