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Friday, 29.03.2024
eGovernment Forschung seit 2001 | eGovernment Research since 2001

Lagos state is one of the cities around the world that has attained the status of a mega city. However, like other mega cities of the world, Lagos is faced with many challenges such as poor waste management, transport problems, insecurity and food crises. Consequently, it needs to transform from a mega city status to a smart city wherein everything works seamlessly. Lagos needs to leverage technology to transform to a smart city.

This was the submissions suggested by professionals from transportation, housing, education, technology, media and other walks of life who assembled at the Techuncode and Vatebra Hub activation to discuss how technology can transform Lagos to a smart city.

The professionals discussed several issues concerning the subject after which they proposed some recommendations that the state government can adopt to become a smart city.

They also noted that Lagos is already a mega city and that what it needs to be is a smart city. And this can happen with the use of technology and active participation from everyone in the state.

They spoke during a hub activation discourse themed “Adopting Tech Innovations And Digital Transformations To Build A Real Megacity.” It was organised by Techuncode in partnership with Vatebra Hub as part of the series of events for the 2022 Lagos Economic Summit largely known as Ehingbeti.

They shared their great well of knowledge of their different sectors around the theme.

The event was moderated by Kolapo Ogungbile, Business and startup manager at Vatebra.

And it was held at the Vatebra hub office with over 100 attendance, physically and virtually.

Diving into the discussions, the experts were asked to define what a real megacity is. And most of them concluded that Lagos was already a megacity. But what it needs to be is a smart city.

According to them, a smart city is a digitalized city.

However, Lagos is a megacity with problems that can be solved with technology which makes it a smart Lagos.

Going through this route, they identified some of the problems faced by a megacity. Amongst others includes traffic, waste pollution, slums, homelessness, crime, unemployment, technology illiteracy, and overpopulation.

They also added that most of the issues that are faced by the residents of the state are self-made.

Among the reputable speakers present at the event includes:

  • Aderonke Olubowale, Head of Operations – Shuttlers;
  • Charles Emebolu– Cofounder of Techquest STEM Academy & Director of Partnerships ISN Hubs;
  • Mathew Omoaka, Senior International Business Development Manager – Vatebra Limited.

  • Aderonke Olubowole speaks:

    According to Ronke, the solution to growing a mega city into a smart city is “including everyone in how they can transform the city.’ She further explains that inclusion means people need to be part of the decision making and they need to understand what it means to be able to transform.

    Going further, she adds her opinion concerning the ongoing issues in the state.

    She speaks on the issue of slums in Lagos and said it is a result of gentrification.

    Providing a solution, she said the government needs to make use of the data that they have.

    Also, she believes data can transfer everything that goes wrong in the state, including, the crime rate in the state.

    Still speaking on the issue, she reveals that the population of Lagos is growing by roughly 3.6% yearly.

    And she reiterated that “Lagos is suffering from overpopulation.”

    On the issue of waste management, Ronke said “We need to have a public-private partnership in terms of waste management.”

    Other solutions include; providing a waste disposal area and continuous sensitization of the people.

  • Charles Emembolu speaks:

    According to Charles, the state needs to be intentional about how they capture data and the purpose for which it is used. This he mentioned while speaking of the issue of slums in Lagos state.

    And this data that are rightly captured can now be used to solve the problems faced in every sector of Lagos state.

    In his discussion on the issue of slums, he defined it “as a place in which a federal police cannot enter”

    He urges the government to enable people to live well, as part of the solution for the issue of slums.

    According to him” the government not is the real driver of megacities”

    However, for any project to work and deliver with dividend; the project must be value-driven, impact lives; sustainable”

  • Matthew Omoaka O speaks:

    Speaking on the issues of the state; Character formation is a big problem in our country, Matthew said.

    He adds that “until we have primitive measures we won’t deal with the matters in the state.”

    Reiterating the need for partnership, he said, “the government cannot manage waste alone in the state.”

    And so, everyone in the state should be willing to stop the waste problem in Lagos.

    Bringing the unemployment issue to play, Matthew suggests that the areas should be opened up to private players.

    And the government should create more vehicles for individuals to bring more innovation into the state.

    Also, this would reduce the crime rate in the country.

    He also suggests that the value chain of waste management should be digitally transformed.

    The layer underneath of data is the IT and Telecom infrastructure. And according to him, they are not available to the majority of the people in the state.

    “The issue of data is an interesting issue for Lagos as a mega city.” He said.

    Matthew further advised that data should be centralised and put into a social security number.

    Concluding, Matthew reiterates that Lagos is already a megacity but can be transformed into a smart city.

    He said, “The goal is a smart city.”

About Vetebra Tech

Vatebra tech hub is a tech hub that aims to contribute to the tech ecosystem in Nigeria through the adoption of digital technology. Also, the innovation centre will be leveraging technology, innovation and entrepreneurship to reduce unemployment and drive economic growth.

It would give access to quality, affordable technology education to children and youths in areas of Software development, Digital Skills and Robotics.

Vatebra Tech hub will also support start-ups with experiential skills, infrastructure, mentorship, access to funding and market linkages that they require to grow.

With its partnership with the Bank of Industry, It has plans to set up physical presences in three states (Lagos (Ajah), Bayelsa (Yenogoa and Otu-Orua), Kebbi and Kaduna states) and expand to six geo-political zones in Nigeria.

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Autor(en)/Author(s): Naomi Agbaje

Quelle/Source: Techuncode, 19.09.2022

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