Lagos as game changer in tech businesses

“Lagos remains in the tech global market and in the map of the global space as a destination of choice where investors, tech experts see as a place to be… It is the heartbeat and commercial nerve-centre of the country, therefore, we will continue to support investors and create an enabling environment for their businesses to flourish.”- Gov. Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State (Statement made at the launch of Mainone/MDXI new Data Centre).

Sir: When Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg paid a surprise visit to CcHUB, a local innovation centre and tech hub, jointly owned by Bosun Tijani and Femi Longe, located in Yaba, known as Nigeria’s Silicon Valley, CNN described the historic event— his first to sub-Saharan Africa, as “putting the country’s tech businesses firmly in the world’s spotlight. It was the day Silicon Valley came to Nigeria and there was hardly any Nigerian with Internet access who didn’t know that.” That was on August 30, 2016.

It is inspiring, therefore, that some six years later, Governor Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, who certainly knows his onions and well aware that the future is now, and that virtually every sector of our economy and social life is defined by the imperative of modern technology has taken the paradigm notches higher.

Specifically, during the recent launch of Mainone/MDXI new Data Centre, a subsidiary of Equinox Technology which is a cable and communication services company, the governor reiterated the fact that the state is leading in technology start-up and in technology development as well as e-commerce in West Africa. He pledged that his administration would continue to support and design policies to help in creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive in Lagos State.

Sanwo-Olu disclosed that: “We are home to three Fintech Unicorns – Paystack, Flutterwave and Interswitch, among many other very successful, globally recognised Start-ups. We are also a leading global city in e-commerce and retail technology, transportation technology and education technology, according to the Global Startup Ecosystem Index.

And it is because, as at this day Nigeria remains the proud homeland of some of the world’s remarkable, trail-blazing inventors and innovators in the fertile fields of medicine, transportation, science and information technology. Efforts such as the public-private partnership catalysed by Lagos State government will eventually produce more of the Philip Emeagwalis, the Silas Adekunles, Saheed Adepojus, Ndubuisi Ekekwes, Cyprian Emeka Uzohs, Yemi Adesokans and Brino Gilberts.

What is required is for the government to provide the enabling environment to identify and hone our talents. There should be the provision of stable electric power supply, adequate government funding of research institutes as it happens in the UK, U.S., India, Cuba and Rwanda. We need sound education delivery, without the incessant disruption of academic calendars. The capacity to articulate the inventions for the good of Nigerians will boost our economy.

Ayo Oyoze Baje.