The Kano State Social Protection Agency has embarked on a study of Lagos State's model for social protection and development planning. A delegation from Kano, led by the agency's Director-General, Fatima Abubakar-Abdullahi, recently held a two-day engagement with the Lagos State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget. The visit focused on Lagos' institutional framework for social protection, development planning, and grassroots data management.
The Kano delegation met with officials of the Lagos social protection unit, led by Director Semiu Yusuf, at the ministry's headquarters in Alausa, Ikeja. During the meeting, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Olayinka Ojo, explained that Lagos created a dedicated Social Protection Coordinating Department to coordinate interventions. This department operates with dedicated personnel and administrative functions.
According to Olayinka Ojo, Lagos relies on detailed community-level data to determine where development interventions are needed. This approach enables the government to plan for the state in a disaggregated manner, ensuring that no one is left behind. The Lagos Development Plan serves as the framework for setting development priorities and breaking them into short-, medium-, and long-term targets.
The Lagos Development Plan focuses on economic growth, infrastructure, and human capital development. Olayinka Ojo emphasized that government alone cannot deliver sustainable development without building the capacity of civil servants, private-sector actors, civil society groups, and community stakeholders. The plan is audacious, and the government is committed to its implementation.
Another component of the Lagos system examined by the Kano delegation was public participation in budget preparation. Olayinka Ojo revealed that Lagos recently completed consultations with communities ahead of the 2027 budget, with residents identifying priorities that would be taken into discussions with accounting officers and heads of agencies. Community Development Committees play a central role in this process.
A member of the Kano delegation, Fatima Abubakar-Abdullahi, stated that Kano is seeking practical lessons from Lagos because its social protection agency, established last year, is still developing its institutional and operational systems. The Kano delegation included the agency's Director of Planning, Dalhatu Danladi, and Director of Public Enlightenment, Rabiu Ibrahim.
The study aims to help Kano develop structures for coordinating social protection programmes and improving service delivery. The Kano State Social Protection Agency was established last year, and the agency is still developing its systems. The lessons learned from Lagos will inform Kano's approach to social protection and development planning.
Key points
- Kano State Social Protection Agency studies Lagos' model for social protection and development planning.
- Lagos relies on community-level data to determine development interventions.
- Public participation is a key component of Lagos' budget preparation process.
