The Lagos State Government has commenced consultations with residents across its five divisions ahead of the preparation of the 2027 Appropriation Bill, with stakeholders calling for more inclusive development and greater responsiveness to grassroots needs.
The consultation, which began with the Ikeja Division, was held on Wednesday at the Multipurpose Hall of Radio Lagos, Agidingbi, Ikeja, where residents and community leaders presented their priorities and reviewed the implementation of demands raised during the previous budget cycle.
Speaking at the forum, the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Ope George, said the annual engagement was designed to ensure that residents had direct input into the state’s budget preparation process.
George said the government had commenced the 2027 budget process by first accounting for interventions arising from demands presented by residents during the previous consultation.
He said, “Every year, we go around our IBILE Divisions to listen to our citizens and hear what they want to see in their upcoming budget.”
“So, we have started the preparation for the 2027 budget. This is the first of our consultations at the Ikeja Division, and we’re here to hear from our citizens as to what they’d like to see in their 2027 budget.”
According to him, the consultation also serves as an accountability mechanism, as the government uses the platform to inform residents about the level of implementation of requests made during previous engagements.
“This year, we’ve come in; we’ve given an account of what they asked us for last year. And we’ve shown them what we’ve done. And they’ve given us what they want for the new budget going on,” he added.
Giving an update on the state’s fiscal performance, George said Lagos had maintained an average budget performance of about 80 percent in recent years, with the state currently recording between 79 and 80 percent performance for the 2026 fiscal year.
He also disclosed that the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) performance stood at about 80 percent as of the latest half-year assessment.
The Commissioner said Lagos typically records between 85 and 90 percent IGR performance within the fiscal year, adding that the current figure was expected to improve as the year progresses.
On the state’s economic output, George said Lagos’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was currently estimated at ₦16.2 trillion.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Mrs. Olayinka Ojo, said the consultative process had evolved beyond a platform for residents to make requests, becoming an avenue for feedback, accountability, and improved government responsiveness.
Ojo said views, requests, and priorities raised by residents during the consultations were documented and reviewed before being transmitted to relevant government institutions for consideration.
She explained that requests considered necessary and approved were subsequently translated into government interventions through the budgetary process.
The Permanent Secretary also highlighted the role of community leaders in strengthening grassroots participation through Community Development Committees (CDCs) and Community Development Associations (CDAs) across the state’s 57 Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Community Development Committee, Isolo LCDA, and Executive Council member of the Lagos State Community Development Council, Hon. Adesegun Olatunde, commended the state government for sustaining the consultation process.
Olatunde, who said he had participated in the exercise for nearly eight years, noted that the level of government response to community requests had encouraged residents to continue participating.
He, however, acknowledged that not every request could be implemented, noting that several community demands had received attention through successive budget cycles.
He said, “I’ve been coming for close to eight years. And I tell you, at worst, 70 percent of what we request is attended to, which shows a pass mark.”
The 2027 budget consultation is expected to continue across the remaining IBILE divisions as the state government gathers input from residents and stakeholders to guide its spending priorities for the next fiscal year.