By Anita Dennis
Lagos State is partnering with the World Bank and five other South-West states to strengthen institutional capacity and improve governance in basic education and primary healthcare under Nigeria’s Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity-Governance (HOPE-GOV) Programme.
The state will host the in-person component of the programme’s Implementation Support Mission on November 10 and 11, 2026, at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja GRA, bringing together government officials and representatives of participating states to assess implementation progress and address operational challenges.
The engagement forms part of a wider November 9–30 mission designed to provide technical support to participating states and federal institutions, review programme implementation and discuss proposed adjustments to its design and timelines.
Participants will include State Focal Persons and officials from the Ministries of Finance, Budget, Education and Health, as well as Offices of the Accountants-General, State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs) and State Primary Health Care Development Agencies (SPHCDAs).
Speaking ahead of the meeting, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Olayinka Modupe Ojo, described the mission as an opportunity to strengthen institutional coordination, identify implementation challenges and improve collaboration among stakeholders.
She stressed that sustained engagement and evidence-based approaches were necessary to strengthen governance systems and deliver better outcomes in education and primary healthcare.
Similarly, Lagos State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Ope George, highlighted the programme’s importance to Nigeria’s human capital development agenda, particularly in improving accountability, institutional performance and service delivery at the sub-national level.
He reaffirmed the state’s commitment to initiatives that strengthen public institutions, improve the efficiency of government interventions and expand access to quality basic education and primary healthcare.
The physical engagement will involve representatives from Lagos, Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states, while a virtual session scheduled for November 17–18 will extend technical discussions and implementation support to participating states across the country.
The HOPE-GOV Programme forms part of Nigeria’s broader efforts to improve the governance and institutional capacity of public agencies responsible for essential human capital services.
However, the effectiveness of the intervention will depend on how well participating states translate technical support and institutional coordination into improvements in service delivery.
For education and primary healthcare, stronger governance must ultimately translate into more accountable institutions, better resource utilisation and improved access to essential services. The implementation mission therefore provides an opportunity to assess not only programme progress but also the capacity of state institutions to deliver measurable human capital outcomes.
