NITDA, States Move to Collaborate on National Smart Cities Initiatives

NITDA, States Move to Collaborate on National Smart Cities Initiatives

Today, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the 36 state governments  concluded arrangement to use the National Smart Cities Initiative (NSCI) as solution to addressing transportation, disaster response, energy, healthcare, education and environmental challenges in confronting towns and cities.  

In a statement signed by NITDA's spokesperson, Mrs. Hadiza Umar, which was made available to journalists in Abuja, said the collaboration in the first instance would involve eight cities nationwide, including Abuja, Lagos and one city from each of the six geopolitical zones.

Speaking at the stakeholders’ consultative meeting, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications, Mr. Sunday Echono, who was represented by the Director, e-Government at the ministry, Mr. Tope Fashedemi, said research findings confirmed a positive correlation between e-government development and rapid national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth.

According to him, the national e-government master plan which is awaiting rectification of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) is a demonstration of Nigeria’s commitment to the diversification of the national economy through e-government strategies and programmes.

He said: "Leveraging on the importance of e-government would boost the economy because there is a huge relationship between a country GDP and e-government, adding that the creation of Smart City alone would ensure transparency and accountability in revenue generation."

Echono urged the selected pilot state government representatives to support the initiative of the government and come up with peculiar challenges affecting their states, using Smart City initiative to address it.

"State governments must be carried along in e-government.  This is a national agenda which every state must key into, and it gladdens our hearts that NITDA is driving the e-government initiative." he said.

In his remark, the acting Director General of NITDA, Mr. Vincent Olatunji, who was also represented by Director of Infrastructure and Technical Support Services, Mr. Collins Agu, said the meeting could not have come at better time than now that the nation needs to shift attention from mono economy based only on crude oil.

Olatunji said: "It is pertinent on us now to diversify our economy, and it is only through ICT that we can achieve a lot. There are many benefits of running a Smart City which is only achievable through proper e-government."

  

Also, the Sokoto State Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr. Nazir Zarummai, said there is need to factor in the specific requirements of each state, adding that NITDA needed to play a crucial role in aligning such requirements in the Smart City programme.

NITDA, he said, should help play the role of project facilitator for all projects developed under the smart city initiatives, adding that project ownership will remain with the states.