It’s time to digitalise services in Abuja – convener, Smart City project

The convener of the Abuja Smart City Project, Dr. Ahmed Badanga has declared that it is due time to digitalise services in Abuja, as part of the infrastructure needed to transit Abuja to a smart city.
Badanga, who is also Chief Executive Officer of Havel Corporate Concept, an affiliate of ioSafe Nigeria, noted that from its studies, only a few services and transactions taking place in Abuja, are being done digitally.
He made this affirmation at the unveiling of a Strategic Road Map for the implementation of Abuja Smart City Project. The document was launched along with the logo and official website of the project, during the 2024 Nigeria Data Expo and Conference, in Abuja.
He explained that the move was to support the ongoing transformation of Nigeria’s capital city by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike.
He added that nothing would be achieved without data, adding that the data expo and conference was to create awareness on the link between data and the smart city project.
“Our vision is to transit Abuja into a smart city where everybody will be using technology to access various services in the comfort of their houses.
“You cannot talk about smart cities without talking about data; they are intertwined.
“We have been promoting data awareness and promoting data issues in Nigeria for about 10 years now, and we feel there is a need for us to also see how we can utilise the opportunity of having the right infrastructure to transit Abuja to a smart city.”
On his part, National Commissioner, Nigeria Data Protection Commission, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, who noted that data was everything, said that “without data, you can’t plan; without data, you can’t have a policy.
“So, what we are doing here today, is really important and strategic for national planning, socio-economic development and sustainable development of the country.”
According to him, Abuja was growing, adding that “if you don’t plan for the way the city is growing, there may be chaos in the future.
He adds: “If you plan, you will envisage the number of people that come in, you look at the kind of infrastructure you want to put in place.
“You will also look at the kind of social amenities you want to put in place, the kind of security that you want to put in place, business opportunities in the city, housing urbanisation and the rest.”
Not left out, Data Specialist and Smart Grid Specialist, United States of America, Mr. Robb Moore opined that beyond data and technology, Nigeria and the FCT needed innovative minds to make the difference.
Moore stressed that without having the people in Nigeria that are willing to take the chance, make the business, make it grow, risk everything, there won’t be creators or the agents that make things grow.
Also speaking, Vice-Chairman, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Nasiru Usman, described the Abuja Smart City initiative as apt and crucial towards transforming Abuja to a befitting capital city.
Usman revealed that AMAC had partnered with relevant government agencies on data generation and management to address security concerns in the area.
He added that efforts are ongoing to empower residents of the council with information and communication technology skills, to enable the people to tap from the opportunities of the digital-driven world.