IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

It is for the contempt of the past that President Tinubu made China the centre of gravity a week ago. While some media outlets and commentators washed up ink and airtime fulminating over Agbaero and his arrest without asking why, the president and his entourage focused on the future.

Ajaokuta Steel, neglected by a generation, is whirring back to life. Solid mineral tie-ups, infrastructure development, power generation, and deals amounting to billions of dollars. These were sweet pies that some commentators wanted to ignore as poison. Some had criticized two governors for accompanying the president. While all the critics saw was jamboree, what they accomplished was progress. They were smart, as smart as the smart cities they are working on.

To ensure a sustainable development of futuristic smart city anywhere in the country, government at all levels have been urged to invest massively in data infrastructure necessary to deliver services.

According to experts in built environment, it is impossible to have smart cities without huge investments in geospatial data.

Leading the call, Rector, Federal School of Survey, Oyo, Dr. Dupe Nihinlola, stated that smart city required substantial funding for its creation and maintenance, adding that its function was within computing infrastructure and collection of large quantity of data to create an environment for efficiency and conservation.

The Lagos State government has begun its smart city initiative with the unified fibre duct infrastructure and connectivity project across all the Local Government Areas and local community development Areas in the state.

A statement from Western Telecoms and Engineering (the Special Purpose Vehicle in charge of the project), the project will enable planning of fibre routes in accordance to developmental and social need of the state with demography and geographical considerations.

The Lagos State Government on Friday said arrangements are in top gear to deploy additional 10,000 High Definition (HD) CCTV cameras across the State as part of the comprehensive Smart City Programme designed to provide a 24-hour driven economy.

Speaking at the annual Ministerial Press Briefing to mark the third anniversary of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration, Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr Hakeem Fahm said the smart city initiative, which is on course, was intended to allow the people and companies operate in a safe and secure environment thereby creating more jobs and increasing the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the State.

Lagos State Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has restated his administration’s commitment to fast-track development of infrastructure that would enhance its smart city project and optimise the limitless opportunity of a fully digitised economy.

The Governor stated this at the third annual stakeholders conference of Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA), themed: “Transforming Lagos State into a Smart City Hub in Africa – The Government’s Infrastructure Approach”, held at the Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The Edo State governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, the President of Singapore, Halimah Yacob, Minister of National Development and Second Minister for Finance, Singapore, Lawrence Wong; with over one hundred representatives of national and municipal governments as well as leading private sector players in cities development, at the weekend began deliberations on how to eliminate challenges to sustainable cities at the World Cities Summit in Singapore.

The meeting of experts organisers say, “is an exclusive platform for government leaders and industry experts to address livable and sustainable city challenges, share integrated urban solutions and forge new partnerships.”

The Ogun State Government says it will soon commence demolition of structures inside the Government Residential Area (GRA) Ibara occupied by civil servants in the state to give way to a smart city.

The State Commissioner for Housing, Jamiu Akande Omoniyi, who stated this while speaking with newsmen shortly after on-the-spot inspection of some houses marked for demolition within the GRA Ibara, said the demolition will signal the beginning of the GRA Regeneration Programme initiated by Governor Dapo Abiodun-led administration.

Lagos State Government has launched a N250 million seed capital for the development of innovation, technology start-ups as well as young innovators in the state in pushing their entrepreneurial skills to the next level.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who launched the funds on Thursday, also announced the setting up of Lagos State Science Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC) to be chaired by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, with $687,000 start-up funds for investment in research and development of tech-focused solutions across the six pillars, T.H.EM.E.S, of his administration’s development agenda.

Institute of Town Planners, Cross River State chapter has indicated interest to work with the Cross River State government to turn the state capital to a smart city. Among the benefits that the state stands to enjoy should the city acquire the status of smart city includes free traffic flow, low accidents rates, and technological management of traffic data as done in advanced nations.

The chairman of the institute in Cross River State, Dr Samuel Emri, indicated the institute’s interest at the inauguration of the state executive body of the institute in Calabar at the weekend.

Lagos State Government said it has attracted over $13 trillion worth partnership deals through strategic global alliances for various sustainable infrastructural investments across strata of the economy in the state within six years.

The state government said it also secured over $4 million in Business Enabling Reforms, SABER, disbursements during the initial assessment year, 2024, validating its leadership role nationally.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has expressed the determination of his administration to improve the provision of adequate infrastructure to fast-track the Smart City Project to optimise the limitless opportunity of a fully digitised economy.

The Governor, stated this on Tuesday, at the Third Annual Stakeholders Conference of Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA), themed: “Transforming Lagos State into a Smart City Hub in Africa – The Government’s Infrastructure Approach”, held at Victoria Island, Lagos.

Until now, not much was known about Sokoto’s huge investment in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector. But that situation changed when it defeated 35 other states in the country to win the prestigious award of Best State in e-Governance at the 2016 E-Nigeria Expo and Conference. The award, instituted by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), recognises and promotes excellence in governance through ICT.

In this piece, David-Chyddy Eleke looks at the promise made by Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, to give the state a smart city.

Part of Soludo’s campaign promise during the 2021 governorship election was to make Anambra State a ‘livable homeland’. This to the governor included a state that its indigenes will feel proud of, and one where no matter where in the world they are, they will be happy to come back home and live, without being in a hurry to leave.

Prof. Hung Park, Head of South Korean E-government delegation to Nigeria, disclosed this at a Forum of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.

South Korea will organise short and long term training courses in Nigeria for public servants

South Korea has reportedly agreed to train over 22, 000 public servants in Nigeria on e-government, according to Abdulaziz Abdullahi, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communications was quoted as making this known in a statement issued by Mrs Pauline Sule, the Deputy Director, Press.

Jung explained that the Federal Government had in 2012, based on South Korea’s wealth of experience in technology advancement, invited it to implement the Capacity Building of e-Government in Nigeria.

The South Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) says it will train 22, 625 Nigerian civil servants in e-Government from 2015 to 2018 to reinforce their practical e-Government capacity.

Jang Bong Hee, the Deputy Resident Representative of KOICA in Nigeria in Seoul that the programme was part of ongoing efforts by the South Korean government to develop an e- government master plan for Nigeria.

He underscored the importance of putting in place an e-government policy in Nigeria if the country with the largest economy in Africa was to achieve sustainable development.

Kwanasok, made the remark at a lecture, tagged “ICT Policy in Korea”, organised for participants of the 2014 e-government (Nigeria) capacity building programme on Thursday in Seoul.

Chief Executive Officer of Teledom Group, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, who made the call, told THISDAY in an interview that it was imperative for government to act now, owing to the perceived implications of non-use of local content from Nigeria, in developing the Nigerian information and communications Technology (ICT) sector, coupled with the continued loss of revenue to foreign countries, through importation of their products for use in Nigeria.

She spoke in Lagos, at a breakfast forum entitled: Enabling Internet Ubiquity in Nigeria, organised by Digital Jewels, an Information Technology capacity building firm.

Ms Opeke said though the foundation of Internet ubiquity has been laid, limited infrastructure were an impediment.