A recent viral social media debate, pitting “NEPObabies” (those born into privilege and connections) against “LAPObabies,” has sparked a national conversation on inequality, opportunity, and the stark societal dichotomies in Nigeria. While the acronym LAPO was used in the discourse to mean “Limited Access to Privileges & Opportunities,” it is, in fact, the namesake of a pioneering institution that has been actively fighting this very reality for over three decades.
The real LAPO—the Lift Above Poverty Organization—is a foremost pro-poor institution in Africa, founded in the early 1980s by Dr. Godwin Ehigiamusoe, FCIB, a visionary social entrepreneur. Far from representing limited access, LAPO’s entire mission is to create it. The organization is dedicated to providing social and economic empowerment for people at the bottom of the pyramid by tackling the deeply rooted systemic and structural inequalities that hinder Nigeria’s economic development.
Dr. Ehigiamusoe’s founding philosophy is the nexus of this work: “The poor are not necessarily lazy; they only need access to opportunities.” This belief is the bedrock of LAPO’s long-standing relationship with the families of the true “LAPObabies”—children from financially excluded, materially deprived backgrounds whose lives have been transformed through access.
The Story of a Real #LAPObaby
The story of Agwu Goodluck provides a powerful human face to this mission. Agwu received a full university scholarship from LAPO by virtue of his mother’s business relationship with LAPO Microfinance Bank. Today, he is a loyal client years after his mother’s passing, a testament to the generational impact of sustainable empowerment. Agwu is not an outlier; he is one of thousands of #LAPObabies who have benefited from scholarships, vocational skills training, and a legacy of support.
A Holistic Ecosystem of Empowerment
LAPO has evolved into a group of mutually reinforcing institutions focused on creating a comprehensive support system for low-income families. Its areas of impact include:
· Financial Services: LAPO Microfinance Bank has disbursed over N1.7 Trillion in micro-credits to low-income families and MSME owners, with over 60% of beneficiaries being women.
· Healthcare Services: Providing critical health interventions and awareness campaigns.
· Education & Social Services: Awarding scholarships and vocational skills training to over 6,000 youths and children.
· Employment & Advocacy: Providing gainful employment to over 7,000 Nigerian youths and offering legal aid and gender-forward advocacy for women.
With a network of over 500 branches across 34 states and the FCT, LAPO is committed to delivering these services to the last mile.
A Mandate for a More Equal Future
This work is more critical than ever. A new Oxfam report titled ‘Africa’s Inequality Crisis and the Rise of the Super Rich” highlights the continent’s growing wealth gap. LAPO represents the audacious, on-the-ground response to this crisis, a mission it began over 30 years ago.
LAPO remains steadfast in its commitment to the social and economic empowerment of Nigeria’s most vulnerable. The organization continues to call for and partner with government and private institutions to reduce the scourge of poverty. This moment of viral conversation underscores the urgent need for greater participation from all state and non-state actors in policy advocacy, progressive economic reforms, and sustainable social interventions to frontally address economic inequality.
The term #LAPObaby, in its truest sense, doesn’t signify limitation—it symbolizes hope, access, and the transformative power of an opportunity given.
