Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said that Nigeria needs technology to be able to compete with the likes of China.
Sanwo-Olu said this during the commissioning of the Senator Abiru Innovation Hub, SAIL, in Ikorodu, Lagos yesterday.
The hub meant to train young people in latest technological innovations, is the brainchild of Senator Tokunbo Abiru, representing Lagos West Senatorial District, in partnership with Co-Creation Nigeria.
Sanwo-Olu said technology was what would give the nation the advancement and opportunity to create solutions, not only here in the country but also globally.
“We are proud that what we cannot do, those coming behind us will do. I’m glad that Microsoft wants to make Nigeria its African hub. As a governor, we will continue to provide an enabling environment for businesses to thrive. Eighty per cent of new investments came to Lagos last year,” he said.
According to him, Lagos would remain home to major international players, saying that the innovation hub would give hope and future to the students of innovation hub to express themselves and opportunity to ensure their own future.
“Once you finish your training here, we hand you over to Microsoft and Meta,” he added.
Speaking on what gave birth to the idea of the innovation laboratory, Senator Abiru went down memory lane to when he was in the banking sector, where he rose to become the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Skye Bank, now Polaris Bank.
He said when he started his career in Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB); the bank started the idea of real-time online banking.
However, he later discovered that when they did technological upgrade as managing director of Skye Bank, most of their staff members could not cope with the new technology.
He added that while people might have certificate, skill is very important.
He continued: “We have global economic meltdown but there are jobs out there only that many do not have the skills to do these jobs. That is where Sail Innovation Laboratory comes in.
“And I can tell you that those that would pass through this hub and are passing through it, it would be free. That is our own contribution to the society and they will be here for six months.
“The new language of the world is tech. All around us, we see how tech is shaping social interactions, disrupting how we live, work and interact with others. Quantum computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet Of Things (IOTs) are now the buzzwords in a world that is changing faster than we can adapt to it.
“Since inception, the innovation lab has recorded some significant milestones. Till date, over 490 participants have benefitted from the several programmes, in-person, while over 2,000 have participated in the online programmes.
“In this age where digital skills are high in demand, the lab would help to bridge the resource gap. In the coming months and years, we will be offering a range of training programmes in areas such as digital product design, data science, metaverse and the like.”
In his own remarks, Dr. Bosun Tijani, the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Co-Creation Nigeria, said, “It is our young people that drive innovation and growth. We have to engage and empower them to be able to do this driving. There are numerous people doing amazing things.
“It is what these people are doing that will drive innovation in our community. That is why Sail Innovation Laboratory is special. Young people on Ikorodu will start to build solutions on Ikorodu.”
