By Aaior K. Comfort

The Lagos State Government said it is aiming to empower over 5,000 vulnerable residents across the state.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), Oluyemi Kalesanwo, said the empowerment was being carried out under the Federal Government’s Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus in partnership with the Lagos Cares DL 1.3 with the theme: “Training for Livelihood Support Programme”.

Mrs. Kalesanwo also noted that the training, which was part of the larger ‘Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NCARES DL.1.3)’ project, aligned with the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu T.H.E.M.E. PLUS Agenda.

She said the programme was held in Epe, Agege, Isheri, and Coker-Aguda.

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She urged beneficiaries to take the training seriously, explaining that the training featured upskill for business owners on Book-Keeping, Financial Literacy and other entrepreneurship skills to help them better manage their resources and improve their livelihood.

This initiative, she said, would provide economic relief to struggling individuals, particularly women and engaged youth in small businesses across the federation.

Head of Disbursement Link Indicator (DL.1.3) at WAPA, Mrs. Toyin Salami, added that the programme was designed to help economically active yet struggling individuals by providing them with soft training and financial grants to enhance their business activities.

Mrs. Salami said beneficiaries were selected from the state’s social register, which included over 25,000 vulnerable residents and the criteria for selection prioritised individuals who were already active in business.

“The beneficiaries will receive training to further develop their businesses, and a one-time grant will be disbursed directly into their bank accounts to support growth,” she explained.

She also noted that the programme reached over 2,500 people during its first two phases, with the goal of reaching 5,000 beneficiaries.

Mrs. Saudat Salami, a facilitator at Coker-Aguda Local Council Development Area, emphasised the importance of entrepreneurship skills for small business success. She pointed out that many business owners struggle not due to lack of skill but because they lack the knowledge to manage a business effectively.

A participant, Mrs. Arike Adeyemi, a caterer, said she learned valuable skills during the training, including how to leverage social media for business promotion and the importance of tracking expenses such as transportation and packaging costs