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Eko Atlantic City: The Making of a Smart City

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Technology is changing the way humans live and interact with things around them. However, cities have also adopted technology in the provision of infrastructure making them smart.

A smart city is an urban area that uses different types of electronic methods and sensors to collect data. Insights gained from that data are used to manage assets, resources and services efficiently; in return, that data is used to improve the operations across the city.

This represents what Eko Atlantic city stands for compared to other emerging cities in Nigeria. Eko Atlantic is located in Victoria Island at the side of reclaimed land of Atlantic Ocean.

David Frame, managing director, Eko Atlantic recently gave insight on the infrastructure provided at the city that makes is different from other cities in the country and compared to cities alike in Dubia and United States.

Reacting to issues around its status as wholly smart city, Frame said: “What we have installed on all the walk ways on either sides of the road is a network of ducts where we are installing fiber optic cable. What has been happening in the last five years in Lagos is where people are digging trenches and putting cables. We have fore seen that need and from the beginning when we were developing this infrastructure we were installing those ducts.

“On the main roads we have ducts of nine pipes 10cm down pipes you can put all telecommunications fibre optic cables within those ducts to connect every building to the network.

“That provides many opportunities to develop smart engineering especially for security. We have been in discussion with two major international companies that provide these kinds of facilities to their clients and these people have designed. For example, the smart network in Dubia, Singapore, various governments in Europe and United States. These are the calibre of people we are talking to.

“Once you have these fibre optic cables in place, there are mirage of opportunities to utilize those cables to create smart city concept. The more you talk to people the more magnetic concept they can come forward with, for the fact that we already have those cables in place what I called the infrastructure for the smart city concept there is no limit to what they can do.

All those cables are installed below ground, they are not above ground where they could be affected by storms, vandalism you name it. They are secured and fibre optic cables have a huge capacity for transmitting data, this is full proof system for development of smart city concept for many decades to come. David spoke further on some areas of concern to prospective investors in Eko Atlantic city:

The Possibility of Earthquake Occurring

We engaged with international consultants and there is one thing in particular that will never occur in West Africa and that is tsunami. If you study the concept of Tsunami you will be told about Pacific Rim.

Tsunami occurs in the pacific, 98 per cent of tsunami is generated in that region; you do not have tsunami at the Atlantic Ocean. And that is what we have out there and there has never been Tsunami in West Africa to eliminate any thought you may have on Tsunami.

In a similar way, earthquakes occur where you have what they called unstable taconic place which in turns generate Tsunami waves. There is no record of earthquakes occurring in West Africa and it is not likely to happen.

Deployment of Infrastructure at Eko Atlantic

The bulk of the work is done in installation of the facility in the first place; maintenance is a minor issue, once you have put in place a well -built system. From maintenance point of view, we have no issues. We have developed up to 50 per cent of the infrastructure for the entire city. We have completed roads or walk- ways, all those utility services are in-place already even now that development of the place is coming up.

Since the beginning of this year we have been witnessing increased interest from developers to physically come in to develop their lands. That is very encouraging. To develop a city of this nature takes a long time. Eko Atlantic is not a sprint; it is a marathon.

To develop a city of this size of 10 square kilometer of land which is 1 ½ times the size of Victoria Island is not easy. You don’t develop something of the nature in few minutes. We are still working through because we have a good financial model and have that commitment to finish this project.

A lot of the buildings under construction will be coming on stream by the end of this year. The Azuri project towers will be finished by the end of this year. We have couple of towers that are together; two of the towers have been completed and occupied. We have office towers the first building to be finished in Eko Atlantic, which is coming up to six years since completed. Things are happening in the City.

Distortions in the Master plan

We don’t permit any kind of distortion of the Master plan. We have developed planning regulations which are in-line with international standards. We looked at planning regulations from New York, Los Angeles, Sydney in Australia, UK and Singapore. And we put those ideas together and designed a well standard planning regulation, we then discussed it with ministry of Physical planning in Lagos state, and they have accepted the standard that we are imposing in the regulations which is even more conservative than their own.

They are happy with those regulations that we imposed. When those regulations are applied strictly, every development is built to international standard as well as designed to international standard, which is how we control the development.

We have business district known as Eko Bully bared which is the main street of the financial business district, it is equivalent of 5th Avenue in New York, it has five wider walk-ways than we have in 5th Avenue, on the other side, we are expecting structures of 30-35 storey buildings.

Eko Atlantic is designed to accommodate 300,000 permanent residents and 250,000 visitors. We have largest shopping hall project in sub-Saharan Africa. We have tree nursing in Lekki that can accommodate 250,000 trees; we grow them till they are 3 to 4 years old when we bring them and plant at the City. All the trees you see here were planted four years ago.

