BENJAMIN OMOIKE
LAGOS, Nigeria – Lagos State Government has disbursed a total of N1.933 billion in loans and grants to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the state as part of efforts to stimulate economic growth, reduce unemployment and strengthen entrepreneurship.
Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Hon. Akinyemi Bankole Ajigbotafe, disclosed this during the 2026 Ministerial Press Briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja on Thursday.
Ajigbotafe said the financial intervention, implemented through the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), included N1.91 billion in affordable loans disbursed to 4,036 MSMEs, alongside grants worth N23.628 million provided to 65 businesses to support operations, expansion and resilience.
According to the commissioner, the interventions form part of the state government’s broader strategy to empower entrepreneurs, create jobs and deepen economic inclusion across Lagos.
“Affordable loans worth N1.91 billion were disbursed to 4,036 micro, small and medium enterprises in Lagos, driving business growth, resilience and expansion for job creation,” Ajigbotafe said.
He added: “Grants worth N23.628 million were also disbursed to 65 MSMEs in Lagos to cover operating costs of their businesses, strengthening the businesses’ resilience and scalability.”
The commissioner revealed that beyond financial support, over 8,454 MSMEs benefitted from enterprise development and capacity-building initiatives, while 848 entrepreneurs were connected to market opportunities aimed at boosting sales and expanding visibility for their businesses.
Ajigbotafe explained that the ministry, through strategic partnerships with international development organisations and private sector stakeholders, also intensified vocational and technical training programmes for Lagos residents.
“In partnership with GIZ, King’s Trust International, USADF and Diageo, we trained 3,456 Lagosians in vocational and technical skills across construction, hospitality and tourism, the creative industry, health and beauty, and the green economy,” he said.
“Out of this figure, 2,127 beneficiaries were successfully placed into jobs, thereby increasing the employability of young Lagosians.”
The commissioner further disclosed that the state government, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), signed a Memorandum of Understanding to train an additional 2,000 Lagosians in 2026.
Speaking on inclusion and social impact, Ajigbotafe noted that the ministry partnered with Lafarge Africa Plc, the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA), the Ministry of Youth and Social Development and the Lagos State Council of Tradesmen and Artisans to deliver entrepreneurship and vocational training programmes for women and persons with disabilities.
According to him, “The programme supported 50 women in construction and 100 persons with disabilities in vocational skills such as hairdressing, makeup, shoe and bag manufacturing, as well as phone and laptop repair services.”
Ajigbotafe also highlighted the state’s growing investment in innovation and technology-driven entrepreneurship.
He disclosed that LSETF incubated 50 early-stage startups through its Idea Hub programme and recently launched the third cohort of the Female Founders and Funders programme involving 30 female founders.
“About 1,000 tech talents were also trained in software development, full stack development, cybersecurity and AI for software engineering, among others,” he added.
On employment generation, the commissioner said the Lagos State Graduate Internship Placement Programme (LSGIPP) has continued to bridge the gap between academic learning and workplace requirements.
He stated that since inception, the programme has impacted over 6,500 graduates across the five divisions of Lagos State, with 2,500 graduates successfully placed during the 2024 cycle concluded in 2025.
Ajigbotafe explained that beneficiaries undergo a three-week employability training before being deployed for a three-month paid internship with a monthly stipend of N60,000.
He also disclosed that the ministry organised job fairs and recruitment engagements to connect job seekers with employers across various sectors.
According to him, one of the recent employment events recorded 2,005 job seekers, including 17 persons with disabilities, with over 110 recruiting organisations participating.
“The event exceeded our initial target of 1,500 participants and enabled meaningful employer-candidate interactions, resulting in several participants securing employment opportunities,” he said.
