Lagos State government has appealed to stakeholders in various sectors to collaborate with it to tackle unemployment, particularly among the youth.
This call was made during the 2025 Stakeholders’ Forum organised by the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, with the theme: “Passion to Prosperity: Unlocking Youth Potential in Lagos,” held in the Ikeja area of the state.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented at the event by the secretary to the state government, Mrs. Abimbola Saliu-Hundeyin, stressed the need for collective action in creating sustainable job opportunities.
He said plans were to create another 1,000 jobs through the ‘Graduate Internship Placement Programme (GIPP) initiative.’
Sanwo-Olu said, “Today is about sharing ideas and policy suggestions, and it is also a call to action to tap into the incredible potential that lies within our young people. Lagos State, a hub of innovation and resilience, is fortunate to have a dynamic, driven, and eager youth demographic.
“From the bustling tech hubs in Yaba to the vibrant fashion centres in Ikeja, the music studios in Surulere, and the agricultural lands in Epe, every part of Lagos showcases our youth’s creativity and hard work.
Their passion shines through their daring ideas, and their contributions are shaping the future of our state.
“We need to nurture that passion, provide direction, and turn it into real results. This is where thoughtful and strategic leadership plays a crucial role. As a government, we must keep creating an environment that allows passion to blossom into success, ensuring access to quality education, relevant skills, mentorship, funding, and a supportive ecosystem.”
The guest speaker, Mallam Ahmed Gobir, President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM), charged stakeholders with unlocking youth potential not by silencing their beat but by amplifying their rhythm.
He pointed out that job creation is not charity, but economic survival, saying, “Youth empowerment is not CSR; it is national security. Every idle youth is an opportunity lost; every empowered youth is GDP gained.”
Earlier, the commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Akinyemi Ajigbotafe, said the gathering was more than an event but a strategic meeting for a common goal to unlock the potential of young people and transform their passion into immeasurable prosperity.
