Efforts To Make Abuja A SmartCity By 2040 Begins

The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, in a bid to transform and explore new possibilities, says all is now set to unveil a strategic roadmap targeted to make Abuja a SmartCity within 2024 to 2040.

During an awareness road walk in Abuja, the Convener, Abuja SmartCity Project, Dr Ahmed Badanga said the vision is to convert the existing city into a SmartCity through the instrumentality of technology and Data where every service could be achieved at a finger click away.

Dr Badanga explained that the vision is to make the territory to be like Dubai and Hongkong that is technologically driven.

To achieve this, Dr Badanga said the initiative was being supported by some Federal Government agencies such as, FCDA, NITDA, Galaxy backbone, NBS, NCC and Ministry Of Communication.

Dr Badanga also hinted that over 40 services have been identified for automation in the Federal Capital City and across the six Area Councils in the
areas of smart mobility, smart Health, smart pharmacy among others.

According to him” The FCT Minister has done much in infrastructure. But it goes beyond just infrastructure. The idea is also to drive these infrastructure with technology. If he achieves this, it will be a legacy for him, and legacy for all the residents of FCT, so that things can be done seamlessly like in advanced countries.

“The vision is, between now and 2040, we should be like Dubai, we should be like Hongkong, and we have the potentials to achieve it. The entire project is about data awareness”.

“Today is just a roadshow to tell residents of Abuja that we are committed to make Abuja a technologically driven city”.

“We are going to be unveiling the strategic roadmap on SmartCity, also unveiling a Logo for the SmartCity”.

“The project is a combination of SmartCity and Data. So, we are partnering National Bureau Of Statistics, NBS, because they drive Data. ” Badanga said.

Contributing, the Head Of ICT Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, Johnson Toyin Oke who noted that Developers all over the world are currently driving their services through technology, pointed out that the initiative will promote the automation of infrastructure development and other services in the municipal.

“We are much more ready to drive this process to make sure that we achieve making the FCT a SmartCity. The role of FCDA is very critical because there’s no way you can develop a smart city in the territory without the support of FCDA”.

“Developers all over the world are driving their services through SmartCity initiative…FCDA want to key into the initiative of the SmartCity in the sense that all these our infrastructure development in the city, our municipal services have to be automated and data driven” Oke said.

On his part, the Director Of Communication, National Bureau Of Statistics, NBS, Mr Chedi Sunday Joel, said the NBS is a key partner, because there can be no successful planning without adequate data both at the family and State levels.

“There is nothing you can do without data. At the family level, at the household level, anything you are doing, you need data to back it. That is why NBS is invited to be part of it” Joel noted.

The Founder ioSafe Nigeria, from the United States, Mr Robb Moore was of the opinion that the SmartCity initiative will help the Capital City of Nigeria, Abuja, to grow stronger in helping citizens access services seemlessly like what is obtainable overseas.

By Remi Johnson, Edited By Grace Namiji