Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu

LAGOS LEADS IN TECHNOLOGY START-UP, DEVELOPMENT IN WEST AFRICA, SAYS SANWO-OLU

•As Governor launches new Mainone/MDXI data centre

 

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday said the State is leading in technology start-up in West Africa and in technology development and e-commerce.

 

He said his administration would continue to support and design policies to help in creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive in Lagos State.

 

Governor Sanwo-Olu made the statement during the launch of Mainone/MDXI new data centre. The company, which is a subsidiary of Equinox Technology, is a cable and communication services company.

 


He noted that with job creation, knowledge and skills would be acquired by those employed in the facility and they would be trained so that they could compete with their counterparts on a global level all over the world.

 

"Lagos is the heartbeat and commercial nerve centre of the country, therefore, we will continue to support investors and create an enabling environment for their businesses to flourish.

 

"Lagos remains in the tech global market and in the map of the global space as a destination of choice where investors, tech experts see as a place to be. Therefore, for businesses to thrive, with international and local businesses to do well, we need to deliberately listen to their needs, know how government can help in terms of policies to make them thrive.

 

"This investment is putting Lagos on a global market and likewise providing jobs for the teeming youths," the governor said.

 


Speaking further on his administration's commitment to technology and innovation, Governor Sanwo-Olu disclosed that: “In recent years, Lagos has become the leading destination for technology start-up investments on the African continent. In addition to being the largest sub-national economy in Africa, Lagos is now also Africa’s Start-up Capital.

 

“We are home to three Fintech Unicorns – Paystack, Flutterwave and Interswitch, among many other very successful, globally recognized Start-ups. We are also a leading global city in e-commerce and retail technology, transportation technology and education technology, according to the Global Startup Ecosystem Index.

 

“On our part as Government, we are ensuring that our policies are designed to support private investment and create unending opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors. We are also putting our skin in the game. We have reached advanced stages of the rollout of 3,000km of terrestrial fibre across the State. I’m aware that MainOne also has a similar network of over a thousand kilometers, part of which is in Lagos.