LAGOS MUST EMBRACE URBAN FARMING, STRONGER MONITORING SYSTEMS IN 2026, SAYS UNILAG DON

•LASG reaffirms commitment to sustainable, resilient economic growth

Lagos State Government has been urged to integrate city-based agriculture, stronger monitoring and evaluation systems, and broader social inclusion into its 2026 development agenda.

 

 L-R: Prof. Olufemi Shuaib of UNILAG; Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olamide; Special Adviser on Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Lekan Balogun; Professor of Geography with a specialization in Transportation, Logistics and Spatial Planning, UNILAG, Prof. Samuel Iyiola Oni; Dr. Amina Olohunlana of UNILAG; CEO, Chocolate City, Mr. Abuchi Peter Ugwu and the Director, Economic Intelligence Department, MEPB, Mr. Alao Akinkunmi during the third edition of the Lagos Economic Roundtable: Economic Outlook 2026 Discourse, at the Protea Hotel, CBD, Ikeja.

This call was made at the Lagos Economic Outlook 2026 — a roundtable discourse, organised by the Economic Intelligence Department under the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, held recently at the Protea Hotel, CBD in Ikeja, with the theme “Building Forward: Unlocking Emerging Sectors for an Inclusive, Resilient, and Prosperous Lagos Economy”.

The event gathered top government officials, business leaders, academics, and development partners to deliberate on strategies to reposition Lagos as Africa’s most dynamic and equitable sub-national economy.

Professor Olufemi Shuaib of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) during a panel session warned that Lagos no longer has the commercial advantage for traditional territorial agriculture and must adopt innovative methods to tackle food insecurity.

Shuaib said the state should embrace modern alternatives such as soil-less and hydroponic agriculture, describing them as practical solutions for a city with limited arable land.

“We need to go into city agriculture: soil-less, hydroponic farming. Lagos no longer has commercial advantage in territorial agriculture,” he said.

He noted that UNILAG has already established a Centre for Agriculture, developed a prototype of urban farming within the university, and it’s partnering with a firm and global organisations to run experimental farms. According to him, new agricultural technologies now make it possible for residents “to cultivate even in their bedrooms.”

Shuaib appealed to the state’s physical planners to allocate spaces for small urban farms in addition to residential and real estate developments. He expressed concern that agricultural corridors—particularly the Ikorodu-to-Epe axis—have been converted into land-banking and property development zones.

“Urbanisation cannot be stopped, but agriculture must be incorporated into our urbanisation strategy,” he said.

The UNILAG professor also called for a more robust monitoring and evaluation framework to track the outcomes of government programmes. He said although thousands of residents have benefited from Lagos’ digital and vocational training schemes, there is no systematic assessment to determine how beneficiaries have progressed.

He cited examples of former trainees excelling in technology and fashion but noted that none had been formally evaluated.

“We focus more on inputs and programmes. We do not look at products and outcomes,” he said.

Shuaib proposed the creation of local performance indices such as Infrastructure Quality Index, Health and Education Quality Index and Transport Quality Index to help Lagos measure its development trajectory without reliance on external agencies like the World Bank.

The professor stressed the need for social protection measures to support residents who may be left behind by rapid growth. “Some people will fall out of the system. How do we provide a social network to guide them so people can feel part of the growth we are celebrating?” he asked.

In his keynote address, Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Ope George, reaffirmed the State Government’s resolve to implement data-driven and future-focused policies as it transitions into the 2026 fiscal cycle.

“This is not just a time to build back, but to build forward — stronger, smarter, and more inclusive,” he said.

He highlighted the State’s focus on urban regeneration, the creative economy, and the Omi-Eko Revolution, which seeks to transform Lagos’s waterways into a modern, resilient, and inclusive mode of transportation.

Other panel discussants were Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Oluyinka Olumide; CEO, Chocolate City, Mr. Abuchi Peter Ugwu; Professor of Geography with a specialization in Transportation, Logistics and Spatial Planning, Prof. Samuel Iyiola Oni and Dr. Amina Olohunlana, all from University of Lagos, UNILAG and they appealed for shared commitment to build an economy driven by innovation, collaboration, and inclusivity.

Other speakers are Prof. Biodun Adedipe of B. Adedipe Associates; Prof. Taibat Lawanson of the University of Lagos; Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Princess Adebopo Oyekan-Ismail; Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Blue Economy, Mr. Emmanuel Oluwadamilola; his on Economic Planning and Budget counterpart, Mr. Lekan Balogun; Prof. Olusegun Vincent of Lagos Business School, Pan African University; CEO, Economic Associates, Dr. Ayo Teriba amongst other private sector actors.