Ayodele Olalere
The Lagos State Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr. Hakeem Fahm on Tuesday said the state government funded 50 innovative projects between 2019 and 2021
He spoke at the Annual Ministerial Press Briefings held at Alausa, Ikeja, to commemorate the two years anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration.
While giving reports on activities of his Ministry in the last two years, Fahm said
the state government, through the Lagos State Science Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC) funded research, innovation and STEM projects.
He said that the state government, in collaboration with the University of Lagos (UNILAG) worked on the development of a low cost rapidly deployable Ventilator (Ambuvent Ventilator) which will serve as potential commercial value for the management of COVID-19 pandemic.
According to him, some of the projects funded by the government included startups on COVID-19 intervention projects; startups on patent pending research initiatives; innovative startups in sectors such as Agric-Tech, Health-Tech, Construction and Manufacturing; among others.
Seven months into his tenure, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu had announced a N250 Million seed fund to boost technological innovation and initiatives, as a sign of the state’s commitment to developing Lagos into a 21st-century Digital Economy and Smart City.
”Grants were awarded to successful applicants, the first set of beneficiaries were selected to benefit from the Lagos State seed fund, in the fields of Innovation, Research and STEM in August 2020 where innovators and tech start-ups were empowered with N100 million innovation grants.
”This is part of the N250 million grants for Science and Technology related ideas and initiatives,” he said.
Fahm added said the grant was part of the six pillars of the development agenda of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration, termed T.H.E.M.E.S which includes technology-driven innovations to transform Lagos into a 21st century digital economy and Smart City.
As for Startup Lagos, Fahm said the project being the largest tech eco system, offered retail and institutional investors the opportunities of tapping into the vast potential of early-stage tech driven startup initiatives to blossom into regional and continental scale solutions to Africa’s diverse challenges.
Speaking on the LASG Campus Network Infrastructure, the commissioner said that the LASG Campus Network upgrade was implemented with a state-of-the-art Wifi Network (Wifi-6 devices) and an FTTPend to end network.
He said that the network upgrade connected thousands of computers from all MDAs within and around the secretariat for e-government operations.
”It increased efficiencies within the MDAs; online meetings and deliberations are a reality; It has enabled flexible working patterns; enabled e-learning across campus.
”It has enhanced implementation of online staff audit; while at the same time stabilising its ICT environments and improved online collaborative solutions,” Fahm said.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Innovation and Technology, Mr Tunbosun Alake, while speaking said that the state sponsored participation at the 2021 774 Young Nigerian Scientist Presidential Award (774-YONSPA) among Secondary school students.
Alake said that this was to boast interest of students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM Education).
He said that it was to encourage and involved young children in bringing up projects and programmes that could resolve challenges in the state, such as infrastructure, environment, waste management, among others.
