When was the last time you saw a butterfly? When did you last hear crickets or see fireflies? Nigeria is experiencing its worst flooding incident in decades. Parts of the country are currently submerged in water and over a million people have been displaced from their homes. The causes of these floods have been attributed to climate change and poor urban planning. Fossil fuel emissions globally are leading to climate change, and what this means for the environment is erratic and heavier rainfalls in wet regions and more severe droughts and desertification in drier regions. As more people move to cities like Lagos, the increasing population leads to more housing and roads and, ultimately, more human interruption of natural habits by deforestation and other man-made constructions. With the lack of proper planning in growing urban areas in Nigeria, measures like functioning drain systems, waste disposal, and even electricity are not put in place. This leaves less natural surface areas for vegetation to thrive, blocked drains, and fewer surfaces for water to be absorbed back into the soil, which in turn causes flooding, more carbon monoxide emissions in the environment, and a host of other climate-altering and quality-of-life-reducing problems.
With these issues in view, LandWey, one of Nigeria’s foremost real estate firms is building future cities. Future City, is a Newtown project by LandWey that combines technology with nature in peaceful coexistence. One future city already underway is Isimi Lagos, which is now being extended to include a Tech Valley.
Isimi, which means rest or peace of mind, is a perfect description for this project that combines work and play in perfect unison. It offers a serene space for both living and working, long- and short-term. Located within the long stretches of green vegetation that make up Epe in Lagos, Isimi Lagos is a 300-hectare destination city for those who love beautiful architecture, technology, and nature. Sticking to the theme of LandWey’s Future City, Isimi Lagos is being built with as few as possible changes to the natural habitat of the environment. Buildings and other infrastructure will be built around the existing geography, keeping in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 13 (SDG 13). SDG 13 asks for action to combat climate change and its impacts, and that’s what Isimi represents. With a conservation park, golf course, recreational centre, Tech Valley, forestry, electric vehicle charging stations, farm shop, hiking paths, and a standard polo turf planned, Isimi prioritizes wellness and living in tune with nature.
Isimi is not just an eco-friendly hub powered by technology, it is now expanding to include a Tech Valley. Tech is often described as the “new oil”, and if that’s the case, then Lagos is Nigeria’s biggest oil well. Lagos is the commercial capital of Nigeria and a big part of that commercial hub is tech startups. With tech becoming incorporated into everything, Lagos is now littered with tech workers operating both locally and globally from the city. But with poor infrastructure, security, and electricity, Nigeria is slowly losing its tech talents to better economies.
LandWey is on its way to providing a solution to these problems with the Isimi Tech valley which will be the Silicon Valley of Nigeria. A project like the Isimi Tech Valley promises solace for tech-inclined workers. With its technology-based environment, workers can experience peace of mind in a community of like-minded individuals. Bringing together individuals in the same field means there will be more mentors within reach and essentially a pool of highly-skilled innovators. Isimi Tech valley will be a melting pot for tech ideas and will spur innovative inventions and solutions that will alter the tech world. As a melting pot for tech inventors and entrepreneurs, Isimi Tech Valley will not only create more jobs for the 15 million people currently living in Lagos, but it’ll also attract more venture capitalists and investors. This year alone, African startups have raised over $3.5 billion in funding with about $747 million coming from Nigerian tech companies. According to the 2022 Global Startup Ecosystem report the Nigerian tech ecosystem is currently valued at $9 billion with Lagos moving the Nigerian ranking up two points up from the last report and Silicon Valley holding its place as the best startup ecosystem. Like Silicon Valley, Isimi’s tech valley will become a resource pool for tech talent. This will mean that tech startups will find it easier to thrive as they will have access to resources like funding, mentors/advisors, legal support, electricity, and the best internet connections all in one environment. The capacity for networking and inspiration in a pool of like-minded individuals will increase entrepreneurship in Lagos, which will improve the state’s economy and the country as a whole. Also, with a research institute and incubation work labs planned for the Tech Valley, this place will not only nurture current tech talent but will become a hub to cultivate future tech talents.
LandWey has been building sustainable smart homes all over Nigeria. With Newtown projects like Isimi Lagos, they have taken on the noble goal of preserving the environment while building state-of-the-art infrastructure. With Isimi Lagos residents get a home that is in tune with nature but also in line with the best designs that modern technology has to offer. Isimi Lagos and its Tech Valley offer a place to work, play, and rest in a thriving natural and technological ecosystem.
To find out more about Landwey and its cities of the future, click here. For more information about Isimi Lagos, click here.
