By IJEOMA OLORUNFEMI

Experts in the Information, Communication and Technology ecosystem have expressed mixed reactions to the revocation of the Abuja Technology Village (ATV) land by the FCT Administration.

The ATV was established in 2009 as a technology park and Special Economic Zone in Abuja to foster innovation and entrepreneurship.

The village was also designed to be a cluster development to be Africa’s destination for website marketing, business development, Research and Development (R&D) hub, among other activities.

Mr. Nyesom Wike, Minister of FCT, recently announced plans to replace it with a City Walk park, stating that the stalled ATV land could be allocated for other productive uses.

“The FCTA provided the infrastructure for more than 20 years, and nothing has been done. You go there, they have rented out the place, you see where NNPC tankers are parked, and they collect money.

So many people are now claiming to have C of O’s. I said okay, I must resolve this problem. There is nothing called Abuja Technology Village”, he said during a media chat.

Mr. Jide Awe, an innovation and technology policy advisor, said the revocation raised serious concerns about Nigeria’s commitment to innovation-driven development.

“This development has significant implications for our ambition to achieve innovation-driven development.

“It forces us to question how committed we are, as a nation to leveraging technology and innovation to unlock potential and drive inclusive growth.

“The ATV was not just a piece of land. It was conceived as a vital catalyst for startups, R&D, and the broader digital economy.

“It was meant to strengthen Nigeria’s national innovation system by fostering collaboration beyond academia, government, industry and positioning Abuja as a true innovation hub in Africa,” he said.

Awe said he understood the frustration of the FCT administration but argued that there should have been a comprehensive review of why the project was not implemented.

He further said that the project could have been revitalised through targeted investment, public-private partnerships and government reforms.

According to him, the decision to revoke the land can send mixed message to investors and stakeholders, local and global.

He said it could signal a move from fostering innovation to choosing consumption.

“It is also about a lack of consistency in our policy commitments, which isn’t desirable if we are branding Nigeria as a destination for long-term, tech-driven investment.

“Though the digital era is promise-filled, it is also highly competitive and Nigeria and other African countries cannot afford to keep lagging behind.

However, Dr. Jimson Olufuye, former President of the Africa Information and Communication Technologies Alliance (AfICTA), said it was a laudable decision.

Olufuye said if the country was serious about achieving its goals of developing a one trillion dollar economy by 2030, it was expected to take infrastructure development seriously.

“There is no doubt that the ATV failed to meet expectation and in the face of that reality.

The revocation is welcome so that a better productive use is made of the land resource.

“The present administration is targeting a one trillion dollar economy by 2030 and that cannot be realized by doing business as usual.

“Abuja is surpassing Lagos as the destination for Foreign Direct Investment and it is important the momentum is sustained,” Olufuye said.

He suggested that the FCTA should establish a technology grant for higher institutions in the FCT to fund research in artificial intelligence, digitalization, transportation, health, water, and energy management.

“They can also support and promote technology hubs in Abuja,” he said.

Similarly, Mr. Mayowa Ajiboye, a technology enthusiast, supported the minister’s action, citing long-term underutilization of the land.

“For over 15 years, no significant development has taken place but instead, the land was being rented out.

“It is better for the government to take it back and bring in serious investors for something else,” he said.

Ajiboye also said the proposed City Walk project could still benefit the surrounding community if implemented as planned. (NAN)