Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has begged 23 young innovators and tech firms, recipients of N100 million innovation grant to ensure the funds received are applied judiciously.

He recently revealed that they should be wise with their spending so as to transform their ideas into reality.

According to him, his government is concerned with solving contemporary problems facing the state and the innovation grant was initiated to empower local innovators and thinkers with knowledge of context and peculiarities to create certain solutions for local challenges.

He added that Lagos State is on a journey to properly identify, enable, and build great human potential through flagship technology-driven projects.

His words, “Last December, we inaugurated the Research and Innovation Council with a seed fund of N250 million in demonstration of our commitment to transform Lagos into a 21st-century digital economy and Smart City. The body has a mandate to facilitate investment in science research, innovation, and STEM education throughout the State.

“We are here today to match our words with action, by handing out grants from the LASRIC’s Research and Innovation Fund to successful applicants. I congratulate all awardees and beneficiaries of our very first set.

“As a government, we believe in each and every applicant’s capacity to create and scale up ideas that can proffer solutions to our current challenges.

“We embarked on this unique project with the belief that local challenges are best solved by thinking that understands and appreciates local contexts and peculiarities.

“We believe in Lagos-supported solutions for Lagos-specific challenges. With the presentation of the grants, the responsibility now firmly rests on the recipients’ shoulders to justify the opportunity.”

“Lagos is on a journey to properly identify, enable and build great human potential through flagship technology-driven projects, such as Metro fibre programme and Smart City initiative.”