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Policy Idea: Oyo State Youth Skills and Employment Initiative

The Oyo State Government should establish a structured programme that provides young people with free vocational training, digital skills, entrepreneurship support, internships, and access to small business opportunities. The policy should also connect trained youths with employers and provide transparent monitoring to ensure that beneficiaries gain meaningful employment or sustainable livelihoods.

Lagos State should establish a Political Professionals Regulation and Development Framework to professionalise the political industry by creating clear ethical and competency standards, recognising political practitioners, establishing structured career pathways, and connecting qualified professionals with political parties, legislators, government institutions and civic organisations.

The framework could provide for a recognised professional body responsible for registration, professional standards, continuous professional development, certification and a code of conduct for practitioners such as political strategists, political researchers, legislative aides, campaign professionals, political communicators and public affairs practitioners.

This would create a more defined pathway for the thousands of young Nigerians studying Political Science, International Relations, Public Administration, History and related disciplines who often struggle to translate their academic training into sustainable careers within the political space. Similar to the role professional institutions play in other fields, the framework would help ensure that entry and progression within the political profession are increasingly influenced by competence, professional development and ethical standards, rather than relying primarily on personal connections.

Beyond creating career opportunities, professionalising the political industry could also improve the quality of political and public leadership. Political leaders, legislators and government institutions would have greater access to trained professionals who understand policy, research, communication, political strategy and public administration.

In the long term, this could help build a stronger pipeline of young professionals into political parties, legislative offices, public institutions and the civil service creating a generation of public servants and political practitioners who are not only passionate about governance but have also been properly trained for the responsibilities they will assume.

The framework would complement, rather than replace, the statutory roles of INEC, LASIEC, political parties, IPAC and civil society organisations, while creating a professional ecosystem around the people who work within Nigeria's political and governance space.

Oyo State Youth Skills, Employment and Civic Participation Bill

One policy I believe is important for Oyo State is the establishment of a comprehensive Youth Skills, Employment and Civic Participation framework.

The policy would create a coordinated system for providing young people with access to digital and vocational skills training, internships, entrepreneurship support, mentorship, employment opportunities, and civic education. It would particularly prioritise young people from underserved communities and those facing barriers to employment.

The policy should also promote partnerships between government, private organisations, educational institutions, civil society organisations and development partners to create sustainable opportunities for young people.

Importantly, the programme should include transparent monitoring and public reporting of beneficiaries, funding, training outcomes, internships and employment created. This would help ensure that youth empowerment programmes produce measurable results and reach the people who need them most.

I believe this policy would strengthen youth economic participation while also encouraging young people to become informed, responsible and active participants in the development of Oyo State.

Lagos State Assembly decisions on health and gender affect millions of residents, including pregnant women and families in places like Ikorodu. Yet most people never see a simple explanation of what a bill does, who it affects, or where it sits in the process. The official text stays with insiders; citizens meet the impact later through services, fees, or rules they did not know were coming.

Policy proposal: The Lagos State House of Assembly should publish a short plain-language public summary for every health-related and women/gender-related bill and major committee report within a fixed number of days after introduction or passage.

Each summary should answer four questions in clear English (and, where practical, a widely used local language):

1. What does this bill or report do?
2. Who does it affect?
3. What is the next step in the process?
4. Where can citizens read more or send a comment?
5. 
   

Summaries should appear on the Assembly’s public channels and be free to share. The full legal text remains the official record; the summary is the bridge for ordinary residents, community groups, students, and the media.

Why this matters in Lagos: Better access to legislative information supports accountability, reduces rumor, and helps people ask focused questions of their representatives on maternal health, primary care, and women’s issues. It is a practical step toward a legislature citizens can actually follow.

Ogun State should establish a coordinated flood early warning and community response system for flood-prone areas.

The policy would require relevant agencies to identify and regularly map flood-risk communities, monitor rainfall and drainage conditions, and provide timely warnings through SMS, radio, social media and community leaders. Local emergency response plans should also be developed with residents before the rainy season.

The state should publish information on flood-risk areas and the progress of drainage and flood-control projects so citizens can better prepare and monitor government interventions.

