LASG trains council managers on EKO360 platform to deepen data-driven governance

By Adebola Isimijola, Lagos

The Lagos State Government has trained Council Managers from the 57 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) on the effective use of the EKO360 Platform as part of efforts to strengthen data management, improve transparency and promote evidence-based governance across the state.

The initiative, organised by the Lagos Bureau of Statistics (LBS) under the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget (MEPB), brought together council managers and other stakeholders at a one-day meeting held on Tuesday, August 4, at The Dover Hotel, Ikeja.

The development was disclosed in a statement made available to journalists on Friday by the Lagos State Government.

Speaking at the meeting, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Mrs. Olayinka Ojo, said reliable data remains indispensable for effective governance, sustainable development and improved service delivery, stressing that the state is committed to building a robust open data ecosystem.

She explained that the EKO360 Platform was developed as a central data hub to enable government institutions to collect, validate, analyse and disseminate credible information needed for planning and policy implementation.

“Reliable and accessible data remain critical for sustainable development and improved service delivery,” Ojo said.

According to the Permanent Secretary, compliance with national data governance standards will not only strengthen budget transparency and accountability but also attract development support and ensure government interventions are driven by verifiable evidence.

She noted that the state’s vision is to make public data more accessible for policy formulation, performance monitoring and informed decision-making, in line with global best practices in open data governance.

Also speaking, the Director, Macro Economic Statistics Division of the Lagos Bureau of Statistics, Mrs. Bolanle Pemede, described the bureau as the custodian of official government data, noting that the 57 LGAs and LCDAs remain critical sources of socio-economic information used for development planning.

She said data collected from the councils are processed into reports that guide government policies and developmental programmes across Lagos State.

Pemede, however, identified delayed submission of data, incomplete returns, poor data quality, inadequate working tools and limited technical capacity as some of the challenges hindering efficient data management.

She urged Council Managers to strengthen supervision of data officers, ensure timely submission of validated reports and provide the necessary support for personnel involved in data collection.

According to her, credible and timely data are essential for efficient resource allocation, monitoring and evaluation, as well as improved public service delivery.

The Director of Social Protection Coordination, Mr. Yusuf Semiu Olanrewaju, also stressed the importance of accurate and up-to-date data in implementing social protection programmes across the state.

He said reliable information on poor and vulnerable households is critical to expanding the Lagos State Single Social Register and ensuring that government interventions reach deserving beneficiaries.

Olanrewaju appealed to Council Managers to continue supporting field officers and data collection teams to improve the quality and coverage of the register, saying the success of the initiative depends on the collective commitment of all stakeholders.

Participants at the meeting reaffirmed their commitment to working more closely with the Lagos Bureau of Statistics to improve data validation, timeliness and quality across the 57 LGAs and LCDAs.

They expressed confidence that the EKO360 Platform would strengthen evidence-based governance, enhance public sector planning and support the delivery of responsive policies and programmes that improve the welfare of Lagos residents.