The Lagos State government and the City of Dubai have entered a historic partnership that will create the first Smart City in Africa.
The Memorandum of Understanding for the Lagos Smart
City was on Monday signed at the Emirate Towers by the Lagos State Attorney
General and Commissioner of Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem and the Chief Executive
Officer of Smart City Dubai LLC, Mr. Jabber Bin Hafez.
The signing of the MOU, which will make Lagos the
home of the very first Smart City in Africa, was witnessed by the Chairman of
Dubai Holdings, His Excellency, Ahmad Bin Byat who is also the Deputy Prime
Minister and the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.
A Smart City is a growing concept that draws from
the success of Dubai’s innovative knowledge-based industry clusters ” to
empower business growth for companies and knowledge workers all over the
world”.
In a release signed on Tuesday by the Lagos State
Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, the Smart City
(Lagos) is expected to bring multi-billion dollars investments to Lagos, create
several thousands of jobs and transform the Ibeju-Lekki axis in particular and
the entire Lagos State in general.
“This is a deliberate attempt by us to establish a
strong convergence between technology, economic development and governance, and
” says Governor Ambode.
“The MOU between Lagos State Government and Dubai
Holdings, LLC, owners of Smart City (Dubai) to develop a sustainable, smart,
globally connected knowledge-based communities that drive knowledge economy, ”
he stated.
The governor stated that the collaboration is part
of the larger vision to make Lagos safer, cleaner and more prosperous.
He said: ” A smart-city Lagos will be the pride of
all Lagosians just as we have smart city Dubai, Smart-City Malta and Smart-City
Kochi (India). We are encouraged by the fact we do not, as a government, need
to develop at a slow pace, but take full advantage of the digital age and fast
track development of Lagos to a real megalopolis that we can all be proud of.”
The statement quoted Governor Ambode further as
saying that ” the future is ours to take. It also marks the first smart city in
Africa when completed.
The governor added that apart from creating jobs for
the people, the project would also become the world’s first carbon neutral
city. “Lagos,” he stated, “will become an important centre for innovations in
smart technologies, wellness and destination for green tourism.”
Earlier in his remarks, the Deputy Prime Minister
Bin Byat said the Dubai authorities were impressed with the conduct and
readiness of Lagos State government and were eager to proceed with the Lagos
State government and the Smart City Lagos company, which is the operating
entity for the project.
When completed, the Smart City Lagos will have,
among other features: a 12-lane road, hotel resorts, world-class technological
education facilities, a rail metroline, to mention but a few.
Ayorinde said the signing ceremony was also
witnessed by the Chairman of Smart City Lagos Ltd, Prof. Pat Utomi; the Special
Adviser to the Governor on Overseas Affairs and Investment, Prof. Ademola
Abass; Chairman, Public Accounts Committee of the Lagos State House of
Assembly, Hon. Olanrewaju Oshun, Hon. Dipo Famakinwa and Mr. Obafemi Saheed.
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