Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bank of Industry (BOI) as part of renewed efforts to strengthen occupational and public safety across the state.
The signing took place during the 2025 Lagos State Occupational Safety and Health Conference, held at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, with the theme: “Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) as a Catalyst for Nation Building.”
Speaking shortly after the signing ceremony — conducted on behalf of the Lagos State Safety Commission (LSSC) — Governor Sanwo-Olu said the partnership would ensure safety remained at the heart of governance and business operations in the state.
“We will work with you, we’ll handle you to ensure that we’re not just saying it; we want to actually have safety first in everything that we’re doing,” he said.
At the event, 28 new Occupational Safety Officers were unveiled, with the Governor decorated as their Commandant.
“We use this as a springboard to encourage others,” Sanwo-Olu added. “You can see that what we’re building is not just a policy that is far off or an integration that is not people-centric. It is that conversation that we believe will leave us truly blessed and understanding what everybody’s role and responsibility must be.”
Reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic, the Governor recalled how the state’s safety structures helped avert what could have been a catastrophic experience.
“It was such a difficult time for us, and Lanre was just recently appointed,” he said, referring to Mr. Lanre Mojola, the Director-General of the LSSC.
“I said to him that this is the only time where we truly can protect life and property. We truly can help our people to live in a safe and secure environment.
“I’m happy that with the Safety Commission, all of you working together, we were able to reverse what we thought was going to be a catastrophic experience into something that was very manageable because Lagos was the centerpiece during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
He noted that the state pioneered innovative safety protocols during that period, including the gradual reopening of the economy and a digital registration system that allowed businesses to operate safely.
“You can see that this has helped us to further institutionalize the Safety Commission,” he said. “We have registered almost 20,000 businesses in one form or the other, where from the comfort of the office they can actually remotely see and assess what you’re doing and they can give you a clean bill.”
Governor Sanwo-Olu said the initiative had strengthened compliance and accountability across sectors.
“We believe that this enduring initiative has not only strengthened compliance but has also made a lot of people accountable.
“It reflects our administration’s unwavering commitment to building a culture of safety and resilience across the state through the Lagos State Safety Commission.”
According to him, result-driven interventions across key sectors, including construction, manufacturing, education, hospitality, and event management had led to a drastic reduction in workplace incidents.
“The enforcement is coming down because people are now ensuring and understanding that they can self-regulate, knowing what is expected of them.
“We have also pioneered a signing today in which we’ve seen the first legal safety policy document that continues to guide our strategies, strengthen our accountability, and demonstrate the government’s unwavering commitment to protecting life and property.” he said.
He commended the Safety Commission for its “giant strides,” urging the newly unveiled safety officers to act with fairness and discretion.
“If you don’t need to shut a place down, do not shut it down,” the Governor warned. “If you think that what they did is just to encourage them, to speak to them, that’s all you need to do.
“It’s when you know that you want the full hand of the law on them, then you do not shy away from doing that. And so we need to do it responsibly, with a sense of accountability.”
In his remarks, Director-General of the Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr. Lanre Mojola, said compliance levels across the state had significantly improved, reducing the need for enforcement.
“We realize that enforcement action is reducing as compliance is increasing. As we continue to go to more places to inspect, largely our enforcement is reduced. But we still ensure that Vertical Transportation Equipment is fully enforced to the letter as Lagos continues to move on,” he said.
He added that the Commission had introduced new regulations covering swimming pool control, construction safety, and dangerous goods transportation, noting that Lagos, as the nation’s commercial hub, must maintain global standards.
“Lagos has the port,” Mojola explained. “So we find out that a lot of people move things, dangerous goods, oil, and gas from Lagos to the hinterland.”
The DG also highlighted the launch of Occupational Safety Officers, describing it as a pioneering initiative.
“It’s the first in Africa,” he said. “Today, we’re introducing 28 new Occupational Safety Officers for the Lagos State Government. We intend to continue to employ more as time passes.”
Mojola revealed that over 20,000 facilities had already registered with the Commission and provided GPIS (Geographic Pictorial Information System) evidence for remote safety monitoring.
He added that the Commission was leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to predict and prevent incidents before they occur.
“How do we ensure that we can predict issues before they crystallize? The game changer for us is the Domestic Safety Platform.
“Working with the Ministry of Justice, the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, and LASRRA, we’re developing a platform where we can validate every single domestic staff in Lagos.
“That way, we’re safeguarding the domestic staff and their principals by ensuring that we’re putting in domestic safety principles. This, we believe, will impact everyone across Lagos State.”
In his welcome address, Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Mr. Olugbenga Oyerinde, reaffirmed that occupational and public safety remain top priorities for the Sanwo-Olu administration.
“Every Lagosian deserves to live, work, and move freely without any fear,” he said.
“This conference has become a platform to host leaders of thought, safety practitioners, policymakers, and industry players who come together to exchange ideas, review progress, and chart pathways for safer workplaces and safer communities.”
