By Martin Ekpeke
The Lagos State Government has officially launched the Lagos Identity Project, a groundbreaking digital house-numbering system poised to revolutionize property identification, service delivery, and urban planning across the state.
Unveiled on Tuesday in Alausa, the initiative marks a significant step towards a smarter, more efficient Lagos.
Dr. Olajide Babajide, Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Enterprise Geographic Information System (e-GIS), introduced the project, emphasizing its capacity to resolve long-standing challenges such as tax evasion, untraceable addresses, and delayed emergency response times.
“This project is about providing Lagosians with the world-class services they truly deserve,” Babajide stated. “We’ve had issues ranging from tax evasion to untraceable addresses. This new digital system is the solution.”
The innovative system features digital address plates embedded with QR codes and local government-specific color codes. Scanning these QR codes will provide immediate access to crucial property data, significantly improving the efficiency of emergency services, postal delivery, and the accuracy of urban planning initiatives. Babajide further explained that the system will also help curb rental fraud and enhance location tracking in densely populated communities.
Connecting the project to Lagos’ broader smart city agenda, Babajide referenced past technological achievements, including the state’s data center built during President Bola Tinubu’s governorship, which has earned Lagos global recognition from institutions such as the World Bank.
The Lagos Identity Project is currently being piloted in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area. Following a successful pilot phase, the system is expected to be expanded across all 57 Local Government and Local Council Development Areas (LGs and LCDAs). The implementation is being carried out by trained youths under the Ibile program, ensuring both community engagement and data accuracy. The project was developed in partnership with Interspatial, which conducted two years of aerial mapping to support the initiative.
“This isn’t just a project; it’s a legacy that aligns with international benchmarks,” Babajide affirmed, highlighting that the system adheres to global civic identification and data protection standards.
Yinka Adesiyan, a technical partner and co-sponsor of the initiative, underscored the system’s benefits in terms of security, transparency, and efficiency. “This project goes beyond house numbers. It makes Lagos safer, smarter, and more transparent,” Adesiyan remarked. He added that the system would enable “emergency responders, utility workers, and even residents to navigate the city more effectively.” Adesiyan also revealed that the address plates incorporate Know Your Customer (KYC) elements, further bolstering urban planning and security efforts.
Babajide commended the Lagos State Government for fully funding the project, emphasizing that this financial commitment demonstrates a serious dedication to modernizing governance and improving service delivery for all Lagosians.