Oluwatosin Lamidi
The Lagos State Government has announced its collaboration with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), United States of America on the possibilities of driving technological innovations in the state.
The State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode stated this on Thursday after a meeting with senior officials of the MIT Faculty and the MIT Africa Initiative in Cambridge, Boston Massachusetts, US.
According to him, his government is determined to use technology to tackle challenges confronting the state, saying that Lagos could partner with Boston to clean-up of waterways in the state.
Ambode shared insights into investment opportunities available in Lagos, informed that the state is prime destination for investments in Nigeria.
He said Lagos is technology hub of Africa especially when Yaba part of the state is now globally acclaimed as a hotspot for start-ups, while assuring that his government would continually work to create an environment where new businesses would thrive as well as support more tech hubs in Lagos.
Ambode who also met with Mayor of Boston, Marty Walsh and Executive Director of Massachusetts Water Resources Authority in the United States of America, said that knowledge and experience gained from Boston helped shaped his career and benefited him in his position as Governor.
Meanwhile, Mayor described Ambode’s visit as homecoming while he recalled that the Governor was, earlier in his career, a Fulbright Scholar at the Boston University and also worked in the State Treasury Department.
The Mayor and his team identified areas of mutual interest with Lagos and pushed for collaboration with both cities considering numerous similarities they share.
Lagos State delegates to MIT includes Commissioner for Wealth Creation, Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti, Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare and Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure, Ade Akinsanya.
Governor Ambode and his team also met with the MIT Africa MD, Julia Reynolds-Cuellar and the Director MIT Regional Entrepreneurship and Acceleration Program (REAP) Team on Africa, Sarah-Jane Maxted.
