Lagos Blue Economy: Govt Engages Riverine Women Leaders On Inclusion, Sustainable Development

By Stella Okocha 

The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed commitment to inclusive and sustainable Blue Economy through increased engagement with grassroots stakeholders, particularly women in riverine and coastal communities.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Blue Economy, Mr. Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, gave the assurance at the inaugural Riverine Women Leaders’ Dialogue 2026 organised by Blue Lagos Sustainability Initiative at Ijegun Egba Ferry Terminal, Satellite Town, Oriade LCDA.

The dialogue themed “Women’s Participation, Leadership and Inclusion in the Blue Economy” brought together women leaders from riverine communities across the state to discuss community challenges, explore development opportunities and strengthen participation in decisions affecting their livelihoods.

The engagement provided platform for women leaders to present concerns and recommendations directly to the Special Adviser. Emmanuel assured that submissions would be documented and communicated to relevant government agencies for appropriate action, adding that urgent matters would be prioritised.

According to him, direct communication between government and community stakeholders is critical to identifying challenges and developing responsive interventions, particularly in communities where waterways remain central to transportation, trade and livelihoods.

Woman Leader of Blue Lagos, Olori Ololade Asani, said dialogue was organised to give women leaders direct access to the Special Adviser to communicate concerns and make recommendations without intermediaries. She stressed need for women to have meaningful voice in governance discussions and decisions concerning welfare, economic opportunities and community development.

Team Lead of Blue Lagos, Mr. Saheed Adesanya, highlighted initiative’s ongoing efforts to improve living conditions in riverine communities through healthcare outreach, access to essential services, livelihood support, water infrastructure, safety interventions and community engagement.

He noted that additional programmes were in pipeline and expressed confidence that collaboration with Office of the Special Adviser would enable Blue Lagos extend reach to more underserved communities, reaffirming guiding principle “No Community Is Left Behind.”

As part of programme, Blue Lagos distributed foodstuffs, life jackets, branded T-shirts, caps, solar torchlights and stipends to participating women leaders. The gesture reflected commitment to community welfare, while distribution of life jackets reinforced importance of water safety in communities where waterways serve as essential connections to workplaces, markets and schools.

Speaking on behalf of participants, Olori Shittu Rashidat of Ibasa-Ijegun Egba Kingdom appreciated Blue Lagos for bringing women leaders together and providing opportunity to engage directly with Special Adviser, describing dialogue as welcome development and calling for sustained engagement to translate concerns into tangible interventions.

The inaugural dialogue marks step towards strengthening collaboration among government, community leaders and development stakeholders, advancing participatory governance and creating opportunities for women to contribute actively to decisions shaping their communities.

The initiative reaffirmed that women should be recognised not merely as beneficiaries of development programmes but as active participants and leaders in building more inclusive and sustainable Blue Economy.