We have canal channelled into the city which made it possible for water transport system in the city. There are more than 100,000 people using Lagos state water taxi scheme and it is expanding.

One thing about this location which is unique is that there is no landmass between Eko Atlantic city and Argentina which means there is no human living there, there is no pollution. This is clean fresh ozone reach air coming out from the sea. You can feel that breeze 24/7, 365 days a year. Any pollution in the air is blow away.

People who are living in the city of Eko Atlantic today who regularly walk around will tell you after a number of months sleeping here that they appreciate the clean fresh air.

Building in Eko Atlantic Compared to Banana Island

Development of residential towers in Banana Island for instance, a 12 storey building requires piling down to 58 meters, this is because Victoria Island and Ikoyi are reclaimed lands on swamp, and swampy material is the worst material for foundation.

In Eko Atlantic a 32 storey building requires 34 meters of pile; the saving in the pilling alone in Eko Atlantic is enough to compensate the difference in the cost of the land. We need to take those things into consideration.

The other thing is developing in Ikoyi and Victoria Island, you need standby generator, Bore hole, water treatment plant, septic tank all those cost don’t apply at Eko Atlantic.

We have what we call connect and play as we have a chamber where you can connect your cable, we have a chamber where you can connect for your water supply, we have another chamber where you can connect your swage another one for the storm drainage among others.

Your Fibre optic cable is all there at the edge of your block. You need to look at the big picture. The difference in the cost of acquiring land is only part of the equation you have to look at the other factors involved. When you factor all these add-on cost you have to pay in Victoria Island and Ikoyi, you actually find that cost of development in Eko Atlantic is actually cheap.

All the utilities you have to provide are already here, apart from the fact that your planning cost alone is considerable savings. 58 meters with 12 story building and 34 meters for 32 story building.

Electricity

At the moment we are working on a scheme that we are bringing power in through a power station at Lekki. More so, we have a license from Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to generate power and a license to distribute power within the city, so we are working on that also.

At the moment we are working on small generators when SAT comes into place we will have access to 75MW of electricity. The eventual plan is that at the end of the project in phase six we will have our own generating plant that is going to generate 750 mega watts or more that’s when the city is substantially developed.


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Lagos Plastic Ban: MAN Warns of Job Losses, Closure of Businesses

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Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has expressed concerns over the impending ban on Single-Use Plastics (SUPs) by the Lagos State Ministry of Environment.

Lagos Plastic Ban:  MAN Warns of Job Losses, Closure of Businesses

It warned that it could lead to job losses and  and lead to economic, operational, and social consequences for manufacturers, traders, recyclers, and end users.

Segun Ajayi-Kadir, director general, MAN, in a statement called on the Lagos State government to reconsider the ban, citing a lack of credible data and stakeholder engagement.

According to Ajayi-Kadir, a recent study revealed that 100% of manufacturers surveyed expressed fears of job losses and workforce restructuring if the ban is implemented.

He said, “A recent MAN-supported study evaluating the possible impacts of the Lagos State SUPs ban revealed significant adverse economic, operational, and social implications across the value chain, from manufacturers to wholesalers, traders, and end users. It has been noted that only poor and developing countries often tilt towards plastic ban as a strategy to combat environmental problems.

“A hundred percent of the manufacturers consulted expressed concern over a ban-induced workforce restructuring. Thus, several jobs will be lost in the industry if this ban were to be implemented.

“It is noteworthy to mention that there is no form of arrangement for social protection for the employees who will lose their livelihoods as a result of this ban.

“Also, there has been no form of social dialogue on the part of the government with these workers or the industry on the potential job losses.”

According to him, findings showed that 89% of operators in the plastic value chain rely on SUPs as their primary source of income with no alternative source of livelihoods, over 75% of end users, including SMEs, depend on plastic packaging with no affordable or practical alternatives, and  93% of dealers, many of whom are women, reported no prior information or social support mechanisms to cushion the impact.

Ajayi-Kadir emphasised that banning SUPs would not resolve pollution issues but merely substitute one problem for another, especially without scalable alternatives or infrastructure to support the transition.

He urged the government to focus on improving waste management infrastructure and promoting recycling, rather than imposing bans.

 

 


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Court Hands 23 Chinese Nationals 1 Year Jail Term Each for Cyberterrorism, Fraud

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A Federal High Court in Ikeja, Lagos state has sentenced 23 Chinese nationals to one year imprisonment each for their involvement in cyberterrorism and internet fraud.

