By Emegwoako C. Paschal
According to the Lagos State Government, it is giving high priority to the provision of 6000km fiber optic cables, in order to increase access to reliable, effective, and reasonably priced internet services.
This was said by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday, October 4 at the stakeholders’ conference for the 2022 Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA) in Victoria Island, Lagos, themed – “Transforming Lagos State into a Smart City Hub in Africa – The Government’s Infrastructure Approach”
Sanwo-Olu who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, promised that his administration would make use of the deployment of cutting-edge technology to create better and more effective governance for the smart city project.
The governor pointed out that technology, particularly the availability of effective and trustworthy internet service, was necessary to achieve a 21st-century economy.
He believes that the widespread use of technology will increase socioeconomic growth and open up new opportunities.
Sanwo-Olu discussed some of the achievements made possible by utilizing technology to create a smart and competitive Lagos city.
The relaunch of the state residents’ card, according to him, is a component of ongoing initiatives to make the dream of the smart city a reality. To make the state a hub for smart cities, the governor requested assistance, partnership, and cooperation of the private sector.
Lagos State holds a special position as the berth-point of the six submarine cables serving Nigeria, according to Mr. Adeleke Adewolu, Executive Commissioner (Stakeholder Management), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Therefore, he said, “it is geographically immune from the challenge faced by other states in the hinterlands with regard to access to broadband capacity.”
He claims that Lagos State, with its numerous data centers, is also the “brain-box” of technological innovation.
However, the commissioner maintained that Lagos state, like the rest of Nigeria, was still far from realizing its full potential in terms of ICT infrastructure.
He pointed that in order to meet the NNBP targets by 2025, Nigeria would need to build over 120,000 more kilometers of fiber and about 40,000 more Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) in addition to the current figure of less than 60,000 kilometers.
Adewolu advised LASIMRA to help Lagos State take advantage of the NNBP opportunities by offering accommodating permitting regimes.
In order to promote the deployment of infrastructure in the state, he urged LASIMRA to take additional steps to streamline procedures and ensure quicker processing of infrastructure permits.
The General Manager of LASIMRA, Mrs. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, stated earlier in her speech that the program’s theme was consistent with the state of Lagos’ efforts to position itself as a Smart City.
According to her, the theme was also in line with important projects involving utility infrastructure and areas that stakeholders could use to improve the way the initiatives for the smart City were carried out.
Coker-Odusote claimed that by uniting various interests and stakeholders, the government was acting as a financier and coordinator.
She explained that the action was taken to ensure that common standards and regulations were in place in order to provide funding for digital infrastructure and demonstrator projects.
