The Lagos State government has launched a new digital platform that will allow indigenous Lagosians to obtain automated indigeneship certificates online. The innovation, called the Lagos State Indigeneship Automated Certificate, was unveiled on Thursday at the Alausa Secretariat by the Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations. The theme of the event was “Lagos State Indigeneship Certificate Automation: A Step Towards Modernisation.”
This marks the first time Lagos will issue indigeneship certificates through a fully digital process, replacing the old manual system that often caused delays and made verification difficult. The government says the move is part of its broader efforts to modernise public services and strengthen planning for the rapidly growing state.
Speaking at the launch, the Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Olugbenga Oyerinde—who represented Dr. Funmilayo Sokunbi—said the new system will make it easier for indigenous Lagosians to access several government services. According to him, the certificate will help citizens prove their origins quickly, especially when applying for school placements, scholarships, state jobs, or other official benefits.
Oyerinde explained that the introduction of the automated certificate will have long-term benefits for generations of Lagosians. He said the digital process will also give investors more confidence in the state, as it shows Lagos is committed to transparency, modern technology, and efficient record-keeping.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Sesan Ogundeko, represented by Olawale Abdullah, also emphasised the importance of the project. He noted that issuing indigeneship certificates is one of the key responsibilities of the ministry and plays a major role in development planning. By automating the process, the state can maintain more accurate records of its indigenous population. This is especially important in a state like Lagos, which is home to millions of people from different parts of Nigeria and West Africa.
Ogundeko said the new system will also help the government identify indigenous students in various higher institutions across the country. Many state benefits, such as bursaries, scholarships, and special programmes, require proof of origin, and officials hope the automated certificate will reduce confusion and fraud.
He added that even students in secondary schools sometimes need indigeneship certificates for documentation or official registrations. “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.
Honourable Olawale Ade-Sulaiman, Chairman of the Lagos State House Committee on Special Duties, also spoke at the event. He noted that many Lagos indigenes today do not know their ancestral homes, especially younger generations growing up in urban communities. Ade-Sulaiman said the automated certificate will help the government identify genuine indigenes and preserve the cultural heritage of the state.
According to him, the platform will make it clearer who truly qualifies as an indigenous Lagosian, which is important for planning, cultural preservation, and fair distribution of opportunities.
The technology behind the new system was developed in partnership with Qista Technologies. Representatives of the company explained that the platform is designed to verify authentic indigenes using secure digital tools. Each certificate will come with a unique barcode and other security features that make it difficult to forge.
Qista Technologies said that fake certificates and falsified documents are common problems in many states and institutions across Nigeria, often causing confusion and fraud. By automating the indigeneship process, Lagos hopes to curb these challenges. According to the company, the new certificate can be verified quickly using the barcode, and the platform can be accessed on mobile phones, making it simple for users to register and manage their documents.
The developers also said the system will enhance transparency in government processes and make identification easier for schools, agencies, and other institutions that need to confirm a person’s origin.
Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, is one of the fastest-growing cities in Africa. With a population estimated at over 20 million people, it attracts migrants from all parts of the country. Because of this, the issue of identifying indigenous Lagosians has remained important for cultural, administrative, and development purposes.
For many years, the process of issuing indigeneship certificates in Lagos was done manually, often requiring applicants to visit local government offices, present documents, and wait long periods for approval. Verification was also difficult, and officials sometimes struggled with incomplete records.
The new automated platform is part of Lagos State’s push towards digital governance. In recent years, the government has introduced several online services, including electronic tax platforms, digital land records, and automated building approval systems. The launch of the digital indigeneship certificate adds to this list and is expected to improve efficiency in public administration.
As the process begins, residents who qualify as indigenes are expected to register online, upload required documents, and receive digitally verifiable certificates. The government says the system will continue to evolve, with more features added over time to support planning, education, and cultural documentation.
