- Lagos Reaffirms Commitment to Data Driven Governance in Pursuit of SDGs
- Finnih described the training as a vital platform to deepen understanding
- Olayinka Ojo said the future of sustainable development depends on statistical integrity
The Lagos State Government, through the Office of Sustainable Development Goals, has restated its commitment to making data central to planning, implementation, and performance monitoring for the 2030 Agenda.
Eko Hot Blog reports that at a capacity building workshop for SDGs Champions across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), the government reiterated its determination to strengthen institutional capacity and interagency coordination as a strategy to accelerate progress toward inclusive and sustainable development.
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The one day strategic engagement, held at Protea Hotel, Ikeja, with the theme “Building Capacity for SDGs Reporting Through Effective Data Use and Advocacy,” brought together statisticians, planners, programme officers, and key personnel from various MDAs tasked with integrating and promoting data management within their institutional mandates.
In her opening remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on SDGs, Dr. Oreoluwa Finnih, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Office of SDGs, Mrs. Kaphayah Olayemi Sarumi, described the training as a vital platform to deepen understanding, foster collaboration, and strengthen data driven governance in the state’s pursuit of the SDGs and HCD.
“The SDGs are not just aspirational targets. They are a global blueprint to transform lives, institutions, and communities,” she said. “Achieving them demands a whole-of-government approach anchored on accurate, timely, and reliable data.”
She explained that Lagos must adopt data driven sustainability by building its capacity for evidence based decision making and performance tracking. While acknowledging progress, she noted that the lack of adequate data across many SDGs indicators remains a significant limitation.
“As commendable as your efforts have been in the last four years, we still lack adequate data for each of the SDGs indicators. Without this, we cannot measure our impact or know the specific advancements being made,” she stated.
She encouraged participants, designated as SDGs Champions, to see their roles as transformational rather than merely administrative, stressing their responsibility in embedding the SDGs into policies, programmes, and service delivery.
Delivering the keynote address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Mrs. Olayinka Ojo, said the future of sustainable development depends on statistical integrity. She urged statisticians and MDA representatives to adopt a unified, deliberate, and dynamic approach to data collection and analysis.
“The kind of data we generate for the SDGs must be purposeful and standardised. It directly influences the effectiveness of planning and decision-making across all sectors.”
“As we proceed with this workshop, I urge you to see yourselves not just as data collectors but as architects of progress. Each dataset you curate, each methodology you refine, and each insight you uncover brings us closer to a world where no one is left behind. The SDGs are not just goals; they are a promise to future generations and your work ensures that this promise is kept,” she said.
In his goodwill message, the Director of the Lagos Bureau of Statistics, Mr. Bashiru Oseni Ope, stressed the crucial role of data in governance, particularly the importance of disaggregated data for inclusive policy design and targeted development.
He underscored the need for stronger collaboration among MDAs, pointing out that fragmented data systems remain a major obstacle to coordinated and effective planning.
“We must dismantle data silos. If we can harmonise our data frameworks, Lagos will continue to lead as a model of integrated development planning and policy alignment,” he said.
Presenting a paper titled “From Files to Facts: Turning Routine MDA Records into Powerful SDGs Insight,” the Technical Assistant to the Statistician General of the Federation, Mr. Shamsideen Lawal, highlighted the untapped potential of routine administrative records in MDAs as a rich source of real time, policy relevant data for tracking SDGs progress.
He called for improved data documentation practices and stronger institutional partnerships to close existing information gaps.
Also, Associate Professor of Statistics at the Lagos State University of Science and Technology, Dr. Taofeek Arowolo, delivered a presentation on “Overview of SDGs Indicators and Challenges of Data Gathering,” outlining the challenges of data harmonisation, limited technical capacity, and the absence of standardised frameworks as major obstacles to effective SDGs monitoring and evaluation.
The workshop also featured practical sessions on mapping SDGs indicators, using data tools, and aligning agency level activities with the state’s broader development objectives.
