Being the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria, and indeed West Africa, Lagos has its peculiar security challenges. Its sheer human density driven by an increasing population due to endless survival and economic driven immigration naturally makes security a challenging issue for the State.

However, the coming of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), the first of its kind in the country, has really assisted in swiftly addressing some of the state’s most critical security concerns.

It will be recalled that on September 3, 2007, the Lagos State government established the LSSTF as a public-private partnership framework for mobilizing and providing equipment and resources for effective operations of security agencies in the state.

The LSSTF was a practical response to the reality of the operational deficiency of the various security agencies within the state, particularly with respect to funding and provision of modern equipment.

With the realisation that the huge demands of security can no longer be met by government alone, the LSSTF is primarily conceived to institutionalise an enduring public/private approach to security challenges in the state. The law setting up the Fund provides for the structure, funding, decision-making and accountability procedures for the Trust Fund.

The main goal of the Trust Fund is to provide money for the acquisition and deployment of security equipment and such human, material and financial resources as shall be found necessary for the effective functioning of all Federal, State, Local Government and other security agencies operating in the State and part of the Fund shall be reserved for the training and retraining of security personnel.

The LSSTF comprises a Board of Trustees headed by a Chairman while the day to day administration of the Fund lies in the hand of a Chief Executive who is designated Executive Secretary and his main mandate is to execute the decisions of the Board. The Executive Secretary and all members of the Board are all appointees of the State governor and they are to serve for fixed terms as provided by the Fund’s enabling Law. The monies and assets of the Fund comprise voluntary donations by the Lagos State Government, Local Governments, the Organised Private Sector [OPS], the Informal Business Sector [IBS] and private citizens.

Without a doubt, the setting up of the LSSTF is another laudable initiative from a State renowned for its several pace setting feats and it has really helped to provide creative strategy for the state’s diverse security concerns.

Commendably, successive administratins in the State have been working hard to ensure that the dreal lives on. For instance, the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration has given the Trust a major boost with the groundbreaking for the construction of a multi-storey building that will serve as its operational headquarters.

Governor Sanwo-Olu turned the sod for the commencement of the project, which will be the permanent office of the State-owned agency established in 2007 by the State Government to support security operations.

Frontline businessman and philanthropist, Sir Adebukunola Adebutu Kessington, single-handedly took up the funding of the project, sited along Assfibi Road in Alausa. The new LSSTF office complex is expected to be ready by October 2026.

Sanwo-Olu noted that the agency held a strategic mandate to promote safety but had been operating without permanent office since its establishment.

When completed, the Governor said the permanent office complex would boost capacity and service delivery of the agency, adding that the State’s security architecture would be enhanced if LSSTF moved to its permanent headquarters.

The LSSTF has been operating from a rented facility in the last 17 years, which has necessitated the need to build and deliver a permanent facility from where the agency will operate. This will make LSSTF to discharge its statutory obligations with utmost professionalism and integrity.

The completion of the project will make no excuse for its leadership in providing the best quality of security support services expected from the agency. The new office complex would bring about significant improvements in the support being given to all security agencies.

Sanwo-Olu praised the philanthropic spirit of Sir Kessington, noting that the donation represented the donor’s high sense of patriotism and commitment towards keeping the State secure.

The donor’s gesture, the Governor pointed out, lifted a financial burden off the Government, bypassing bureaucratic constraints that could have delayed the implementation of the project.

LSSTF Executive Secretary, Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan, said his vision for the restructuring of the Fund’s operations had started to materialise with the groundbreaking for the agency’s permanent office.

Upon his appointment as Chief Executive Officer of the Fund, Ogunsan said his desire was to ensure the agency move from rented accommodation into a permanent headquarters befitting its strategic mandate, responsibilities, and mission.

Sir Kessington, a nonagenarian and Lotto mogul, described the project donation as “a call to duty”, noting that the intervention would further strengthen the Government’s efforts to protect citizens and their properties.

Describing Lagos as “pulsating heart of the nation’s commerce and enterprise”, Sir Kessington said the building would stand as a lasting monument to residents’ collective responsibility, shared safety, and quest for peace.

Using the LSSTF as a key springboad, Sanwo-Olu and his team have continued to re-strategise to find a lasting solution to the State’s security challenges, beleiving that security of lives and property is a shared responsibility of government and the citizens.

Recently, at the 19th Annual Town Hall Meeting on Security with the Governor with the theme “Building Trust, Enhancing Security: A New Era of Security and Partnerships” held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, the governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to safeguarding the lives, property, investments and the future of Lagos.

The Governor, in line with his administration’s commitment to ‘Security and Governance’, which is the sixth pillar of the THEMES+ Agenda, donated 100 operational vehicles to security agencies in the State to boost their operations in the State.

The vehicles were jointly procured by the Lagos State Government and Conference 57, the association of the chairmen of 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the State.

Sanwo-Olu further harped on the importance of collaboration, saying every investment in security is a direct investment in peace, order and prosperity. He said security cannot be left to the government alone but requires contributions from the private sector, community groups, and every resident of Lagos State.

The town hall meeting is a reaffirmation of the collective commitment to safeguarding lives, properties, investments and the future of Lagos. It is an affirmation that the security of this state is not solely the responsibility of the government but a shared duty, a covenant between government, the private sector, communities, and every resident of this city.

As the Federal Government intensifies reforms—strengthening internal security frameworks, elevating counter-terrorism capabilities, enhancing maritime security, and accelerating the professionalisation of our armed forces—Lagos stands ready as a model partner. Through the LSSTF, the State is demonstrating that security funding can be transparent, collaborative, and impactful.

Ogunbiyi is Director, Public Enlightenment & Community Relations, Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.