From Walter Ukaegbu
The world is changing right before your eyes. Some call it evolution while others describe it as transformation.
But the fact remains that the way people interact, communicate and transport in our environment is undeniably shaped by emerging technology. Nigeria cities and our lifestyle are being formed by new innovations scientifics breakthrough and digital revolutions.
As the country witnesses more urban migration from the rural areas, the pressure on scarce and limited infrastructure in the cities has become more apparent just as the citizens actions or inactions will shape how the people would interrelate with the environment thereby transforming it to “smart cities,” which is not a choice but a necessity.
The primary function of a city is to offer a wide range of services, which involves providing public transport, services, education, housing, health services and security, among others.
However, the digital revolution, which underlies the smart city concept, has the potential to transform urban services and models of city governance.
Recently, the Nigeria Smart City initiative was driven by Ministry of Communications in partnership with Afritex Initiative and powered by Huawai Safe City Solution.
The Nigeria Smart City Initiative Project is premised on a public-private partnership model with the private sector playing an active role in the drive and implementation of the various stages of transformation.
The smart city initiatives in any country were very critical and must be a well thought out initiative a smart city is not defined by its solution but by its objectives.
Mr. Tank Li of Huawei Technologies Nigeria said the development and widespread application of digital technologies have profound way as data flow and economic development have become the big trends of the time. He was of the opinion that digital economy is a new form of economy in which everyone can share.
Digital economy refers to an economic system in which digital technologies are widely applied, revolutionising the whole economic environment and activities.
Li informed that digital economy is also a brand new socio-political and economic system in which all information and commercial activities were digitalised.
“The arrival of multiple smartphone and wearable devices in connection with the computing power will mark the beginning of human-machine integration”, he said.
Mr. Adebayo Shittu, communication minister, enthused that cities just don’t become smart but demand strategic and integrated planning approach and a comprehensive and high-quality IT infrastructure.
According to him, the concept of a smart city varies from city to city and country to country, depending on the level of development, willingness to change, reform, resources and aspiration of the city residents.
He lamented that Nigeria has been wrestling with an infrastructure gap after years of underinvestment and innovation gap from poor innovation performance in the business sector over the years.
The minister stated that, with the development of new technological innovation, mainly ICTs, the concept of the smart city has emerged as a means to achieve more efficient and sustainable cities adding that, since its conception, the smart city nation has evolved from the execution of specific project to the implementation of global strategies to tackle wider city challenges.
Shittu remarked that the ministry was collaborating with the European Union Commission to create a digital single market in Nigeria emphasising that the size of Nigeria makes it the most lucrative investment destination in sub-Saharan Africa, with a high reform in investment and an emerging market that makes it one of the frontiers for investment and digital market consideration.