Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Tuesday said the under-construction Ilorin Innovation Hub, one of the legacy projects of the administration, will drive increased technological growth in Africa and provide opportunities for millions of young people.
The Governor said the project has hit 95 per cent completion, saying the delay was to ensure adherence to specifications and standards.
The Governor spoke in Ilorin, the state capital, when he visited the project site to ascertain the level of work done so far.
He was accompanied on the visit by the Managing Director, Ilorin Innovation Hub, Temi Kolawole.
“Work has reached an advanced stage. I can tell you that once this place is commissioned, it will be (one of) the best in Africa, in terms of building and contents. It will drive growth in the tech space,” he told reporters.
“You can have a beautiful building, but if you don’t have quality content, you are going nowhere. We have IHS as a partner already. IHS was in Kwara, and by partnering with us, this building is sustainable in terms of operation.
“The facility would also be powered through solar energy to make power sustainable too. So we are on the right path.”
AbdulRazaq expressed satisfaction at the level of work done and said the slow pace of work on the project was to also ensure that the hub is competitive in Africa in terms of standards.
“It is taking time, but it is good to get it right; it is also good to have the right partner that will make the place happen,” he said.
“We are in the last mile; everything is almost ready. It is about 95 per cent complete.”
Kolawole, for his part, said: “This project will definitely transform the economy of the state because it will bring the globally competitive skills, and the people of Kwara will be merging with the global market.”
The Governor also inspected the Kwara Hotels in Ilorin and the access gate of the Government House, both of which are under massive remodelling and reconstruction.
