Technocrats endorse Hamzat for 2027 Lagos governorship, unveil AI, empowerment initiatives

A coalition of professionals under the aegis of *Lagos Technocrats for Hamzat* has endorsed the Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, as its preferred candidate for the 2027 governorship election, describing him as the most competent person to lead the state’s next phase of development.

The endorsement was announced on Tuesday at a press conference in Lagos, where the group also unveiled a series of grassroots programmes aimed at promoting technology-driven governance. The initiatives include artificial intelligence training, teacher development, free healthcare outreaches, youth empowerment schemes, and skills acquisition programmes.

Speaking at the event, the Convener of the coalition, Dr. Mike Oladunjoye Egbayelo, said Lagos requires a leader with proven competence, innovation, and a track record that extends beyond politics. He noted that the coalition comprises professionals drawn from engineering, healthcare, technology, public policy, and academia.

Egbayelo, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Excellerate Business School, said the group would begin statewide engagements with professional associations, market leaders, artisans, and students to mobilise support for Hamzat. He disclosed that the coalition aims to register 50,000 technocrats through an online platform while launching an “Upskill 10,000” programme to equip residents with skills in artificial intelligence, data analytics, solar panel installation, leather works, and garment making.

“We believe governance should increasingly be driven by innovation, strategic planning, technology, transparency and measurable outcomes,” Egbayelo said. “We also plan to train 1,000 teachers in modern pedagogy, organise free medical missions across the state’s three senatorial districts, and introduce a blindness prevention programme.”

Also speaking, the co-convener, Dr. Tim Akano, Managing Director of New Horizons Ltd, said Lagos has the potential to become Africa’s leading artificial intelligence hub through deliberate investment in digital infrastructure. He explained that professionals were becoming more politically engaged because of changing global economic realities and tighter migration policies, arguing that building a technology-driven local economy would create sustainable opportunities for young Nigerians and reduce the drive for emigration.

Responding to concerns about funding and possible ethnic or religious divisions, Egbayelo said the coalition is financed through personal contributions by its members and is founded on professional values rather than political patronage. The endorsement comes as consultations ahead of the 2027 Lagos governorship election intensify, with various stakeholder groups beginning to align behind prospective aspirants.