The Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA) has launched the upgraded Lagos State Resident Identity Card (LAG Smart ID Card) in its bid to provide a reliable database in the state, as well as embrace change and align with global best practices.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the relaunch of the Lagos State Resident Card in Lagos, on Wednesday, sought the cooperation of all residents to register and acquire their Lagos State Resident Card, so as “to enjoy the many benefits on offer, and to enable us more thoroughly and effectively plan and budget for the delivery of the dividends of democracy, against the backdrop of our ever-growing population.
“This relaunch is particularly significant because it demonstrates our administration’s commitment to the Smart City vision, which seeks to integrate and embed cutting-edge technology into our daily lives and our daily interaction with government and public services,” the governor said.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said the event took place simultaneously across the five divisions as the state targets to produce 10 million cards before the end of the year, thanking Lagosians for their commitments to ensure a greater Lagos agenda.
Sanwo-Olu said that the relaunch is particularly significant because it demonstrates his administration’s commitment to the Smart City vision, which seeks to integrate and embed cutting-edge technology into our daily lives and our daily interaction with government and public services.
“The Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA) is a laudable initiative introduced during the administration of His Excellency Babatunde Raji Fashola, with the aim of building a reliable database of all residents in Lagos State, to enable effective and realistic planning, especially for the provision of social services and amenities,” he said.
He noted that since the commencement of this initiative in 2011, LASRRA has continued to make progress in delivering on its mandate, providing a unique identification number for every enrolled resident. “So far, we have registered six million, five hundred thousand (6,500,000) Lagosians on the database, and are looking to register another 10 million (10,000,000) after today’s launch, and before the end of this year.
“Today’s relaunch event is borne out of the need to embrace change and align with global best practices. What we are doing is upgrading the Lagos State Residents Card from an ordinary plastic card, meant only for identification purposes, to a ‘Smart’, multi-purpose Card that combines biometric identification with other functionalities and benefits, that cuts across areas such as security, financial services, mobility and access to government services and amenities.”
General Manager, LASRRA, Ibilola Kasunmu, said the new card, which is first of its kind in Africa, is embedded with more features and functionalities to
offer the holders wider and faster access to services provided by the state government and that the agency would continue to partner stakeholders to enhance the lives of Lagosians.
She also said the card holders can also use it as a payment card for services across multiple vendors including buses, ferries, supermarkets, and cash withdrawals from banks’ Automated Teller Machines, appealing to residents in the state who have not registered to do so by visiting the agency’s website www.lagosresidents.gov.ng.
Also at the event, Special Adviser to the Governor, Innovation and Technology, Tunbosun Alake, said the launch was a landmark event to catalyse the Lagos economy through technology as the state required a robust identification system that is highly secured to ensure cyber security among other features.
On its importance to the state security, the governor noted: “As the nation’s commercial nerve centre, Lagos State experiences significant levels of inbound daily migration of people seeking economic opportunities and a better life. As a result, our population, currently estimated at over 22 million residents, is rising rapidly, with obvious implications for social services, social infrastructure, and for security.
It has therefore become imperative for the State government to re-examine strategies aimed at improving the security of lives and properties of the people of Lagos State.
“This ‘Smart’ Resident Card will help address the issues surrounding the identification and traceability of Lagos residents, and ultimately help inform the government’s planning and provision of services designed to secure lives and property.
Speaking on its financial inclusion: Sanwo-Olu said: “The new Card comes with an electronic ‘wallet’ which can hold funds and be used for daily transactions, supporting the cashless agenda of the monetary
The governor noted that the card gives access to government services: Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) will be able to leverage on the database to validate residents for the purpose of delivering such services as Health Insurance, Pension Administration, School Allocation based on residential addresses, and many more social amenities