The Lagos State Government has so far disbursed N2.46bn to 8,690 residents through the Sanwo-Olu Listens Financial Assistance Programme.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Political, Legislative and Civic Engagement, Dr Afolabi Tajudeen, made this known at the 2025 Lagos State Ministerial Press Briefing in Ikeja on Thursday.

The briefing is part of activities to commemorate the second year of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term in office.

“It is a well-known fact that vulnerable citizens face numerous challenges – from high medical bills to difficulties in paying rent, providing education for their children, and sustaining small businesses.

“In response, the state government, under the leadership of Gov. Sanwo-Olu, established the Sanwo-Olu Listens Financial Assistance Programme in 2020.

“This initiative not only provides direct financial relief, but also embodies the government’s enduring commitment to compassion, inclusivity, and economic empowerment,” Afolabi said.

He described the programme as a beacon of hope for the state residents, saying that it reinforced the administration’s principle that no one should be left behind.

“So far, N2.46 billion has been disbursed through this initiative, positively impacting 8,690 lives,” he said.

Afolabi announced that additional N1.6 billion would be distributed within the next two weeks to approximately 1,000 people.

“This Sallah palliative is part of our broader effort to ease the financial burden on our most disadvantaged citizens during festive periods.

“It is important to emphasise that the Sanwo-Olu Listens social intervention programme is ongoing.

”It creates pathways for economic participation and stability, demonstrating the government’s unwavering commitment to poverty reduction and inclusive growth,” Afolabi said.

He highlighted the achievements of the Eko Cares initiative of the government which, he said, also supported vulnerable entrepreneurs.

“Over 6,000 beneficiaries have been empowered to build sustainable sources of income, thereby enhancing economic resilience and family welfare,” he said.

He also said that more than N400 million was allocated to support mother, infant and child development, ensuring adequate nutrition for beneficiaries.

“We were able to reach 6,280 beneficiaries in the year under review. We intend to build on this by God’s grace,” he said.

The special adviser said that the Snacks for Thought initiative was also launched to provide daily meals for students in public schools, aiming to improve their nutrition and learning outcomes.

“We fed 11,965 pupils in our schools with balanced diets – rice with various choices of protein, and our children are better for it,” he said.

On citizen engagement, he said that more than 400,000 pieces of feedback were received from the state residents via the Citizens Gate digital platform in the last year.

Afolabi said the feedback significantly contributed to improved responsiveness and inclusiveness in governance.