In a bold stride towards strengthening health sector coordination and planning and delivering a stronger, more people-focused health system, the Lagos State Ministry of Health, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health and the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) Coordination Office, flagged off a four-day capacity development workshop for health leaders and managers on Monday, July 15, 2025, at Trident Suites, Ikeja.
The workshop is part of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), themed “Towards Rational, Realistic, Pragmatic and Comprehensive Plan that Informs Health Budget for the People of Lagos State.” The high-level workshop brings together state directors, medical officers of health, LGA health managers, development partners, project desk officers, and technical experts to strengthen leadership, strategic thinking, and planning skills for evidence-based health system reforms in Lagos.
The programme is designed to introduce participants to tools and frameworks such as the web-based Annual Operational Planning (AOP) tool, sector-wide approach (SWAp), systems thinking, and performance-based planning, geared towards improving evidence-based decision-making and aligning federal and state priorities.
The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Kemi Ogunyemi, who declared the workshop open, described the session as more than a training. According to her, it is a pivotal moment of truth for health managers to take full ownership of ongoing reforms and prepare to effectively cascade them to frontline workers across Lagos. “This four-day session is about leadership mindset, systems understanding, and service transformation,” she stressed.
Ogunyemi stated that Lagos is already aligned with the SWAp architecture, which emphasises harmonisation, mutual accountability, and coordination between government and development partners. “The HOPE Project and NHSRII are not abstract programmes,” she noted. “They are vehicles to translate vision into action. But they only succeed when leaders and managers connect strategy to service delivery, and performance policy.”
Dr. Ogunyemi challenged participants to engage fully and ask the difficult questions. “It’s not enough to sit through this workshop,” she said. “You must interrogate the policies, contextualise them for Lagos, and make them work for our people. Shake the table. If something won’t work in Lagos, say so. That’s the only way to adapt without losing the essence of what the Federal Government aims to achieve.”
She also highlighted persistent challenges, such as maternal and infant health indicators, urging state managers to reflect on what the data reveals and how federal collaboration can provide tailored solutions. “We’ve offered free antenatal care, yet our women still go to traditional birth attendants. This is where planning meets reality,” she said. “What can we do differently, and what support do we need?”
Concluding her remarks, the Special Adviser stressed the importance of collective leadership. “It doesn’t matter who gets the credit. What matters is that we do what’s right for Lagos. If it works, we all shine. If it fails, we are all accountable. Let’s embrace this opportunity and lead change from where we stand,” she affirmed.
Representing the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, the Director of Healthcare Planning, Research and Statistics, Dr. Olajumoke Oyenuga, described the workshop as a strategic opportunity to deepen planning, coordination, and implementation capacity across all levels of care in Lagos.
“This workshop will introduce you to powerful tools like the web-based Annual Operational Planning (AOP) tool, and teach you about system thinking, bottleneck analysis, and service integration – all critical to moving from plans to real impact,” Dr. Oyenuga noted.
She added that the hands-on sessions will also explore alternate analysis techniques, performance-based planning models, and accountability frameworks tailored to state-level implementation. “We expect all participants to be fully engaged, as your insights are central to the success of this process,” she urged.
Also speaking at the opening, Assistant Director and Head of Strategic Planning, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Nonso Egbosi, commended Lagos for taking ownership of the NHSRII cascade. He described the Lagos training as “a shining example of state-federal collaboration for sustainable health development.”
Dr. Egbosi urged participants to absorb the content and use it to drive innovation within their respective agencies. “Planning without execution is wasted effort. Let this training serve as the bridge between knowledge and implementation,” he concluded.
The SWAp Desk Officer at the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Oyeyemi Ogunjobi explained that throughout the workshop, participants will engage in structured learning, peer exchange, and group planning exercises designed to generate actionable strategies that will inform health budgets and programmes in the State.
She noted that key among the innovations being introduced is the shift from spreadsheet-based AOPs to a web-enabled tool that will enhance real-time monitoring, reduce duplication, and improve efficiency. The tool, she added, is expected to support health leaders in tracking deliverables and outcomes across the 57 LGAs and LCDAs in Lagos.
A development partner at the event, Mr. Olukunle Daramola, Consultant with the Gates Foundation, reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to supporting the national and state health systems, especially in strengthening the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) in Lagos. “Lagos remains a flagship state, and we commend the government for its commitment to reform. SWAp has come to stay, and we’re glad to be partners in ensuring the realisation of its goals,” he stated.
Daramola added that beyond policy alignment, the Gates Foundation is focused on capacity building and continuous engagement with states to ensure better health outcomes. “We’ve implemented several projects across the country, and with workshops like this, I believe we will be better than we were last year. We look forward to seeing tangible improvements in planning, delivery, and impact,” he concluded.