Lagos State Government Signs Historic Smart City Deal With Dubai
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.
Dubai Vice Prime Minister Ahmad Bin Byat, Gov
Ambode,
Lagos Attorney General, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem and the
CEO Smart City Dubai
LLC, Mr. Jabber Bin Hafez
|
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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