Lagos Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hamzat recently revealed that approximately 6,000 people move to Lagos daily, with around 3,000 of them settling without known addresses. This influx contributes to the city’s estimated population of 27 million, which is supported by a budget of N2.3 trillion for 2024.
Dr. Hamzat compared Lagos’s budget to that of New York State, which, despite having a smaller population of 19.5 million, has a budget of $237 billion as of 2023. He emphasized the significant gap in funding, noting that Lagos’s budget translates to about $1.3 billion, making it the highest in Nigeria, with the next largest budget, that of Rivers State, being less than half.
He also addressed social issues, mentioning that many people in Lagos reach out for help, particularly widows. A recent assessment revealed that there are about 138,000 women identified as widows, with a notable number of men abandoning their families. Dr. Hamzat stressed the importance of addressing the family unit’s stability to tackle broader societal challenges.
He highlighted that a portion of New York’s budget, $5.5 billion, is allocated to ensure that children are not abandoned, underscoring the critical need for similar initiatives in Lagos.
