Nigeria gets its first Digital City

A digital City is a city that uses digital technologies to enhance performance and wellbeing, to reduce costs and resource consumption, and to engage more effectively and actively with its citizens. Key ‘smart’ sectors include transport, energy, health care, water and waste. A smart city should be able to respond faster to city and global challenges than one with a simple ‘transactional’ relationship with its citizens.

According to The Nation Nigeria, this feat was accomplished through a partnership between the Cross River State Government and telecommunications giant, MTN.

The infrastructure, which consists of 120 kilometres of 96 core fibre cable and open access ducts, spans the length and breadth of the capital city.

Calabar has, therefore, become the most comprehensively wired city for voice, data and video telecommunications and various technology-driven services in the country.

The Special Adviser to Governor Liyel Imoke for Communications Technology Development, Mr. Odo Effiong said the infrastructure would not only facilitate improved telecommunication services but also overtime, offer a variety of technology driven services and improvements including access to information on tourism, innovation, security, transportation, education, health care, land title, social services, financial inclusion, entertainment, among others.

He said: “The installed infrastructure is an important instalment of Governor Imoke’s vision of a non-oil, service-driven economy for the state. The development of ‘Calabar Smart City’ is a significant component of Cross River State building on its foundation as the nation’s tourist destination as it seeks to become the business and lifestyle destination as well.”