The Lagos State Resilience Office (LASRO), in partnership with the Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development (CHSD), hosted the Discovery Areas Working Group meeting during the week at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Alausa, Ikeja.
The forum brought together key stakeholders from academia, government agencies, private organizations, and community representatives to explore strategies for enhancing Lagos’ resilience as a dynamic metropolis.
Discussions centred on six critical discovery areas: ‘Lagos as a Water City’, which focused on innovative solutions for flood management, water transportation, and sustainable urban planning; Safe and Secured City, which examined strategies to strengthen public safety, security, and emergency response; and Giga City, which envisioned Lagos as a hub for digital innovation, entrepreneurship, and smart city infrastructure.
While delivering her welcome address, Lagos State Chief Resilience Officer, Dr Folayinka Dania, underscored the need to review the existing Lagos Resilience Strategy.
Dania noted that new emerging areas must be incorporated as the current document’s five-year tenure has expired.
She reaffirmed LASRO’s commitment to leveraging insights from the meeting to develop a comprehensive resilience strategy for the state.
A representative of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Muiz Ogbara, stressed the importance of fostering inter-agency collaboration within Lagos and strengthening partnerships with neighbouring South-West states.
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“Lagos needs to collaborate with various stakeholders and maintain active communication with counterparts, especially Ogun State. Regional cooperation, technological innovation, and climate adaptation are crucial for the state’s sustainable growth,” Ogbara stated.
Co-Director of CHSD, Professor Peter Elias, highlighted the role of the informal sector in economic development, advocating for policies that recognize and support its contributions.
“Informality has become a global concern due to negative perceptions. However, in Africa, more than 70% of economic activities are rooted in the informal sector, making it essential to prioritize and integrate them into resilience planning,” he noted.
Noimot Abiola Balogun, a Public Health Strategist, emphasized the vast opportunities Lagos has in water resource management and called for inclusive participation.
She proposed a social incentive approach to encourage healthy competition and engagement among government agencies.
“Lagos has enormous potential in water resources, but challenges remain. If all hands are on deck, they are surmountable. Recognizing and rewarding high-performing ministries and agencies in areas like feedback and data sharing can drive sustainable change,” she suggested.
The forum served as a knowledge-sharing platform, fostering collaboration and reinforcing the state’s commitment to sustainable urban resilience.
