Rallying Support for Nigeria’s Infrastructure Devt
Raheem Akingbolu writes on the significance of the SmartCities Summit recently held in Abuja, emphasising the need to leverage on technology solutions to improve efficiencies of cities
Modern technology, since the turn of the century, has and continues to have a rising effect across the world. The enormous development and subsequent adoption of this phenomenon has meant that technology has steered massive changes in the economic, political, scientific, and social aspects of human endeavours.
These changes have led to the rapid development of infrastructure, availability of large pool of information and knowledge, reduction of costs of production, improvement in the standard of living, and ease of communication, amongst other benefits needed to thrive in the 21st century.
However, despite this global upsurge in the use of technology, there still seems to be the challenge of how technology is utilised in third-world countries. Developing countries like Nigeria have acknowledged the huge benefit derivable from the adoption of technology. Yet, there seems to be a deficiency of proper knowledge and understanding of technological innovations.
More importantly, what is of utmost concern is the reservations over the ability of countries like Nigeria to develop and attain a world-class industrial hub that can be proficient in the area of technology and well equipped with overall infrastructure. With the country’s population estimated currently estimated at 180 million persons and expected to reach over 400 million persons by 2050, it is evident that Nigeria has the market and population to actualise the realisation of a technological hub, but how would a conducive atmosphere be created for this hub to promote research, innovation and entrepreneurship?
These and other issues brought together stakeholders from the various sub-sectors of the Information and Communication Technology industry to convene for discussions in Abuja at the SmartCities Summit Nigeria recently. The summit, which held from August 8-9, 2017, under the theme; ‘Leveraging on Technology Solutions to Improve Efficiencies of Cities’, had participants deliberate on the potential of the digital revolution which smart cities have to transform urban services, modes of city governance and enhance the livability of Nigerian cities.
Unraveling the smart city The Smart City is a city in which technology is a principal infrastructure and the basis for providing essential services to residents. A smart city is an urban region that is highly advanced in terms of overall infrastructure, sustainable real estate, communications, transportation system, healthcare, waste management, eco-friendly housing and market viability.
Explaining the reason behind the 2-day summit, the Nigerian Smart Cities Initiative (NSCI), handlers of the event which was organised by the Federal Ministry of Communications in collaboration with AFRITEX Initiative, said the summit was aimed at ensuring that the Nigerian environment especially the urban centres, which are experiencing heavy migration, are transformed to smart cities.
According to the NSCI, “As we witness more urban migration from the rural areas, the pressure on scarce and limited infrastructure in our cities become apparent. Our actions now, or inaction, sadly, will shape how we interrelate with our environment. Transforming our environment to ‘smart cities’ therefore is not a choice but a necessity.”
Declaring the summit open, Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (as he then was), said smart cities are important as the world is experiencing a shift from the traditional ways of doing things to a more ICT-driven approach.
Osinbajo, who was represented by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Muhammed Bello, noted that government has now been forced to embrace technology to shape policies and must therefore ensure the smooth adoption and application of these new technologies.
“The existence of technological advancements is evident enough that the fourth industrial revolution is upon us. This is envisaged to contribute substantially to innovation and become the new driver of economic growth in Africa.
“Government has a role to play for the smooth sailing and the seamless adoption and application of these new technologies and ways of doing things”, Osinbajo said.
Osinbajo, who noted that smart cities is key to building smart connections, inspire, empower people and deliver innovations in public services, said Nigeria must develop a comprehensive plan to utilise information technology for the betterment of her environment.
According to him, “At every turn, our cities and towns must think outside the box about making things work better where energy, transportation, water, and other key services are managed efficiently to support smooth operation of critical infrastructure while providing a clean, economic and safe environment for our citizens to live and work.’’
Opportunities for experts Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Communications, Barr. Adebayo Shittu, said the summit sought to tap into the vast knowledge of experts in the smart city space.
While stating that the summit offered huge business opportunities for providers of smart city technologies to exhibit and pitch their solutions to government, Shittu called on participants to provide diverse input in developing a comprehensive framework to help public and private stakeholders to make informed decisions about smart cities investment strategies.
The Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, Prof. Umar Danbatta, who chaired a session at the summit entitled “Building Innovative Public Private Partnerships for Achieving Nigerian Smart Cities Vision”, said there is a need for the public and private sectors to synergise in order to attain smart cities in Nigeria. This, he said, was important in order to meet the National Broadband plan objectives.
“To ensure the deployment of required infrastructure towards meeting the national broadband plan objectives, as well as building the foundation for smart cities in Nigeria, there is the need for partnerships and collaborations between the public and private sectors”, he said.
Danbatta, who noted that “Internet of Things (IoT) is the next big thing in the evolution of the information and communications technology space”, however said the partnerships must aim at aligning the government’s objectives of driving pervasive broadband infrastructure for socio-economic development in the country and the objective of private sector for business opportunities.
“This alignment of objectives requires innovative funding and financing mechanism as well as incentives that will provide the required impetus for the private sector to take lead in driving the attainment of smart cities in Nigeria,” he noted.
Importance to Nigeria’s devt Delivering a paper entitled; “Framework and Models for Smart Cities Initiatives in Nigeria”, Chairman, SmartCity Resorts Plc., Sir Demola Aladekomo, said smart cities are essential for the development of modern Nigeria as they facilitate efficiencies and productivity.
“Emerging technologies are poised to reshape our environment. Smart cities are becoming a reality all over the world and these cities have helped powered industrial and technological developments in countries where they have been established. Therefore, a smart city is essential for Nigeria to keep up with the pace of developments globally”, he said.
Aladekomo, who noted that Nigeria’s population is a positive precursor for the Smart City concept, said the rural-urban migration must not be viewed as a threat, rather should be accepted as a reality as Nigerians are constantly looking for opportunities to improve their fortune. He added that “smart people” are the most important infrastructure to build a smart city.
According to him, “We must not see rural depopulation as a threat, but rather an opportunity. More Nigerians will continue to populate the urban cities because of the opportunities that abound there and they will, therefore, be an increase in demand for goods, services and social amenities. But while physical infrastructure would obviously be required for a city to become a smart city, smart people, in my humble opinion, are the most important infrastructure that will put it all together.”
The IT guru called on government and stakeholders in the ICT sector to take advantage of the relevant technological innovations in the areas of communication, energy (solar/wind), water and desalination, property technology and transportation. He also advocated for the utilisation of emerging and disruptive technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, Blockchain, and Autonomous Vehicles/ Drone Technology.
Furthermore, the SmartCity Resorts boss emphasised the need for both public and private enterprises to adopt a polycentric approach to governance arising from agglomeration. According to him, adopting this method, as used by his company, will lead to an enhanced development planning and make Nigerian cities more productive and efficient.
“We need to adopt a polycentric approach, an all-encompassing method to development in Nigeria, just the way SmartCity Resorts Plc is doing. We need to diversify in developing our various economic, financial and technological interests around various centres in the country. By diversifying our development and not just concentrating on Lagos and Abuja alone, it will immensely facilitate the emergence of technology and economic hubs across the country and ensure that our cities are efficient and productive. It will also, to a large extent, resolve the issues concerning sustainability, greenness and livability of our environment”, he said.
Aladekomo also called on the government to encourage private participation to invest in helping to develop smart cities. This, he said, would be possible if only the government provides the enabling environment, ensure that the principles of good governance and rule of law are promoted and adhered to and