• Friday, March 29, 2024
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Sanwo-olu rolls out master plan for Lagos smart city

Smart City ambitions dim as investment in fixed wireless, wired technology at -1%

Lagos State is set on becoming a smart city through the launch by the governor of a technology master plan for good governance at the Art of technology 1.0, an innovation strategy centered on transforming the country.

A smart city is an urban development vision to integrate multiple information and communication technology (ICT) solutions in a secure fashion to manage the city’s assets such as schools, libraries, local department information systems, power plants, hospitals, transportation systems, law enforcement and other community services.

Babajide Olusola Sanwo Olu, governor of the State, who spoke at the AOT Lagos conference, which brought together about 2000 tech giants, policy makers and government officials, said that there are many opportunities available for the development of software that can transform the way we see, do or think about life activities.

Speaking about the AOT, Sanwo Olu said, “Art of Technology 1.0 will open the window for ideas, concepts and principles buried in the creative recesses of our people to break out and transform the landscape.

“I urge all participants and investors to leverage on the opportunities available at Art of Technology 1.0 to synergise and network with other innovators to develop life changing software that will transform healthcare, agribusiness, transportation, food security, housing and education in Lagos mega city.”

A few years ago, smart city was the buzz word on the mouth of Nigerians, as the country looked to information communication technology (ICT) as a favourable option for economic diversification. Today, with the sector contributing about 13.8 percent to nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), it has become even more necessary for government to invest in smart city initiatives.

The governor said that his administration will continue to provide opportunities that ease doing business in Lagos State for local and foreign investors to leverage on potentials available in the tourism and recreation.

“It is our goal to foster the gains achieved by the Art of Technology 1.0 to enhance and empower the residents and investors in Lagos the obvious and preferred location of first choice,” he said.

He pointed out the technology has taken over all sectors and industries, hence the need to grasp it and transform the city of Lagos.

The governor admitted to the challenges the State faces as a society and the creeping economic progress, but promised new sustainable measures for economic growth.

“We cannot disaffirm the intractable challenges we face as a State. With a population of about 22 million and a crumbling infrastructure, new sustainable methods of transportation and infrastructure deployment must be formulated to keep up with the population growth.

“The use of artificial intelligence to predict movement of human resources and materials and reverse environmental degradation are critical solutions we need to adopt.   Our challenges put us in a unique position to engineer not just our own solutions but engineer solutions for the world at large.

In View of these and other issues, our administration is committed to releasing problem solving potential through innovations in science and technology”. He said.

Victor Gbenga Afolabi, the curator of Art of Technology Lagos 1.0 and founder of Eko Innovation Center, said: “The government has always known that we need the ecosystem to leapfrog and create that 21st-century economy that the governor has always talked about in turning Lagos into a smart city.  The ecosystem also needs to engage with government such that they enjoy the kind of patronage, access, and funding that can make them do what they do best which is creating enterprises.”

Sanwo-Olu said the master plan addresses four main pillars that are required to enable a vibrant innovation ecosystem.

“These pillars vary from Access to data and markets, talent, which are updated curriculums that match industry needs. Other challenges are lack of infrastructure, funding, and lack of understanding of our local technology ecosystem by investors,” he said.

He further opined that any society that wants to make a headway and be accepted globally, must adopt technology.

“It is gratifying to note that the world has accepted that Lagos State is the ‘Silicon Valley’ of the African Continent with major investments by Microsoft and Google in the Ikeja-based ‘Computer Village’ and emerging tech hubs which have served as launch pads for the digital careers of numerous youths as software developers,” he said.

Lagos state government has gone ahead to provide ICT opportunities for children in public primary and secondary schools to acquire ICT knowledge through exposure to coding.