By Sarah NEGEDU
Stakeholders are working out a road map for the introduction of an Abuja Resident Smart Card and Digital Biometric Database, to further improve security in Nigeria’s capital.
The move, which is part of the Abuja Smart City Project, an initiative of ioSafe Nigeria and Havel Corporate Concept, is aimed at transforming Abuja into a smart city.
Head of the Abuja Smart City Project team, Ahmed Badanga, told journalists over the weekend, that the Abuja Resident Smart Card and Digital Biometric Database will provide the opportunity to generate a reliable database of residents to support the smart city vision.
Badanga, who also doubles as convener of the Nigeria Data Expo & Conference, NDEC, said the card will provide security, financial services, mobility, and access to government services and amenities.
In his words, “The proposed card will have basic feature of an e-payment wallet infrastructure with biometric -based identity cards that provides the Abuja residents cardholder benefits in terms of security, financial services, mobility and access to government services and amenities.
“The card that may be tagged ‘AbjRID’ will transform to a major landmark historic project in Abuja, that will lead to the creation of Abuja resident registration infrastructure domicile in an envisioned newly established body as maybe agreed by all parties.”
He said the project, which was conceived in 2021, was delayed due to COVID-19, adding that the project aims at collaborating with strategic stakeholders, especially the Federal Capital Territory Administration, to develop a smart city where data and technology drives services, making governance, transport, tourism, health, business, and homes more efficient.
According to him, the FCT Minister will on the 23rd of July, officially inaugurate the team and its partners, with the responsibility to translate Abuja smart city strategic road map to reality.
He said the initiative, will enable the capital city to evolve into modern digital cities of the world where every service will be at the fingertip of residents deploying data and technology to making governance, transport, health, business and homes smarter.
“The Hon. Minister’s role as the HOST at the event is to formally launch the Abuja Smart City Campaign.To inaugurate the Abuja Smart City Technical Team & Partners to support and collaborate with Havel Corporate Concept Limited to translate the Abuja Smart City Strategic Road Map to reality. To unveil the prototype of the proposed Abuja Smart Resident Card and the Campaign.
“Many global capitals around the world are competing to outsmart in creating new envisioned cities with one major objective: To stand out. In the complexity of this context, we all have to realize that there is no single definition for a smart city”. He said.
He said the concept which will be a multi-sectoral project would be in phases, starting with the quick win and would capture the residents’ needs, desires and expectations that are centred on the people.
