Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday distributed about 4,000 start-up equipment to residents under the Micro Enterprise Support Initiative (MESI) of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), urging beneficiaries to use the tools to build sustainable businesses and improve their livelihoods.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Sanwo-Olu said the initiative was part of his administration’s commitment to reducing poverty through skills acquisition, entrepreneurship, and economic empowerment.
According to the governor, the equipment represents an investment in the future of the beneficiaries and the economic prosperity of Lagos State.
“The equipment being presented today is not just a collection of tools; it is an investment in your future and in the prosperity of Lagos State.
“I urge every beneficiary to make the best use of these items by turning the knowledge acquired during your training into thriving businesses that will improve your lives and create opportunities for others,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to empower vulnerable residents by equipping them with practical skills and the resources needed to become financially independent.
Representing the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, the Vice Chairman of Oshodi-Isolo Local Council Development Area, Mrs. Islamiyat Aregbe, said the empowerment programme had restored hope and dignity to thousands of residents.
She said the initiative reflects the government’s determination to ensure that more Lagosians become self-reliant through vocational training and enterprise support.
Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, congratulated the beneficiaries and encouraged them to maximise the opportunity by putting the equipment to productive use.
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Hamzat also urged eligible residents to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the 2027 general elections to enable them to participate in the democratic process.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Bolaji Dada, disclosed that more than 35,000 residents had graduated from the state’s tuition-free skills acquisition centres across the five divisions of Lagos since the inception of the Sanwo-Olu administration.
She added that over 18,000 beneficiaries had previously received start-up tools after completing their vocational training to establish their own businesses.
“Our goal is to ensure that skills acquired do not end in the classroom. We are providing the necessary equipment to enable beneficiaries to establish viable businesses, become financially independent and contribute meaningfully to the state’s economy,” Dada said.
Some of the beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the state government, describing the initiative as life-changing and pledging to make productive use of the equipment.
Items distributed included sewing machines, industrial grinding machines, barbering kits, hairdressing equipment, cooking pots, gas cookers, cake mixers, cameras, tripods, and other business tools.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Micro Enterprise Support Initiative is one of the Lagos State Government’s programmes aimed at promoting entrepreneurship, reducing unemployment, and improving household incomes across the state.
