Lagos State Government has unveiled an Identity Project structured at digitalising house-numbering to promote service delivery, modern planning process, and property identification across the state.
According to Dr. Olajide Babajide, Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Enterprise Geographic Information System (e-GIS), who launched the system at Alausa on Tuesday, the project will address critical issues faced by the Lagos State Government including swiftness to emergencies, unidentified addresses, and a series of tax evasion activities.
“This project is about providing Lagosians with the world-class services they truly deserve. We’ve had issues ranging from tax evasion to untraceable addresses. This new digital system is the solution,” he said.
In addition, the Lagos Identity Project will first be tested in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area. Once successful, the initiative will then expand across all 57 Local Government and Local Council Development Areas. While integrating community participation for data veracity, Babajide explained that the project is being implemented by trained youths under the Ibile programme.
“This isn’t just a project; it’s a legacy that aligns with international benchmarks,” Babajide noted, stressing that the project aligns with tech trends and global data protection standards.
He credited the Lagos State Government for the emergence and full funding of the project and explained that the financial commitment reveals a serious intent to employ modernised governance, economy, and service delivery.
How the Lagos Identity System will work
According to the Lagos State Government, the initiative includes a digital address feature with QR codes and local government-specific colour codes. Once the QR code is scanned, it grants access to significant property data, helps improve emergency response, postal delivery, and urban planning accuracy.
Babajide linked the initiative to Lagos’ broader smart city agenda and recalled past tech footprints, such as the state’s data centre built under President Bola Tinubu’s governorship, an initiative that earned Lagos recognition from global institutions like the World Bank.
Also Read: Lagos ranked world’s fastest-growing tech city in 2025.
A tech expert, who is also a partner, Yinka Adesiyan, revealed that the address plates feature incorporates Know Your Customer (KYC), which will support urban planning and strengthen security across the state.
“This project goes beyond house numbers. It makes Lagos safer, smarter, and more transparent. Emergency responders, utility workers, and even residents will be able to navigate the city more effectively,” Adesiyan added.
Why is this important for Lagos State
The Lagos Identity Project comes at a time when the state stands at the fulcrum of high housing demands and real estate investments.
According to a report, 60 per cent of residents are tenants, and housing demand is estimated to be over 3.17 million as of 2023. Most of the existing accommodations are provided by private landlords, and tenants have to pay rent as high as 50-70% of their monthly incomes.
Lagos State is the second most populous state in Nigeria (behind Kano State), with a population figure of about 21.3 million and estimated to grow by 1 million annually. The metropolitan Lagos area (which covers 37% of the Lagos land mass) hosts about 85% of the population, resulting in an average population density of 20,000 persons per sq km.
To coordinate the fast-growing resources which has made the megacity a go-to area for Nigerians and industries, the system would help improve rental activities and curb fraud with location tracking in densely populated communities.
Aside from its fast-rising population, the city has been an appealing tech talent hub with a growing tech sector that attracts over $1.3 billion in funding. Despite facing traffic and power difficulties, its ecosystem fosters innovation with the success story of startups like Moniepoint, Flutterwave, and others. Various tech initiatives and education programs by the state government further boost the city’s tech ecosystem.
Also, infrastructure projects such as the Lagos Rail Mass Transit and road expansions have boosted the influx of individuals with rising needs for property in areas like Lekki, Victoria Island, Ikoyi, and others.
For an enhanced coordination of these resources, the digitalised initiative helps the government plan and manage the state, and have more accurate data on property ownership and zoning. Its full implementation will bring better services for residents and effective governance.
Technext Newsletter
Get the best of Africa’s daily tech to your inbox – first thing every morning.
Join the community now!
