Friday, September 27, 2013

Absence of local content policy on ICT, bane on industry-Ajayi



Anthony Nwakaegho/DigitalSENSE Business News
The absence of local contents policy in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector would not help to sustain the industry like the downstream sector of the petroleum industry if the equipment for the ICT industry are being imported into the country.
A report by NAN sighted by DigitalSENSE Business News in Lagos quoted the President, Association of Telecommunication Company of Nigeria (ATCON), Engr. Lanre Ajayi who lamented as to why everything that is being used in the county are being imported, including the ICT equipments.
Ajayi explained that the growth recorded by ICT in Nigeria so far should be extended to the education, health and agriculture sectors in order to increase the country’s reserve.
DigitalSENSE Business News gathered from the ATCON President that” there was the need for government to use the current growth to ensure that certain aspects of ICT equipment were manufactured locally. The local content policy will compel multinational ICT companies to set up manufacturing plants in Nigeria. This will generate more employment, boost our economy and check capital flight, among other things,"

“Do you know that we are still spending huge amount of money on the importation of software applications, and pieces of hardware being used by the government agencies?" he queried.

·         *With additional report from NAN
DigitalSENSE Business News
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Pix: ATCON President, Engr.Lanre Ajayi

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