Convener, of the Series, Kayoed,said at the weekend, that there is a need to leverage technology as a strategic tool and accelerator for collaboration, leapfrogging and establishing connections that support the economy. The event, organized by Avant-Garde Innovation and Technology Services, with theme: ‘SDGs in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) – Opportunities for Growth in a Circular Economy’, charted pathways for accelerated growth and sustainable development in Nigeria.
He said: “Nigeria’s description as a big growth market has persisted for years. Despite such optimism, the country’s growth trajectory perpetuates a reversion to its potential in the wake of the fourth industrial revolution. Recent trends portray that the true acceleration of potential of the country lies in rapid digitization, which will leapfrog Nigeria in its economic development and prosperity.”
In his keynote address, Vice President, GICL, Kareem Oladepo, said: “We have become a connected world. Within Nigeria, there is over 6,000 km of fiber cable infrastructure connecting people. Despite this, 32 to 36 million Nigerians are currently unconnected, with communities that lack telephony and data access. Compounding this, there is a deficit in the mid-access network, the home access network and essential infrastructure, making it impossible for the nation to leapfrog from the third industrial revolution to the fourth industrial revolution and harness the potential of evolving technologies.”
Governor of Lagos State, represented by Mr. Lean Fated, the Senior Special Assistant on SDGs to the Governor, said the convergence of technological development and development in infrastructure are the most viable means of achieving sustainable growth as encapsulated in the 2030 agenda.
“With the universal and inclusive presence of technology in modern society, one important element connecting the SDGs to technological innovation is the reality of the fourth industrial revolution. The fourth industrial revolution has offered cities the opportunity to build a more inclusive and sustainable economy,” he said.
Ending the event with an insightful fireside chat, Izuku Faludi, Sustainability Specialist and Executive Secretary, E-waste Producer Responsibility Organization Nigeria, spoke on electronic waste, its impact on society and effective e-waste management. She remarked that Nigeria is far behind with e-waste management and offered a fresh perspective on tackling it:
“E-waste management requires huge capital investment, but there is a business case for it. If you look at oil and gas projects, they are not cheap. But people invest in it. The same thing needs to be done with e-waste management.” In the best cases, digital technologies are contributing to massive improvements in access to public services, the provision of social protection, and economic opportunities for millions of people. Nonetheless, profound questions are being raised. Some of these focus on corporate control and ownership of digital infrastructure and platforms. Large private firms own and manage many of the world’s underlying digital systems, with enormous influence over users of the technologies and potentially even the governments with a mandate to regulate them. Others focus on how digital technologies have opened the door to new forms of government surveillance, empowered autocrats with repressive digital tools, exacerbated inequalities, and encouraged social divisions through the spread of disinformation.
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