This policy would help reduce loss of lives and property, improve disaster preparedness and strengthen cooperation between government and communities.

Lagos is one of the most complex states to govern in Nigeria. Its diversity, population and continuous growth create unique demands on public policy. As Nigeria’s economic hub, Lagos attracts people from across the country and beyond in search of education, employment, business and better opportunities. As the population grows, the demand for accommodation grows with it.

Accommodation is therefore more than a private housing matter. It is an integral part of Lagos’ economy. When housing becomes unaffordable, the consequences extend beyond individual households. They affect transportation, education, businesses, public infrastructure, urban planning and the overall cost of living.

I propose a Lagos Rent Affordability and Tenant Protection Policy that addresses both residential and commercial accommodation.

The current increase in rent is creating pressure across other sectors of the state. Some residents are moving farther away from their places of work or leaving Lagos altogether because they cannot afford accommodation. Others are resorting to informal and unsafe spaces. The increasing use of bridges and other public spaces as places of shelter is one visible consequence of a housing problem that is becoming an urban management problem.

The pressure is also affecting public education. When families relocate outside Lagos because of housing costs, their children often move with them. This gradually affects enrolment in public schools. If government infrastructure, teachers and other resources are planned around higher projected enrolment while actual student numbers decline in some communities, resources may become inefficiently distributed and wastage may increase.

Commercial accommodation is another part of the problem. Rising shop rents are making it difficult for small businesses and informal entrepreneurs to secure legitimate spaces. Some traders who cannot afford shops resort to selling on streets, bridges, walkways and around drainage channels. This creates additional challenges for traffic management, sanitation, pedestrian safety and environmental enforcement.

A major part of the problem is the lack of transparency around agency charges. Prospective tenants often face multiple fees with no clear, consistently enforced percentage or standard structure. These additional costs increase the amount required before a person even moves into a property.

There is also a need for stronger quality control in the real estate sector. Some newly developed properties are rented out at high prices despite concerns about construction quality, basic infrastructure and suitability for habitation. Rent regulation therefore needs to work alongside stronger building inspection and enforcement.

In parts of the Mainland, including areas such as Ilupeju, Surulere and Ikeja, residents increasingly face significant rental costs. For example, a mini flat in some locations may attract annual rent in the range of ₦1.5 million to ₦2.5 million, while two-bedroom apartments may range from ₦3 million to ₦4 million or more. Commercial shops in strategic locations may also attract annual rents of ₦1 million and above. These figures vary considerably by location and property, but they demonstrate the pressure facing residents and small businesses.

The policy should therefore focus on five areas:

1. Standardised Agency Fees and Agent Registration:

Lagos State should establish a mandatory registration system for all estate agents and agencies. Each registered agent should receive a verifiable licence or identification number.

The state should set a fixed percentage for agency fees and require agents to disclose all charges before any payment is made.

Rent and agency payments should be made through traceable channels linked to the registered agent, agency or property owner. The state should also establish a simple platform for tenants to verify agents, report fraud and seek redress.

1. Lagos Rental Information System:

The state should develop a publicly accessible platform providing rental information across different areas, including indicative rental ranges, verified property information and tenancy guidelines. This would help reduce information gaps between landlords, agents and prospective tenants.

1. Stronger housing quality control:

All new residential and commercial developments should undergo appropriate inspection before being offered for rent. Developers and property owners should face consequences where properties fail established safety, structural and habitability standards.

1. Affordable dispute resolution:

Lagos should strengthen accessible mechanisms for resolving landlord-tenant disputes without forcing residents into lengthy and expensive legal processes. Community-level mediation and dedicated tenancy support centres could provide an early avenue for resolving disputes.

1. Commercial space and street trading policy:

The government should recognise the relationship between rising shop rents and street trading. Affordable commercial spaces, market redevelopment and structured micro-business zones should form part of the response. Enforcement alone will not address street trading if legitimate commercial spaces remain beyond the reach of small businesses.

The objective is not to undermine property owners, estate developers or investors. It is to create a rental environment where property investment remains viable while residents and businesses receive reasonable protection from exploitative practices and excessive transaction costs.

