The launching of a new land administration portal called e-GIS by the Lagos State government on Friday is a major development in a state where land is regarded as an equivalent of the oil in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.
Lagos is the only city in Nigeria where land commands so much value that in its prime locations such as Banana Island, Old Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki, land prices are denominated in Dollars upto the equivalent of a billion naira and above for a standard plot of land measuring 1000 square metres.
Read more: NG: 6 take-aways from Lagos land administration portal launch
As the portal went live, applications for land titles transitioned from the centuries-old manual paperwork into digital form.
Lagos State has government has launched an electronic Geographic Information System (e-GIS) which provides digitised access to all data pertaining to the state land before a purchase is facilitated.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday, launched the e-GIS portal — a one-stop digital platform that sanitises and revolutionises the process of acquiring, documenting and verifying land in Lagos.
Read more: NG: Lagos Launches Automated Application Portal For Land Acquisition
The newly inaugurated board of Hendai Investment Limited, a multinational company has vowed to begin in earnest the construction of the foremost Africa Smart City in Akwa Ibom State.
The company during last December’s Board of Directors inauguration also presented the Hendai City Business opportunities to the public. The event which was chaired by distinguished Senator Osita Izunaso, Chairman Senate Committee on Capital Market had the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Cui Jianchun as the Special Guest of Honor and other eminent dignitaries drawn from the private and public sectors.
Read more: NG: Hendai’s Africa Smart City sets for construction in Akwa Ibom
In the evolving landscape of Nigeria’s urbanization, the concept of smart cities stands out as a critical ambition. These cities, envisioned to be hubs of technological integration and sustainable living, are urban dreams and necessities in our rapidly advancing world. However, the transformation of these visions into tangible realities is as much a political journey as it is an engineering challenge. The successful development of smart cities in Nigeria demands a seamless integration of civil engineering expertise with astute political leadership, creating a synergy that can profoundly reshape our urban environments.
Nigeria’s major cities, including the vast city of Lagos and the expanding capital, Abuja, are at the core of the country’s cultural and economic activities. Yet, they face a multitude of challenges: infrastructural deficiencies, rapidly growing population pressures, environmental concerns, and the need for sustainable development. Addressing these multifaceted issues calls for a strategic approach that combines political foresight with civil engineering innovation. In this confluence of disciplines lies the potential for transforming Nigeria’s urban spaces into models of efficiency, sustainability, and technological advancement.
Read more: NG: Synergy of politics and engineering in smart city development
Works will begin on the 18,000-hectare Ilorin Smart City Satellite Town next year, Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has said.
Ilorin Smart City Satellite Town is an offshoot of the Ilorin City Master Plan, designed for the expansion of the capital city.
The governor said the capital city deserves constant infrastructural upgrade, maintenance, and expansion, following its position in the state and central Nigeria.
Read more: NG: Work To Begin On Ilorin Smart City Next Year, Says Kwara Gov