Court Hands 23 Chinese Nationals 1 Year Jail Term each for Cyberterrorism, Fraud

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned them before Justices D.E. Osiagor, D.I. Dipeolu, and A.O. Faji on a single count of cyberterrorism and online fraud.

Dele Oyewale,  spokesperson, EFCC,  revealed that the convicted individuals were members of a cyber-fraud syndicate comprising 792 people.

He noted that the culprits were arrested on Thursday, December 19, 2024 in Lagos, during an operation known as ‘Eagle Flush.’

Oyewale stated that the individuals identified as Yu Hui (also known as A. Bin), Huang Jin Hui, Fei Fan, Lu Qiang, Hu Xi Zheng, Sun Zhi Peng, Wu Hao, Cong Bing, and Li Qiang alias Yang Huan Huan, Zheng Wei alias A. Hong, Cheng Jian, Da Tou, A Wen, Zhang Lei, Huang Zhi, Pan Jiong, Chen Wen Yuan, Jia You alias A. You, Wang Zheng Feng alias Feng, Liu San Hua, Liu Beixing, and Wen Zong Xu alias Li Long were all charged on one count of online fraud and cyber-terrorism.

One of the charges brought against Yu Hui (also known as A. Bin) claimed that he, along with others, unlawfully accessed computer systems in Lagos around December 2024 with the intent to destabilize and damage Nigeria’s economy and social structure.

According to the EFCC, this act violated Section 18(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015, and is punishable under that law.

Similarly, another charge filed against Jia You, accused him of accessing computer systems with the aim of undermining and harming Nigeria’s economic and social stability.

This action was said to be in breach of both the Cybercrimes Act and the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Initially all the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

However, during the court session, they pleaded  guilty.

The EFCC prosecution team comprising of Nneemeka Omewa, Babatunde Sonoiki, U.S Kyari, and B.M Isah informed the court that the defendants had reached plea bargain agreements.

The defence team confirmed this and requested the court to adopt the terms of the agreements.

Justices Osiagor, Faji, and Dipeolu found each defendant guilty and sentenced them to one year in prison, with the sentence starting from their arrest date on Tuesday, December 10, 2024.

Each convict was also fined N1 million.

Additionally, the judges ordered the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to deport the convicts within seven days of completing their sentences.

All devices recovered during the operation including mobile phones, laptops, and routers were forfeited to the Nigerian government.


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Galaxy Backbone Reaffirms Commitment to Support Security Agencies with Its Vast Digital Infrastructure

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The Board, Management, and Staff of Galaxy Backbone (GBB) express profound sorrow and heartfelt condolences to the governments and people of Benue, Borno, Plateau, Anambra, and other states affected by recent waves of violent attacks and insecurity. We mourn with every family, community, and institution that has suffered the pain of loss, displacement, and trauma.

At Galaxy Backbone (GBB), we firmly believe that security is the bedrock of any thriving society. No nation can make meaningful progress when peace is threatened. These tragic incidents are not just national emergencies, they represent deep personal losses to every Nigerian, and they call for urgent, united, and technology-enabled solutions to support lasting peace.

As a Federal Government organization, entrusted with delivering secure digital infrastructure and smart technology solutions to public institutions across Nigeria, Galaxy Backbone remains resolute in its commitment to supporting state governments and security agencies through cutting-edge digital platforms that enable proactive and intelligent security management.

We also acknowledge and commend the visionary leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and the concerted efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria in responding decisively to the security challenges facing parts of the country. The President’s unwavering commitment to peace, safety, and national unity under the Renewed Hope Agenda is evident in the bold steps being taken to restore order and build a more secure Nigeria.

Through our Safe City Security Solutions, GBB offers an integrated suite of smart surveillance systems, real-time data analytics, emergency communication networks, and AI-enabled threat detection tools. These solutions are specifically designed to enhance operational capabilities, strengthen coordination across security agencies, and empower informed decision-making in high-risk environments.

GBB stands ready to partner with both state governments and security agencies that are committed to building safer, smarter, and more resilient communities. We believe that technology must lead the charge in safeguarding lives, and we are proud to serve as a trusted digital ally in Nigeria’s journey toward modern, tech-enabled public safety.

Together, we can bolster early warning systems, expand surveillance coverage, enable faster emergency responses, and ensure that every Nigerian lives in a country where peace and prosperity are not aspirations, but realities.

May the souls of the departed rest in peace. And may strength, healing, and hope return to the hearts and homes of all those affected.

Galaxy Backbone remains aligned with the vision of a secure, digitally connected, and inclusive Nigeria, where every citizen has the freedom to live, work, and dream in peace.


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