He made this known today, Thursday, December 4, at the ongoing Art of Technology Lagos 7.0, holding at the Landmark Event Centre.

Themed “Future Technologies & a Sustainable Lagos”, AOT Lagos 7.0 marks seven years of bringing together the city’s full innovation ecosystem, including founders, developers, entrepreneurs, financiers, academia, and policy-makers. 

Over those years the state has built a solid and broad infrastructure. “We are the de facto IT department for Lagos State,” Alake said, “managing connectivity, data centres, ERP systems, smart-city implementation, and driving public-service digitisation through government.”

Among the State’s achievements he disclosed that between 2019 and 2024, Lagos-based tech startups attracted over $6 billion in funding, representing more than 70% of Nigeria’s total tech investment inflows. 

Alake said that today the ecosystem is roughly valued at $15.3 billion, with Lagos accounting for 80–90% of the country’s startups, making it “the largest startup concentration on the continent.”

He explained how the state government is supporting this boom. Through Lagos State Science Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC), more than 75 startups have been funded, and over 85 research and development initiatives across four to five major universities are currently supported. 

Some of these initiatives have already produced commendable results, including research patents and spin-off companies in areas like climate resilience, green energy, agritech and construction tech.

In addressing infrastructure, Alake disclosed that Lagos now has about 15,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cables, having expanded connectivity by roughly 500 km per year on average. 

This fibre backbone supports public schools, hospitals, government buildings and businesses, a foundation for a truly digital Lagos.

On the public-service side, Alake pointed to the success of the Lagos State Digital Service Portal, launched at last year’s AOT. The portal has recorded over 50,000 unique visitors in the past 60 days alone, enabling citizens to file taxes, apply for planning permits or digital identity, and access other government services online. 

He said work is underway to enhance the portal into a unified gateway for all citizen and business services.

At AOT 7.0, Alake also announced the forthcoming Lagos Innovation Bill, a legal and regulatory framework designed to embed innovation in the state’s economic DNA. 

Once passed, the Bill will, among other things, require large companies in sectors such as telecoms, energy and infrastructure to collaborate with universities and research institutions when seeking solutions. 

For example, building local capacity to design base stations rather than importing equipment.

By 2030, Lagos plans to increase the contribution of IT and innovation to the state economy by 100%, and stimulate a 50% rise in scientific research and invention directed at solving Lagos-specific challenges. 

Alake said, “If you have a technical problem, Lagos is the place to solve it,” stressing that this vision requires “coordination, collaboration, and all of us, working hard, putting aside differences, and moving on shared vision.” 

He called on everyone in the ecosystem, including the government, private sector, academia, investors, and citizens, to contribute.

The ultimate goal is to make innovation a permanent feature of Lagos’ economic and social life.

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Aiming to strengthen digital infrastructure and laying the groundwork for a smarter, more connected city, the deal, facilitated by the Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA), was revealed by Engr. Olufemi Daramola, special adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure, during a press briefing marking Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term in office.

We’re looking at an innovative initiative where Lagos is setting itself up to become a digital backbone not just for Nigeria, but for West Africa. With 3,000km of fibre ducts already laid, 2,700km more incoming, there’s a wider rollout plan targeting 6,800km in total.

“In the same vein, the Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance Agency (LASIMRA) has also made significant boost in the state’s investment in Fibre Duct Expansion: with an additional 2,700km installations planned, building on 3,000km completed by WTES, to enhance connectivity while also securing a commitment of $22 million foreign direct investment for quality fibre installations in Lagos State,” Daramola stated.

Beyond the cables and trenches, what’s at stake is how this investment impacts the socioeconomic blueprint of Lagos. A larger fibre footprint means greater broadband access in underserved areas, where connectivity has long been a luxury. 

Between 2023 and 2025 alone, over a million new internet subscriptions were recorded as fibre access deepened.

But the government is not looking at just faster internet speeds, it wants to build a fully digitised city. Lagos is already deploying smart surveillance and traffic enforcement systems across areas like Alapere and Allen Avenue, bringing tech into public safety and traffic control. 

Over 450 smart cameras are already operational, and 14 state agencies have digitised their services, early indicators of a state rewiring its governance model for the future.

In 2023, Lagos drew over $1.2 billion in startup investments, three-quarters of Nigeria’s total funding for tech startups. And with four data centres under construction and plans for an additional 1,200km of fibre in 2025, it’s evident that this is a digital ecosystem in the making.

“We are advancing the Safe City Project, extending our fibre optic backbone, and investing in critical infrastructure, not just for today but to prepare Lagos for the digital future,” another official noted at the briefing.

But none of this comes easy. The state has warned against infrastructure vandalism and theft, risks that have cost millions in the past. New measures include using composite materials for manhole covers and handrails to deter theft.

The vision fits into the THEMES+ Agenda, Sanwo-Olu’s roadmap for making Lagos a resilient, inclusive, and globally competitive megacity.

This includes the rehabilitation of 1,163 roads since 2023 and the transformation of the Lagos State Public Works Corporation from mere maintenance to full-scale road construction.

The post Lagos Secures $22M FDI to Expand 2,700km Fibre Network, Warns on Vandalism Theft appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.