Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu says his administration, through the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, will train 10,000 residents in industry-relevant skills across technology, construction, fashion, health, and business. Speaking through Deputy Governor Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat at the Omniverse Africa Summit 3.0 on Tuesday at the Wole Soyinka Centre, Iganmu, he said the state is also investing in broadband access, digitizing government services, creating innovation clusters, and building policies that make entrepreneurship viable at scale under the THEMES+ Development Agenda.
Sanwo-Olu described LSETF as central to Lagos’ employment and entrepreneurship drive. In 2025 alone, the Fund disbursed ₦1.91 billion in affordable loans to over 4,000 MSMEs, gave grants worth ₦23 million to 65 businesses, and placed 2,500 graduates in paid internships with monthly stipends. He added that 1,050 persons with disabilities have received entrepreneurship training and start-up tools, stressing that inclusion remains a core pillar of the state’s economic agenda.
EU Ambassador to Nigeria Gautier Mignot and German Ambassador Annett Günther both pledged support for Nigeria’s digital and creative economy, citing the youth population as a key asset that needs sustainable job creation. Omniverse Africa Co-Convener Charles Emembolu said the summit underscores that Africa’s future will be shaped by human capital and deliberate collaboration among government, institutions, and private actors to bridge gaps in access to capital, markets, and networks.
