Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has empowered about 3,800 residents with business tools and equipment under the 2026 Micro Enterprise Support Initiative, MESI, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to reducing poverty, creating jobs and promoting economic inclusion.
The empowerment programme, organised by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, WAPA, is aimed at helping beneficiaries establish sustainable businesses, become self-reliant and contribute to the state’s economy.
Speaking at the graduation and empowerment ceremony, Sanwo-Olu said the impact of government should be measured by the number of lives transformed rather than the infrastructure it delivers.
He disclosed that nearly 40,000 Lagos residents have received vocational training through the initiative over the past seven years, while close to 20,000 have been provided with business support to start or expand their enterprises.
The governor urged beneficiaries to maximise the opportunity by using the equipment to build viable businesses, create employment and improve their livelihoods, assuring that the state government would continue expanding empowerment programmes to ensure more residents benefit from inclusive economic growth.
Deputy Governor Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat described the initiative as a life-changing intervention that has produced successful entrepreneurs and employers of labour.
He encouraged beneficiaries to remain focused and leverage business financing opportunities available through the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund.
Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Bolaji Cecilia Dada, described the 2026 Micro-Enterprise Support Initiative as a practical demonstration of the Lagos State Government’s commitment to empowering residents and promoting economic self-reliance.
She commended Governor Sanwo-Olu for prioritising grassroots development through impactful empowerment programmes, stressing that empowerment extends beyond the distribution of tools and equipment to creating opportunities, restoring dignity, strengthening families and building sustainable livelihoods.
According to the commissioner, the MESI programme was designed to bridge the gap between skills acquisition and business sustainability by providing startup equipment to trained residents.
She disclosed that since the inception of the current administration, more than 35,101 residents have graduated from the ministry’s tuition-free skills acquisition centres, while 18,990 beneficiaries have received business startup equipment through the Micro-Enterprise Support Initiative.
She added that thousands of other residents have benefited from digital empowerment, food support, agricultural initiatives and other social intervention programmes.
Mrs. Dada said beneficiaries received various business support equipment, including sewing machines, baking equipment, hairdressing and barbing tools, deep freezers, cooking equipment, agricultural machines and other items to help them establish and grow sustainable businesses.
She urged the beneficiaries to make productive use of the equipment by building viable enterprises, creating employment opportunities and contributing to the economic development of Lagos State, while reaffirming the ministry’s commitment to reducing poverty, empowering women and vulnerable residents and ensuring that no one is left behind.
Chairman of the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Women Affairs, Poverty Alleviation and Job Creation, Princess Dr. Omolara Oyekan-Olumegbon, commended the government for implementing people-centred policies that empower women, youths and vulnerable residents.
Oyekan-Olumegbon also advised beneficiaries to embrace innovation, integrity and continuous learning to sustain and grow their businesses.
Some beneficiaries at the event shared testimonies on the programme’s impact.
A graduate of the Catering and Hotel Management Department at the Eleko Skill Acquisition Centre, Adeyola, said the support had transformed her business by enabling her to acquire her own equipment instead of relying on borrowed tools, allowing her to work independently and employ others.
Another beneficiary, Roland, who trained in furniture making, said he now operates a registered company, Roro Furniture and Interior Limited, executing interior design projects, paying taxes and creating employment opportunities.
Hairdressing and Cosmetology graduate, Fadairo Fatima Oluwapelumi, also said the pedicure set she received has enabled her to achieve financial independence.