The Lagos State government, through the Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, on Thursday launched the Lagos State Indigeneship Automated Certificate.
The unveiling, held at the Alausa Secretariat, was organised by the ministry under the theme ‘Lagos State Indigeneship Certificate Automation: A Step Towards Modernisation.’
Speaking at the launch, Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Olugbenga Oyerinde, who represented Dr. Funmilayo Sokunbi, said the automated indigeneship certificate will make it easier for indigenous Lagosians to access services in the state. He added that the initiative will provide lasting benefits for generations of Lagosians and help attract investors to the state.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Sesan Ogundeko, represented by Olawale Abdullah, explained that issuing indigeneship certificates is one of the ministry’s statutory responsibilities and plays a critical role in planning for development. He stated that the new automated certificate will also help identify indigenous students of the state in various higher institutions across the country.
“Even in secondary schools, there’s a need to have an indigeneship certificate. We decided to streamline and automate it to make it easier for any candidate to register and obtain the certificate. The process starts today and it will continue,” he said.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Special Duties, Hon. Olawale Ade-Sulaiman, noted that many Lagos indigenes do not know their ancestral origins and said the automated certificate will help the state government identify true indigenous citizens.
Qista Technologies, the partner behind the platform, described the initiative as a digital system designed to verify authentic indigenes of the state. The organisation stated that the certificate comes with barcode verification and other security features. “Most centralized education systems are not automated. Fake certificates and documents are rampant. There will be a bar code at the back of each certificate which makes it unique. The system can be operated on mobile phones. It will enhance transparency and easy identification.”
The automation aligns with Lagos State’s broader digital transformation efforts, aimed at improving public services, promoting efficiency, and strengthening identity verification processes across key sectors.
