LAGOS, Nigeria — The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) has staged another edition of its Lagos On Display Exhibition, bringing together entrepreneurs, innovators and beneficiaries of the Fund’s intervention programmes to showcase products, services, creativity and business ideas.
The exhibition was held at JTT Park, opposite the Lagos State House of Assembly Complex, providing an opportunity for members of the public, stakeholders and potential customers to interact directly with participating businesses.
The initiative underscores LSETF’s broader mandate of supporting employment and wealth creation in Lagos State. Established under the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund Law 2016, the Fund provides financial support and other interventions aimed at tackling unemployment, promoting entrepreneurship and enabling Lagos residents to realise their economic aspirations. Its stated mission includes providing leverage and access to finance for residents.
Lagos On Display: Bringing Beneficiaries to the Marketplace
The Lagos On Display platform provides a practical avenue for LSETF beneficiaries to move beyond financial support and place their businesses, products and innovations before a wider audience.
Speaking with DASCENARIO TV during the exhibition, Mrs. Titilayo Oshodi, Green Economist, Social Reformer, Leader and Senior Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Climate Change and Circular Economy, highlighted the importance of responsible and sustainable enterprise development.
According to Oshodi, entrepreneurs increasingly need to understand the broader environmental, social and governance dimensions of their businesses, particularly as access to finance and investment becomes increasingly influenced by sustainability considerations.
She explained that the social dimension focuses on protecting people’s wellbeing and ensuring that business activities contribute positively to the lives of employees, consumers and communities.
On governance, she stressed the importance of accountability, ethical leadership and creating an environment where people can express themselves without suppression or oppression.
Oshodi noted that these considerations form part of frameworks that can help financial institutions assess the bankability and investability of enterprises, adding that entrepreneurs need to learn how to document and communicate their performance across the relevant sustainability pillars.
She said the objective is to enable businesses to become more attractive to markets, green financing opportunities and infrastructure investments.
LSETF: Supporting Entrepreneurs Beyond Funding
The LSETF’s interventions extend beyond financing. Its programmes include loans, grants, business support, employability initiatives and skills-development opportunities.
For example, the Fund’s MSME Loan Programme is designed to provide affordable access to finance for eligible Lagos-based businesses seeking to grow, expand and create employment. The official LSETF programme information currently lists loan products for micro enterprises and SMEs, alongside other sector-specific interventions.
The Fund also operates a learning centre containing resources on starting and managing businesses, government contracting and broader economic issues, reinforcing its focus on building entrepreneurial capacity alongside access to capital.
‘LSETF Is Open to All Lagosians’ — Daranijo
Also speaking to journalists at the exhibition, Mr. Sinari Bolade-Daranijo, a member of the LSETF Board of Trustees, described the event as an exciting opportunity to meet beneficiaries and witness their creativity and innovation firsthand.
“It’s very exciting to see all these people with their innovation, with their creativity, with ideas, showing up and displaying what they’re doing.”
Daranijo said the exhibition demonstrates the practical impact of government-backed interventions by creating a platform where beneficiaries can showcase their businesses and connect with the public.
He also highlighted the wider reach of LSETF interventions, saying that more than 254,000 people had been directly impacted through loans, with the potential for substantially greater indirect impact through the businesses and livelihoods supported.
According to him, the Fund offers Lagos residents opportunities including access to single-digit financing and business upskilling.
Daranijo further addressed perceptions that political affiliation is required to benefit from LSETF programmes, stressing that the Fund is intended to serve Lagos residents irrespective of political affiliation.
“We’re for Lagos, and this is a Lagos-based platform. All Lagosians are invited.”
He encouraged residents and entrepreneurs to approach the Fund and explore the opportunities available rather than relying on assumptions about eligibility or access.
Driving Inclusive Economic Growth
The latest Lagos On Display exhibition reinforces the importance of creating direct marketplaces and visibility platforms for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Beyond showcasing products, the initiative provides an opportunity to demonstrate how access to finance, business education, market exposure and sustainability-oriented thinking can work together to strengthen enterprises.
For a city with one of Nigeria’s largest concentrations of entrepreneurs and small businesses, initiatives that connect entrepreneurs with customers, investors, policymakers and other businesses remain critical to building a resilient and inclusive local economy.
The exhibition therefore represents more than a display of products and services; it reflects the continuing effort to connect entrepreneurship, employment creation, innovation, sustainability and economic opportunity within Lagos.
About LSETF
The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) was established by the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund Law 2016 to provide financial support to Lagos residents, promote job and wealth creation and tackle unemployment. The Fund says its vision is to create employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for Lagos residents, while its mission is to enable residents realise their aspirations through access to finance.
Official LSETF website: www.lsetf.ng
LSETF Contact Information
Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF)
Head Office: 16 Billings Way, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos
Telephone: 020 1700 0945
Email: info@lsetf.ng
Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00am–5:00pm (LSETF)
