Lagos — A storm of controversy is brewing over the Lagos State Government’s quiet outsourcing of indigeneship certification to a little-known firm, Qista Technologies. Critics say the move undermines centuries-old traditions and threatens the cultural identity of Lagosians.
For generations, indigeneship certificates — documents that determine access to education, scholarships, public employment, political representation, and community belonging — have been issued by local government authorities and traditional institutions, notably the Oba of Lagos. These bodies are regarded as the lawful custodians of lineage and heritage.
But recent reports reveal that the state has handed this responsibility to Qista Technologies, a sole proprietorship owned by Mr. Owolowo Musbau Olufemi. The company, listed as inactive just weeks ago, has no track record in digital identity management or public-sector technology. Its business profile instead points to trading in memory cards, GPS devices, and hard drives.
“This is not digitization; it is dispossession,” said Comrade Lasisi Robert of the De Renaissance Patriots Foundation. “A private citizen cannot grant what only communities have the authority to affirm. This is an assault on logic, law, and culture.”
The development has already had real consequences. The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has reportedly begun rejecting certificates issued by local governments, insisting instead on the new state-generated certificates tied to Qista’s system. Families and students across the state have expressed alarm, calling it an “institutional hijack.”
Therisks highlighted by the group include:
Cultural Dilution – Outsourcing identity risks allowing anyone to claim Lagos indigene status.
Data Insecurity: Sensitive ancestral records are exposed to a firm with no visible security credentials.
Administrative Overreach: Centralizing certification erodes local government authority and federal principles.
Fraud Potential: An inactive sole proprietorship lacks accountability mechanisms.
Heritage Erosion: Once diluted, the meaning of indigene may be impossible to reclaim.
“This is not progress. It is a cultural emergency,” Robert added. “UNILAG is wrong. The Lagos State classification is unconstitutional and must be reversed.”
The Way Forward
Community leaders and activists are demanding:Transparency from the Lagos State Government on Qista’s role; restriction of Qista’s function to digitization only, if at all; restoration of certification authority to LGAs and traditional custodians; a public audit of the contract and procurement process; legal safeguards to prevent non-traditional bodies from certifying indigeneship.
”Our state is now a full blown captive state. The certificate of indigenous identity once the preserve of the local government has now been taken over by the state. UNILAG now rejects local government indigeneship certificate with a preference for the state own. Our slavery is complete. Now every Tom and Dick can claim Lagos identity thanks to the new slave masters.
“UNILAG is wrong. The Lagos State classification is wrong and unconstitutional. It should be changed on that basis,:” the group said.