Lai Omotola: FG should initiate people-oriented programmes to gain citizens’ trust

Lai Omotola, the chief executive officer of Confederated Facilitators Limited (CFL) Group, has advised the federal government to initiate people-oriented programmes to gain the people’s trust.  

Speaking with journalists on Friday during the company’s end-of-year activities, Omotola said such people-friendly programmes must be executed transparently.

He also urged entrepreneurs to collaborate with the government in major sectors of the economy.

Omotola said that despite the challenges that plagued the country in 2024, his company has risen above the waters. He urged Nigerians to keep hope alive.

“In all these, Nigerians have shown resilience, defied odds, and we are moving towards stability, but the challenges remain daunting. We must keep hope alive and remain positive that one day we will get it right even as the business environment remains harsh,” Omotola said.

“Entrepreneurs need to collaborate with government in major sectors of the economy like energy, aviation, agriculture, and infrastructure. Our banks need to be more creative in support of the economy. On the side of the government, they need to work harder to gain the trust of the citizens. Transparency and people-oriented programs remain important.

“As citizens, in as much as we can not be denied our opinion about government, there is a need to understand that things can only change when everyone pays his quota. We must engage in a collaborative effort and be optimistic.

“At CFLgroup, we never anticipated the dimension of economic challenges, but through focus and resilience, we remain competitive and expanding our business influence across major sectors of the economy. We understand there is a market as much as individual purchasing power has fallen drastically. However, we must keep hope alive and remain positive.”

The CFL boss urged Nigerians to adopt a collaborative approach and reduce excessive criticism of the government, stressing that entrepreneurship, not government intervention, is the primary driver of job creation and economic growth.

Omotola announced strategic initiatives to address food scarcity and promote economic growth, including the test run of a premium rice brand and plans to establish an Agric Mall in Lagos.

“On our part this year, in spite of the odds, we are able to forge ahead against all manner of business headwinds. We expanded our property business and have been able to put together documentation for the development of our property business by commencing our project name tagged THE GRACE PROJECT. We project the development of 1 million homes in the next 10 years and we shall be partnering with different stakeholders,” he said.

“The situation of the economy does not give room for many options. People are looking for quality at a cheaper rate. While rice production and importation are insufficient to meet public demand, we believe our efforts will help bridge the gap and stabilize prices.

“It is naive to think the government will solve all our problems or provide all the jobs. Entrepreneurs are the ones who build the economy. Nigerians must remain optimistic and focus on opportunities despite the daunting challenges.”