Government agencies, including the Federal Capital Development Authority, the National Bureau of Statistics, National Information Technology Development Agency, and several others have thrown their weight behind Havel Corporate Concept towards the actualisation of the Abuja Smart City initiative.
The company, an affiliate of ioSafe Nigeria, says the collaboration will help fast track the automation of 40 services including governance, transportation, hospitality, in the nation’s capital.
Chief Executive Officer of the company, Dr Ahmed Badanga, stated this on Monday, after a road show organised to sensitise residents of Abuja on the Nigeria Expo Conference and the unveiling of Strategic Road Map for the Abuja Smart City Project.
He affirmed that the FCT has the infrastructure required for a smart city giving the massive investment in infrastructure development in the FCT in recent times.
Badanga, who is also the convener of Abuja Smart City Project, however stressed that beyond infrastructure, there was also the need for technology to drive the city and make access to critical services automated and smart.
“The essence of tomorrow’s discussion is to bring stakeholders together to unveil the strategic road map on the smart city project.
“The strategic road map is going to contain what we are trying to do to make Abuja smart like any other smart city in the world. We are also going to be unveiling the logo of the smart city project,” he said.
He said that project would be delivered in phases from 2024 to 2040, adding that the vision was to transform Abuja into a technologically driven city like Dubai and Hong Kong by 2040.
He identified other partners in the implementation of the project as Galaxy Backbone, Nigerian Communications Commission, the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Federal Capital Territory Administration, and Federal Capital Development Authority.
In his remarks, Robb Moore, the founder of ioSafe, lauded the smart city project.
Moore said that he came all the way from the United States, to share his experience from Silicon Valley on how to tap into technology to drive the city for the comfort of FCT residents.
“We are going to be talking a lot about smart cities and smart data at the conference and how to make Abuja and Nigeria grow. I will talk about what I have learnt in Silicon Valley – growing companies, starting companies, selling companies and how Nigeria can use technology to grow stronger.
On his part, Sunday Ichedi, Director, Communication and Public Relations Department, NBS, said that data was critical to the success of the project. He therefore assured the convener of NBS commitment to provide all critical data needed for the project.
Also, Engr. Johnson Oke, Head of Information and Communication Technology at the FCDA, said that the authority would play a critical role in the implementation of the project.
Oke said that the project would ensure that infrastructural development in the city and municipal services were automated, noting that developed countries were driving services and infrastructure through the smart city initiative.
