The Lagos state government plans to lay an additional 3,300km of unified fibre ducts across the state, in the Phase II of the project, after it has implemented 2,700km of unified fibre ducts across the state in Phase I.

Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos State

This is even as the state has established a Cybersecurity Operations Centre (CSOC) to serve as the hub for monitoring, detecting, and responding to cyber threats in real-time in the state.

Mr. Olatunbosun Alake, commissioner for Science, Innovation and Technology who disclosed this at the Year 2024 Ministerial Press Briefing in Lagos, said the centre will employ advanced technologies and a team of cybersecurity experts to ensure the state’s digital infrastructure is safeguarded against potential attacks.

Alake noted that the state has also established a cyber-security council, made up of experts from both public and private sectors, charged with the responsibility of making recommendations to the government, planning, refinement, and implementation of policies, programs, and training initiatives regarding its cybersecurity endeavours.

To achieve a broader strategy to improve overall security and governance within the state, Alake said the government is also partnering with leading cybersecurity firms and international organisations to provide the state with access to cutting-edge technologies and expertise while enhancing its capacity to defend against sophisticated cyber threats.

According to a statement from the state, Alake also spoke on the Data Protection Compliance Project of the government, saying that Lagos has embarked on sensitization and awareness workshops for all Heads of Accounts, Procurement, Planning, Legal Officers, Medical Directors, Body of Permanent Secretaries, Cabinet members, Head of Cadres Statewide and for 43 MDAs; as well as the establishment of 70 Data Protection officers in various MDAs.

The commissioner averred that the objectives of the data protection compliance project are to safeguard the rights of natural persons to data privacy and foster safe conduct for transactions involving the exchange of personal data; prevent manipulation of personal data and ensure that Nigerian businesses remain competitive in international trade with best practice,” the statement read in part.

Speaking on the State’s MetroFibre, the commissioner said the project seeks to achieve a 24-hour driven economy that would allow companies to operate in a safe and secure environment, thereby creating a more conducive environment for business, jobs creation, and increasing the GDP of the state. He added that the state has implemented 2,700km of unified fibre ducts across the state in Phase I, while Phase II of the project comprises an additional 3,300km of unified fibre ducts across the State.

On the Safe City Project, Alake said, it also involved Building a digitised 24/7 city which would allow companies to operate in a safe and secure environment thereby creating a safer and more conducive environment for businesses, more jobs, and increasing the IGR of the State.

He said, the Safe City project involves the deployment of Intelligent Video Cameras in strategic locations in the State with the execution and completion spread over points in time, in Phases I, II, and III, respectively, adding that 450 surveillance Cameras have been deployed at strategic locations across the city.

National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has announced its first-ever investment in Powerstove, a pioneering Nigerian company specializing in the production of cookstoves, having significant experience in carbon credit projects.

Second left: EVC/CEO of National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu and Founder/CEO, Powerstove Energy, Okey Esse, during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, May 23, 2024.

This strategic investment marks a major milestone in NASENI’s on-going efforts to combat global warming and foster a sustainable ecosystem by Nigerian companies dedicated to decarbonization.

As part of this investment, NASENI will provide both capital for growth and technical assistance to Powerstove, enabling the company to scale its production from 100 thousands units to over one million units per year.

Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, Executive Vice chairman/CEO of the Agency said this substantial increase in production capacity will not only meet the growing demand for clean and efficient cookstoves but also significantly contribute to reducing carbon emissions in Nigeria.

Powerstove boasts as the largest local carbon credit project for a private company in Nigeria, currently valued at 4.5 million carbon credits.

“With this investment, NASENI is not only supporting an impact-driven enterprise but also positioning itself to benefit from carbon credit revenue, thereby reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development,” Halilu said.

This investment underscores the strong commitment of NASENI’s leadership to address climate change proactively and to build a resilient and sustainable ecosystem of innovative Nigerian companies with the potential to drive decarbonization efforts.

NASENI’s Management look forward to witnessing the positive impact of this partnership on Nigeria’s environmental and economic landscape.

Google says it plans to build a new fibre optic cable, named Umoja, to connect Africa to Australia.

According to a statement on Thursday, Umoja will be the first ever fibre optic route to directly connect Africa with Australia.

Anchored in Kenya, Google said the Umoja cable route will transverse Uganda, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, including the Google Cloud region, before crossing the Indian Ocean into Australia.

“Umoja’s terrestrial path was built in collaboration with Liquid Technologies to form a highly scalable route through Africa, including access points that will allow other countries to take advantage of the network,” Google said.

“Umoja, which is the Swahili word for unity, joins Equiano in an initiative called Africa Connect. Umoja will enable African countries to more reliably connect with each other and the rest of the world.

“Establishing a new route distinct from existing connectivity routes is critical to maintaining a resilient network for a region that has historically experienced high-impact outages.”

Google expressed gratitude for the collaboration from leaders across Africa and Australia to deliver ‘Africa Connect’ to people, businesses, and governments in Africa and around the world.

Meg Whitman, US ambassador to Kenya, said access to cutting-edge technology, supported by reliable and resilient digital infrastructure, is critical to expanding economic opportunity.

“This is a meaningful moment for Kenya’s digital transformation journey and the benefits of today’s announcement will cascade across the region,” Whitman said.

Also speaking on the feat, William Ruto, president of Kenya, said the new intercontinental fibre optic route will significantly boost global and regional digital infrastructure.

“This initiative is crucial in ensuring the redundancy and resilience of our region’s connectivity to the rest of the world, especially in light of recent disruptions caused by cuts to sub-sea cables,” he said.

“By strengthening our digital backbone, we are not only improving reliability but also paving the way for increased digital inclusion, innovation, and economic opportunities for our people and businesses.”

On her part, Michelle Rowland, Australian minister for communications, said diversifying Australia’s connectivity and supporting digital inclusion across the globe are both critical goals, and Google’s Umoja cable would help to achieve both.