By Stellamaries Amuwa
The Chief Executive officer, Havel Corporate Concept, an affiliate of iosafe Nigeria, Dr Ahmed Badanga, said the designed road map to Abuja smart city project will be launched in July, 2024.
He said the project which is aimed at collaborating with strategic stakeholders, especially the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) would transform Abuja to a city where every service would be at a finger-tip.
Badanga, who stated this during a press briefing in Abuja, said the initiative was conceived as a private driving initiative since 2021, intended to be unveiled at the 1st edition of the Nigeria Data Expo & Conference, same year but didn’t hold due to disruption caused by post COVID 19 pandemic.
He said the plan would help in deploying data and technology to render services that will make governance, transport, tourism, health, business and homes smarter.
According to him, the concept which Will be a multi-sectoral project would be in phases, starting with the quick win and would capture the residents’ needs, desires and expectations that are centred on the people.
Badanga explained that the project will focus on Public Private Partnership (PPP) with FCT Administration with other relevant stakeholders to introduce, launch and produce a multi purpose smart card for Abuja residents that combines biometrics identification database with other functionalities, and benefits
“The project is an initiative of Havel Corporate Concept, an affiliate of iosafe Nigeria with the aim of collaborating with various stakeholders particularly the FCT Administration to transform Abuja to a smart city where every service will be at a finger-tip.
“Many global capitals around the world are competing to outsmart in creating new envisioned cities with one major objective: To stand out. It is on the basis of this premise that Abuja smart city planning tactics, model & strategy, approach, concept, vision and solutions are informed directly by the needs, desires, expectations, that centered on the people.
“The proposed card will have basic feature of an e-payment wallet infrastructure with biometric -based identity cards that provides the Abuja residents cardholder benefits in terms of security, financial services, mobility and access to government services and amenities.
“The card that may be tagged ‘AbjRID’ will transform to a major landmark historic project in Abuja, that will lead to the creation of Abuja resident registration infrastructure domicile in an envisioned newly established body as maybe agreed by all parties”
