Lagos Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, recently revealed that an estimated 6,000 people move to Lagos each day, while only around 3,000 leave, resulting in thousands of newcomers with no established residence. Hamzat shared this insight during the 2024 Annual Directors Conference Dinner, themed “Business Meets Government,” on Thursday.
Highlighting the challenges of funding a state of Lagos’s scale, Hamzat pointed out that with a population of roughly 27 million, Lagos operates on a budget of N2.2 trillion, or about $1.3 billion—a stark contrast to New York State in the United States, which, with a population of 19.5 million, has a budget of $237 billion as of 2023. Representing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat noted that while people are drawn to Lagos for better opportunities, the increasing population is placing immense strain on the state’s resources.
“We can’t stop people from seeking greener pastures in Lagos, but this influx adds pressure on our budget. The Lagos 2024 budget stands at N2.3 trillion—the largest in Nigeria. Rivers State, with the next highest budget, stands at N700 billion. For context, New York, with a population of 19 million, has a $237 billion budget, yet Lagos is left to manage with $1.3 billion,” Hamzat explained.
Discussing broader social issues, Hamzat expressed concern over family disintegration in Nigeria, attributing many societal problems to the collapse of family units. He shared findings from his research, stating, “We discovered 138,000 women in Lagos who describe themselves as ‘widows,’ yet their husbands are alive. This reality reflects a high rate of abandonment, where men leave their wives and children without support. If the family structure is not fixed, progress will be limited.”
Hamzat also noted the disparity in resources dedicated to child welfare. “New York allocates $5.5 billion of its budget solely to Child Protective Services, which exceeds the budgets of Lagos, Rivers, Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, and Katsina combined. In the U.S., if parents are unable to care for their children, the government steps in, ensuring no child is left without support.”
Addressing the audience, which included business leaders, public officials, and stakeholders, Hamzat called for individual accountability in addressing societal issues. “Often, we blame other sectors without looking at ourselves. Professors are criticized for harassment issues, so they must work on these problems in academia. Clean up your own space. If each of us committed to our part, Nigeria could be great,” he remarked.
Alhaji Tijjani M. Borodo, President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Directors (CIoD) Nigeria, also underscored the importance of synergy between business and government to tackle shared challenges. In his opening remarks, he stressed that collaborative efforts are essential for addressing key obstacles, including inconsistent policies, infrastructure gaps, and bureaucratic hurdles.
