TheCable

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos state, says his administration will build innovation and technology centres to deliver the megacity dream.

Speaking at an event hosted by the Eko Innovation Centre (EIC) in the state, Sanwo-Olu said the centres will also address the problem of youth unemployment.

The governor, represented by Obafemi Hamzat, his deputy, said his administration recognises the place of technology as the key driver to fast-growing economies.

“Technology is the way to go. It is the way of the future and our administration is committed to leveraging on technology in delivering the megacity dream,” he said.

“As a government, we will build innovation and technology centres where we can bring in private capital and investors, get ideas from young people on technology and be able to start creating employment for our youths.

L-R: Oluwatoyin Adegbite-Moore, executive director of West Africa region, African Venture Philanthropy Alliance; Victor Afolabi, co-founder, Eko Innovation Centre; Jacqueline Novogratz, CEO, Acumen; Obafemi Hamzat, Lagos state deputy governor; Meghan Curran, West Africa director, Acumen, and Andrew S. Nevin, advisory partner/chief economist, PwC, at the event of conversation on moral leadership in Lagos.

“We also believe that to achieve the THEME (Traffic Management & Transportation; Health & Environment; Education & Technology; Making Lagos A 21st Century Economy; Entertainment & Tourism) concept innovations and technology is key. People from those centres would come and give us innovative ideas to solve our transport problem; ideas with which they think locally,”

Victor Afolabi, co-founder and chief executive officer of the EIC, said the organisation is ready to support startups with ideas or concepts that have the capacity to impact at least 10 million people.

In partnership with Acumen West Africa and the African Venture Philanthropy Alliance, two global innovation brands, Afolabi said the idea behind the EIC was to use innovation and technology in solving the major issues in the economy of the state.

“For you to be admitted into the Eko i-Centre, your idea and concept must have ability to touch 10 million people and also have commercial viability and strong social impact among other things,” he said.

“The idea is that when we have companies that come into incubation, their chance of survival is very high because of strong hand-holding mentorship we are going to provide.”