The Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, in partnership with Inspired Youth Network, ActionAid Nigeria and other stakeholders, has intensified efforts to implement the revised Lagos State Youth Policy through grassroots engagement aimed at strengthening youth development across the state.
The renewed commitment was reaffirmed at a high-level stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos, where newly appointed local government youth supervisors, community leaders and government officials reviewed strategies for implementing the policy across the state’s 57 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).
The meeting forms part of ongoing efforts by the Lagos State Government and its partners to ensure the revised Lagos State Youth Policy delivers measurable and sustainable benefits for young people through coordinated grassroots implementation.
READ ALSO: Lawmaker Praises Lagos-Calabar Highway Project, Cites Economic Benefits
The engagement underscores a shared commitment to translating the policy into practical actions that promote inclusive youth development at the community level.
Programme Manager of Inspired Youth Network, Oluwatoyin Adejokun, said the meeting was convened to move the policy from approval to implementation following its endorsement by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in 2024.
“A policy without implementation is just a document. Implementing the youth policy is not the responsibility of the Ministry alone; every stakeholder has a role to play, especially those working directly with young people at the community level,” she said.
Adejokun explained that implementation of the revised policy would be monitored by the Ministry’s Technical Working Group (TWG), while field officers would serve as the link between the state government and local councils to ensure effective coordination, monitoring and accountability.
Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Toyin Oke Osayintolu, described the engagement as an onboarding session for newly appointed youth supervisors designed to strengthen collaboration between the state and local councils in delivering youth-focused programmes.
She disclosed that youth departments were being established across local governments and LCDAs to improve youth representation in governance and enhance policy implementation at the grassroots.
According to her, the initiative will bridge the gap between the state and local governments, ensuring stronger coordination in youth development efforts.
“If we want to make impact and ensure no youth is left behind, there has to be better collaboration between the state and the local governments. That is why we are here, to ensure everyone is on the same page,” Osayintolu said.
She added that the ministry is also addressing drug and substance abuse among young people through advocacy campaigns, rehabilitation centres and strategic partnerships with relevant organisations, including the Office of the First Lady.
Managing Partner of PEST Consulting and member of the Technical Working Group, Boye Oluwafemi, said the initiative would transform youth centres into vibrant community hubs for skills acquisition, entrepreneurship, digital training and educational programmes.
He revealed that Inspired Youth Network, Jobberman, Tutera and Deep Africa are partnering with the state government to refurbish selected youth centres, with facilities in Ikeja, Surulere, Lagos Mainland and Mushin already undergoing renovation.
Speaking on behalf of participants, Supervisor for Youth and Sports, Victoria Island LCDA, Balogun Odunsoladimeji, described the engagement as providing a practical framework for implementing the revised policy at the grassroots.
He noted that the policy’s six thematic pillars and clearly defined objectives would enable youth stakeholders to design programmes that respond to the specific needs of their communities, making implementation more coordinated, responsive and impactful.
