At the 2024 Annual Directors Conference Dinner, Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hamzat emphasized the challenges facing Nigeria’s largest city, noting that over 6,000 newcomers arrive daily, with about half remaining unregistered. This influx is placing immense pressure on Lagos’s N2.2 trillion (approximately $1.3 billion) budget, which struggles to serve an estimated population of 27 million. In comparison, New York State, with a population of 19.5 million, has a budget of $237 billion, highlighting a significant disparity in resources.

Dr. Hamzat, representing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, pointed out that the funding for child protective services in New York alone exceeds the combined budgets of Lagos and several other Nigerian states. He stressed that Lagos’s limited financial resources hinder its ability to provide essential services and infrastructure for its rapidly growing population.

Additionally, Dr. Hamzat addressed deeper societal issues, identifying a breakdown in family structures as a major factor contributing to socioeconomic challenges in Nigeria. He reported over 130,000 cases in Lagos of fathers abandoning their families, underscoring the need to reinforce family units as a critical foundation for social stability and progress. His remarks call for a holistic approach to governance that prioritizes both infrastructural development and the strengthening of family structures to support sustainable growth in Lagos.