The Lagos State Government, through the Micro-Enterprise Support Initiative (MESI) under the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), has empowered 18,963 residents, mostly women, since the inception of the programme.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu made this disclosure during a MESI event organized by WAPA on Wednesday in Ikeja.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, the governor reaffirmed the state’s commitment to supporting small businesses through MESI.
He said the government would continue to promote and engage small businesses through various empowerment initiatives aimed at tackling poverty.
“This initiative is a practical demonstration of our THEMES Plus Agenda, which places strong emphasis on social inclusion, human development, and the protection of vulnerable citizens,” Sanwo-Olu said.
“Our vision is to build a Lagos where every resident, regardless of gender, age, ability or social status, has a fair opportunity to advance. Empowerment is not a one-off intervention; it is a deliberate and strategic pillar for building a resilient and inclusive economy.
“By equipping our people with the tools and resources they need to run productive businesses, we are strengthening the informal sector, which is the heartbeat of Lagos. The tools and equipment being distributed today are not ordinary items but enablers of growth, ladders of opportunity, and platforms for financial independence.”
The governor urged beneficiaries to make full use of the tools to enhance their livelihoods. He also commended WAPA’s leadership for their consistency and commitment to initiatives that impact the lives of Lagos residents.
“To our beneficiaries, today is the beginning of a new journey. The tools you receive are seeds—plant them with discipline, nurture them with hard work, and grow them with integrity,” he said.
Earlier, Mrs. Bolaji Dada, Lagos State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, said MESI was created to provide practical training, startup capital and essential tools to disadvantaged women, youths, artisans and graduates of WAPA skill centres.
Dada noted that since inception, MESI had delivered multiple editions of empowerment programmes, providing working tools and financial support to numerous micro, small and medium enterprises aimed at alleviating poverty.
“This initiative is a practical expression of the social inclusion and economic empowerment pillars of THEMES Plus, which remain central to Gov. Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to leave no one behind. At WAPA, our mandate is to build pathways for vulnerable persons—women, men, young adults, widows, persons with disabilities and unemployed graduates—ensuring that everyone, regardless of circumstance, has an opportunity to thrive.
“For this third edition of MESI, we are expanding our reach and strengthening our impact as we proudly present empowerment tools to beneficiaries across Lagos State. This demonstrates the government’s resolve to reduce poverty, encourage self-reliance, and support micro-enterprises at the community level. Vulnerability is a call to duty, and today’s intervention is our response,” she said.
She listed the equipment distributed, including sewing machines, stoning machines, hairdressing kits, baking ovens and confectionery starter kits, barbing kits, sterilizers, generators, cassava processing machines and food processing machines.
The commissioner commended Governor Sanwo-Olu for his unflinching support for women’s empowerment through WAPA.
Also speaking, Princess Lara Oyekan-Olumegbon, Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs, Poverty Alleviation and Job Creation, said the House would continue to enact laws enhancing the well-being of women.
She noted that MESI and other empowerment programmes were designed to prioritize and support the development of women in the state.
Some beneficiaries also commended the state government for the start-up tools. Mrs. Ganiat Danni and Mrs. Comfort Olanipekun, who received a stoning machine and grinding machine respectively, praised WAPA for positively impacting their livelihoods.
