Lagos N1.77tn revenue has not eased residents’ economic hardship – Adeoye – Businessday NG

…asks Lagosians to reject continuity

Lagos’ internally generated revenue (IGR) of N1.77 trillion in 2025 has not translated into adequate relief for residents facing high rents, unemployment, unreliable electricity and rising living costs, Laja Adeoye, governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), has said.

Adeoye said Lagos needed a change in its development approach to address the economic pressures confronting households and businesses, arguing that residents should choose a reset over continuity in the Feb. 6, 2027 governorship election.

In a statement on Tuesday, the APM candidate said his “Atunto Eko 1.0” agenda is an alternative to the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration that has governed the state since 1999 through its predecessors, the Alliance for Democracy and Action Congress of Nigeria.

Although Lagos remains Nigeria’s leading state in internally generated revenue, Adeoye said many residents continued to contend with housing shortages, high rents, multiple taxation, traffic congestion, unreliable power supply and inadequate public infrastructure.

He said the economic challenges had increased the cost of living and doing business in the state, questioning whether another administration under the same political structure would deliver the changes residents needed.

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Adeoye also criticised the APC’s 100-point “Lagos Promise” agenda, which includes additional buses, rail extensions, housing completions and expanded health insurance.

He said many of the challenges addressed by the proposals had persisted during the tenure of Femi Hamzat, the incumbent deputy governor and APC governorship candidate, since 2019.

“Continuity advocates point to institutional knowledge and ongoing projects, but experience should translate to relief for the people, not more burden and discomfort for average Lagosians,” Adeoye said.

The APM candidate said his agenda would prioritise employment, affordable housing, electricity, healthcare, education and infrastructure, with the private sector playing a major role in delivering economic opportunities.

Under the plan, Adeoye proposed creating about 100,000 direct jobs within two years and up to 1.5 million jobs within four years through technology hubs in Yaba and Ogba, agro-processing centres in Badagry, Epe and Ikorodu, skills academies and an “Eko Skill Code” programme.

He said the plan would also support the development of about 100,000 affordable homes through private-sector partnerships and single-digit mortgage financing to reduce the burden of high rents and advance payments on tenants.

On electricity, Adeoye proposed generating at least 2,000 megawatts through independent power projects across the five IBILE divisions of Lagos, with the objective of establishing a more independent power supply system for the state.

He said improved electricity supply would support businesses, reduce operating costs and create conditions for economic expansion.

The candidate also proposed setting aside N50 billion annually for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises through seed capital and grants, targeting 50,000 youths and women.

He said the funding would support graduates and entrepreneurs seeking to establish businesses, while job creation initiatives would focus on expanding economic activity across different parts of the state.

Adeoye said his administration would build or rehabilitate more than 300 primary healthcare centres within 18 months to improve access to affordable healthcare.

He further proposed replacing the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), which he described as an influential body in Lagos politics, with a broader advisory council comprising traditional rulers, market leaders, youths, women and business representatives.

Adeoye said the proposed changes would open up decision-making and make government more responsive to residents.

He also criticised forced evictions in communities such as Makoko and Oworonshoki, saying affected residents should be consulted and provided alternatives.

The APM candidate said his private-sector experience in project delivery, contractor management and property development would guide his approach to governance.

He said his administration would not abandon ongoing projects but would prioritise the payment of contractors who had completed their work but were owed by the state government.

Adeoye also pledged to promote deserving civil servants and place public service above personal interests.

“We are not coming to manage Lagos, we are coming to reset it,” he said.

Adeoye said the 2023 presidential election in Lagos, in which Peter Obi of the Labour Party defeated the APC candidate, showed that voters were increasingly willing to challenge the state’s longstanding political structure.

He said the 2027 election would provide residents an opportunity to assess competing proposals on housing, power, jobs and governance, adding that his agenda offered a roadmap for addressing the state’s economic challenges.

The Lagos governorship election is scheduled for Feb. 6, 2027, with 17 candidates in the race.

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