Lagos, Ethiopia deepen collaboration on sustainable financing, development partnerships

The Lagos State Government is engaging Ethiopia on sustainable development financing and regional economic cooperation, playing host to a delegation from the East African country on a visit towards strengthening the implementation of Nigeria’s Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF).

The engagement, facilitated through the Office of Sustainable Development Goals (OSDGs), brought together policymakers, development financing experts, and economic planning officials from both countries to share experiences on innovative financing models, fiscal management, and strategies for bridging development funding gaps.

The Integrated National Financing Framework will provide a structured platform for aligning public resources and private sector participation with sustainable development priorities.

Oreoluwa Finnih, the special adviser to the Lagos State governor on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), represented by Kaphayah Sarumi, permanent secretary, Office of SDGs, said the visit of the delegation reflected the growing importance of peer learning and collaboration among African governments in tackling financing challenges.

According to her, Lagos remained committed to strengthening fiscal discipline, exploring innovative funding mechanisms, and building strategic partnerships to support infrastructure development, social investment programmes, and inclusive economic growth.

“Lagos State remains committed to the fiscal discipline, innovation, and partnerships required to bridge financing gaps and accelerate development outcomes. The Integrated National Financing Framework offers a structured approach for aligning our budgetary priorities with global sustainability targets while ensuring measurable impact for our citizens,” she said.

Solomon Tesfasilassie, the head of the Ethiopian delegation, expressed appreciation to the Lagos State Government for sharing its governance and financing experiences, noting that Ethiopia was interested in learning from Nigeria’s sub-national development financing approaches.

He commended Lagos for its role in advancing economic resilience and sustainable urban development, adding that lessons from the engagement would support efforts to strengthen Ethiopia’s own development financing architecture.

Also speaking, Bala Yunusa, the technical adviser to the senior special assistant to the president, highlighted the importance of regional knowledge exchange and cooperation among African countries in addressing emerging economic and development challenges.

He said collaboration between national and sub-national governments remained critical to unlocking new financing opportunities, improving institutional capacity, and accelerating progress towards sustainable development goals.
The multi-day programme featured technical discussions, policy reviews, and inter-agency engagements involving experts in development finance, economic planning, and sustainability.

The exchange further reinforced Nigeria and Ethiopia’s shared commitment to advancing the objectives of Africa’s Agenda 2063 through stronger institutions, sustainable financing solutions, and inclusive economic development.