By JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
In an unprecedented move that promises to revolutionize Nigeria’s capital, Dr. Ahmed Badanga, CEO of ioSafe Nigeria and convener of the Abuja Smart City Project, announced the commencement of the transformative Abuja Smart City Project.
Speaking at a vibrant road show event, Dr. Badanga underscored the project’s aim to harness data and technology to elevate Abuja to the ranks of the world’s most advanced cities.
The event marks the beginning of an ambitious vision that aims to transform Abuja into a smart city by 2040, positioning it alongside global metropolises like Dubai and Hong Kong. Dr. Badanga emphasized the city’s existing infrastructure, which provides a solid foundation for this transformation. “Abuja currently has the infrastructure that we can key into to become smart like any other country,” he said.
The project’s strategic roadmap, to be unveiled at the upcoming conference, outlines a comprehensive plan to integrate technology into every aspect of city life, enhancing the quality of life for all residents. “We are going to be unveiling the strategic roadmap on smart city, as well as the logo for the smart city,” Dr. Badanga explained. “Our vision is between now, 2024 to 2040, we should be able to be like Dubai, Hong Kong, and others.”
Collaboration is at the heart of this initiative. Dr. Badanga highlighted the importance of partnerships with key federal and local agencies, including NIBDA, Galaxy Backbone, NCC, and the Ministry of Communication. “These are the people who drive technology for you, so we have to partner and collaborate with them to do that,” he stated.
Moreover, the Abuja Smart City Project enjoys the support of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Dr. Badanga praised the efforts of the Honorable Minister of FCT, who has laid down significant infrastructure. “We believe that the Honorable Minister of FCT has been doing very much, and we know that he’s going to do more,” Dr. Badanga said. “But what we are saying is that it goes beyond just infrastructure; we also need to take technology to drive the city.”
Robb Moore, the Founder of ioSafe said, ‘I am excited to be here in Nigeria for my very first trip to Abuja, to speak at the Smart City Smart Data conference,”
“We are going to be talking a lot about smart city and smart data and how to hopefully make Nigeria grow and Abuja grow. We will talk about what I have learned in Silicon Valley and how we can help Nigeria grow stronger.”
Engr. Johnson Toyin Oke, Head of ICT at FCDA, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the critical role of automation and data-driven processes in the initiative. “We want to key into the initiative of the smart city in the sense that all our infrastructural development in the city and municipal services have to be automated and data-driven,” Oke stated. “As the developer of the Federal Capital City in Abuja, FCDA wants to drive the initiative through ICT. The only way of doing that is by going the way of the smart city. Developers all over the world are driving their services and infrastructure through the smart city process, and that is why FCDA is playing a very critical role when it comes to the smart city of the Federal Capital City, Abuja. There is no way you can develop the city in a smart manner without the support of the Federal Capital Development Authority.”
The project encompasses various sectors, aiming to implement smart solutions across multiple facets of urban living, including health, mobility, and public services. “We have smart pharmacy, smart health, smart mobility, and all that. So we have about 40 services that will cut across both area councils,” Dr. Badanga elaborated.
The road show served as an introduction to Abuja residents, signaling the project’s commitment to making the city a technologically driven state. “Today is just a road show to tell the residents of Abuja that we are here and we have come to stay to make sure that we drive the city to become a technologically driven state,” Dr. Badanga said.
“Data is the backbone of any successful endeavor,” emphasized Mr. Ichedi Sunday, Director of Statistics at the National Bureau of Statistics’ International Statistical Development Department.
“That’s why we’re here to provide the necessary data to support the Abuja Smart City initiative. Whenever they need it, we’re ready to provide it.”
With a clear vision and robust partnerships, the Abuja Smart City Project promises to bring transformative changes, ensuring seamless integration of technology in daily life and setting a legacy for the future. As Dr. Badanga aptly put it, “If we achieve this, it’s a legacy for all the residents of FCT, so that things can be done seamlessly, as we all expect, like it’s done in other advanced countries.”
