Lagos Moves Beyond Project Completion To Measurable Impact As Pimu Concludes 2026 Stakeholders’ Retreat

Bennett Oghifo

The Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to move beyond project completion to measuring impact and strengthen project governance and safeguard public investments.

The development was highlighted at the 2026 Project Implementation Monitoring Unit (PIMU) (in the Office of the Chief of Staff) Management and Stakeholders’ Retreat, held from October 22 to 24 at Epe Jubilee Chalet, Epe, under the theme, “The THEMES+ Agenda: From Vision to Impact: Strengthening Project Management for Measurable Outcomes”.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the retreat, the Chief of Staff; Mr. Tayo Ayinde represented by the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Chief of Staff, Mr. Semiu Kadri, charged participants drawn from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to strengthen project monitoring, enforce accountability and ensure that government projects are delivered within approved budgets, timelines and quality standards.

Mr. Ayinde emphasised that the success of the THEMES+ Agenda must be measured not by the number of projects initiated or resources committed, but by the quality of projects delivered, their timely completion and their lasting impact on residents.

He further urged the participants to move beyond routine progress reporting by identifying implementation delays, resolving bottlenecks, ensuring compliance with quality standards and providing reliable information to support timely management decisions. He also called for stronger coordination across departments and effective implementation of agreed corrective actions.

Highlighting the State Government’s partnership with the Project Management Institute (PMI), established through a Memorandum of Understanding in July 2024, the Chief of Staff noted that the collaboration was designed to strengthen project management capacity across 45 project-executing Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), improve resource utilisation and promote compliance with approved project standards.

He stressed that government projects must deliver tangible benefits, with roads improving connectivity, schools providing better learning environments and healthcare facilities enhancing access to quality care.

In his welcome address, the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Project Implementation and Monitoring, Mr. Olusegun Sanwo-Olu, disclosed that more than 1,000 public officers had benefited from project management training and professional development through the State Government’s partnership with PMI.

He noted that the reform was particularly significant as Lagos State approaches an administrative transition in May 2027, stressing the need to preserve institutional knowledge, maintain credible project records and establish structured handover processes to prevent project abandonment, duplication and waste of public resources.

He also highlighted Lagos State’s admission into the PMI Global Executive Council in October 2025, making it the first African government to attain the recognition, and the establishment of the Lagos State Public Service Project Management Community of Practice to promote collaboration, peer learning and continuous professional development across MDAs.

The Executive Assistant called on Permanent Secretaries, Accounting Officers, project sponsors and implementing MDAs to take collective responsibility for effective project delivery in line with the THEMES+ Agenda and the Lagos State Development Plan 2052.