MainOne to commit N25b to digitisation of Lagos

Connectivity and data centre solutions provider, MainOne says it will commit 25 billion naira to the digitisation of Lagos State.
The Chief Executive Officer, MainOne, Funke Opeke, said in Lagos on Wednesday that the company had unveiled its ”Digital Lagos: Broadband for All” campaign initiative to enable the digital transformation of Lagos.
Opeke said that this would be through deployment of ubiquitous broadband infrastructure across the state.
She said that MainOne’s ambitions for Lagos was inspired by the vision of Lagos Governor-elect, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who noted presciently that “Technology will improve the rule of law, education, ease of doing business and government processes of Lagos”.
According to her, the company is keen to collaborate with the Lagos State Government and all relevant stakeholders to build Digital Lagos.
She said: “MainOne is keen to help citizens from all walks of life realise the benefits of broad, sustainable economic growth, modernised education, health and other services delivery, and improved quality of life.
“MainOne is pleased to have the opportunity to present its plan for Digital Lagos, a proven path to ubiquitous broadband connectivity.
“This plan will involve the investment by MainOne of over N25 billion over the next 2 to 3 years to develop critical fiber optic infrastructure to enable broadband services across Lagos state,” she said in a statement on Wednesday.”
Opeke said that MainOne had pioneered investments in critical internet-enabling infrastructure across West Africa, Nigeria and Lagos.
She said that till date, the company had invested over 120 billion naira funded by leading African banks.
The CEO said that the company had proven its capabilities in expanding and densifying localised fiber networks in neighbouring Ogun and Edo.
She said: “This is by deploying almost 1,000kms of fiber in partnership with Facebook to expand broadband access and connect government institutions and other areas of interest.”
Opeke said that as the licensed Infrastructure Company for Lagos zone, the resulting network to be built by MainOne would provide essential connectivity to critical state institutions.
She said that it would cover over 300 government agencies, up to 10,000 State Close Circuit Television locations, Telecom operators and Internet Service Providers, public Wi-Fi hotspots, Smart City components/ Internet of Things devices, in addition to Enterprises.
Okpeke said: “In Lagos, MainOne’s existing 700-kilometer network already covers major population centers and Yaba, where it provides connectivity for the majority of the Yabacon ecosystem.
“It has connected startups like Andela, CcHub, Paga, Flutterwave and others that have raised up to $500 million Foreign Direct Investment in Nigeria.”