Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy
History
The Office of the Secretary to the Government was tasked with administering cabinet concerns, security, establishments, home affairs, and information when the newly constituted Lagos State took off administratively in April 1968. The responsibility for information service was transferred to the military Governor's office as the business of governance got more complex.In essence, the ministry changed its name from the Secretary of State's Office to the Military Government.
With Badmus as the first Commissioner, it eventually grew into a full-fledged Ministry of Information and Tourism. In April 1971, the Ministry of Information was founded as a separate entity on Victoria Island to handle government contact with the public and the press.
The Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy is the state government ministry, charged with the responsibility to plan, devise and implement the state policies on Information and Strategy.
The Ministry was restructured and reorganized in November 2015, under the administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, via Lagos state government circular No.141 dated November 9, 2015, which changed some of the names of existing departments, created a new department, and changed the nomenclature of the Ministry's officers. As a result of this move, all officers in the Ministry who were previously known as "Information Officers" have been renamed "Public Affairs Officers." While the departments are currently referred to as:
- Public Enlightenment & Community Relations
- Information Production
- ICT/Social Media
- Public Affairs Department
- Administration/Human Resources
- Strategy
Nomenclature (1971-present)
- Ministry of Information and Tourism
- Publicity Department, Governor’s Office
- Ministry of Information, Social Development, Youth, Sports, and Culture
- Ministry of Information and Culture
- Ministry of Information and Culture
- Bureau of Information
- Ministry of Information, Culture and Sports
- Ministry of Information and Strategy
Statutory responsibilities
- Publicity and Mass Media
- Public Relation of Government
- Registration of newspapers \ magazines
- Archives matters
- Publishing and Advertising
- Management of Information on the website of the Lagos State Government.
| HON. COMMISSIONERS | TENURE |
| CHIEF M.A BADMUS | 1971-1973 |
| ALHAJI ALADE ODUNEWU | 1973-1975 |
| CHIEF ABIMBOLA ODUNLAMI | 1975 – AUG. 1977 |
| CHIEF PATRICK SANWO | 1977 – JULY 1978 |
| AHMED ONIPEDE | JAN. 1984 – APRIL 1984 |
| AJIPADE ROKOSU | APRIL 1984 – JAN. 1986 |
| ALHAJI LATEEF OLAYINKA | 1986 – JULY 1986 |
| MRS MODUPE ADEOGUN | 1986 – SEPT. 1989 |
| MR ADESOLA AJETUNMOBI MACAULAY | 1989 – DEC. 1991 |
| M.A. AJILOGBA | JULY 1993 – AUG. 1993 |
| CHIEF ADEWALE TOBUN | 1993 – SEPT. 1993 |
| CHIEF ABEL KOFI YUSSUPH | 1994 – AUG. 1996 |
| PHILLIP O. AIVOJI | MAY 1997 – JULY 1997 |
| COMRADE AYODELE ELESHO | JULY 1997 – MAY 2007 |
| DELE ALAKE | OCT. 1999 – MAY 2007 |
| MICHAEL OPEYEMI BAMIDELE | JULY 2007 – 2011 |
| LATEEF IBIROGBA | MAY 2011 – MAY 2015 |
| MR STEVE AYORINDE | 2015 – 2017 |
| Gbenga OMOTOSHO | 2019-Till date |
Impact
In January 2021,The Lagos State Government increased public campaigning and sensitization in response to the emergence of the second wave of COVID-19. This was accomplished by engagement between Ministry of Information and Strategy officials, led by Toyin Adeni-Awosika, Director of Public Enlightenment, and members of the public.Members of the public were approached at markets, auto mechanic workshops, garages, and parks in Agege, Ojota, Ikeja, Ogba, Alausa Secretariat, and surrounding areas by the sensitization team. They spoke to the crowd and solicited input, as well as distributing vital information, education, and communication items such as fliers and posters.