Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, has stressed the need for ministries to maintain readable and transferable data to showcase Lagos’ progress on a global scale.
Speaking at the Reconstitution of Human Capital Development (HCD) 2.0 Lagos State Core Working Group, held in Alausa, Ikeja, on Thursday, Hamzat stated that the initiative aims to enhance Lagos State’s global visibility and facilitate informed decision-making across various sectors.
Hamzat stressed adopting a structured data-sharing approach, highlighting its importance in maintaining readable and transferable data within Lagos State’s Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), as well as across the country.
“What is important is that ministries must have data in a format that is readable and transferable, so we can share it globally to showcase our progress.”
According to the Deputy Governor, Nigeria’s low ranking in human capital development by the World Bank is largely due to a lack of accurate data
Hamzat urged the Lagos State Bureau of Statistics to collaborate with ministries in ensuring precise data collection and organisation.
Challenges of Nigeria’s data sharing
The Deputy Governor expressed concerns over Nigeria’s ineffective data-sharing practices, noting the country’s reliance on figures from a few states.
“In Nigeria, we do not share information correctly, and without proper data, we lose valuable resources as a state,” he said.
He criticised the dependence on data from Lagos, Kano, and occasionally Rivers State to assess national performance, stressing that Nigeria must harness its data effectively to drive sustainable development.
Dr. Oreoluwa Finnih, Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emphasized that the transition from Human Capital Development (HCD) to HCD 2.0 is not just a name change but a significant shift in how Lagos State approaches human capital development.
She explained that HCD 2.0 is designed to align with global best practices and contribute to the broader goal of achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
The initiative aims to improve people’s well-being by leveraging technology, data-driven policies, and an inclusive governance model that ensures no one is left behind with a focus on equitable and modern healthcare that provides accessible and efficient medical services, inclusive and functional education and the promotion of financial inclusion to expand access to banking, credit, and investment opportunities, enabling greater economic participation and improved living standards.