Lagos needs a housing policy that recognises the connection between where people live, where they work, where their children go to school and how businesses operate.

If accommodation becomes inaccessible, the consequences will continue to appear elsewhere. On our roads. Under our bridges. In our schools. On our streets. In our markets. And ultimately, in the wider Lagos economy.

A growing Lagos needs a housing and commercial accommodation system that grows with its people.

Osun State should develop a policy that provides targeted intervention and support to non-focal Primary Healthcare Centres, particularly those located in underserved, rural and outskirt communities.

While focal PHCs supported through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) receive attention to improve infrastructure, equipment, medicines and service delivery, other functional PHCs outside the focal facilities also serve communities and should not be left behind.

The policy would establish a system for identifying and prioritising non-focal PHCs based on population needs, distance to other health facilities, service utilisation, staffing, infrastructure and availability of essential medicines and equipment. Support could then be provided through state funding, partnerships and other available health financing mechanisms.

This will help ensure that people living in underserved communities can access quality and affordable primary healthcare close to where they live, regardless of whether their facility is a focal or non-focal facility. Strengthening these facilities will contribute to Osun State's efforts towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the principle of leaving no one behind.

In Ekiti State, many citizens respect the law but they do not feel close to how laws are made. A bill can go through first reading, second reading and public hearing in Ado-Ekiti without farmers in Ikole, students in Ise, or traders in Ikere ever hearing about it until it starts affecting their daily lives.

The problem is not that our people are not interested in governance. The problem is that legislative information is still kept in formats and places that are not accessible to the average Ekiti kete.

My policy idea is a law that makes legislative accessibility a duty of the Ekiti State House of Assembly.

What this law would do is require that every bill, motion and public hearing notice is simplified into plain English, Yoruba, Ekiti dialect and made available not just on the Assembly website but through community radio, local government secretariats, town hall meetings, campuses and verified social media platforms. It would also mandate that public hearing dates are announced at least two weeks in advance and that summaries of proceedings, including who attended and how members voted, are published within days for citizens to see.

This is necessary for Ekiti because we are a small, closely-knit state where trust matters. When people see and understand the process, they participate, and when they participate, laws become more responsive to real needs like youth unemployment, farm access, quality of education and rural development. It will also reduce rumour and build confidence between the Assembly and the communities it serves.

If Ekiti prides itself as a state of knowledge and character, then our laws must be knowledgeable to the people and our legislature must show character by opening its doors to the people.

State: Ekiti State

Policy Problem:

In Ekiti State, residents near dumpsites, quarries, markets and drainage channels often cannot tell whether the water they use or the air they breathe is safe. Environmental testing results are rarely published, and when they are, they are not explained in simple language. Communities, civil society and lawmakers therefore cannot track pollution, compare locations or hold anyone accountable.

Proposed Policy:

I propose the Ekiti State Water and Air Quality Open Data and Public Reporting Law.

The law will provide for:

1. Regular testing of drinking water sources and air quality across the state by the Ministry of Environment, with a minimum number of test sites in every local government area.

2. Mandatory publication of all results quarterly on an open online portal and at local government offices, with simple summaries that say in plain English and Yoruba whether each site is safe.

3. An annual review of the reports by the State House of Assembly, with the Ministry required to respond to any site that fails safety standards.

4. A public complaints channel so residents can report suspected pollution and request testing in their community.

Expected Impact:

This will improve public health, strengthen enforcement of existing environmental laws, build trust in government, and give the Assembly real data to guide health and infrastructure spending.

This idea is informed by my MSc in Environmental Chemistry and Pollution Control, where I studied how pollutants are measured and monitored, and why open, reliable data is essential for protecting communities from unsafe water and air. As someone from Ekiti State who has lived here, I have seen how little information communities get about the safety of their environment.

Osun State should establish a structured youth skills programme that provides free vocational, digital, entrepreneurship and employability training for young people, with partnerships involving schools, businesses and local industries.

The policy should include practical training, mentorship, access to starter grants or equipment, and a system for tracking beneficiaries into employment or self-employment. This would help reduce youth unemployment, improve household income and develop a more productive workforce in the state.