Aganga visits Omatek, endorses made-in-Nigeria policy

L-r Dr. Aganga, Mrs. Seriki and Dr. Ekuwem during Ministerial visit to Omatek

The Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga paid a working visit to newly commission Omatek Factory, Alausa-Ikeja in Lagos State, today, Monday and promised to see to the implementation of made in Nigeria policy.     

Speaking during the visit attended by DigitalSENSE Business News, Dr. Aganga also said that his ministry is determined to implement the made in Nigeria policy beginning with the equipment of the ministry with completely locally assembled Personal Computers (PCs).

He assured to work in collaboration with other ministries, especially the Communications Technology to ensure that the recent Federal Government policy on Made in Nigeria, tools within the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).

Welcoming the Minister and his entourage, the Group Managing Director and chief executive officer of Omatek Ventures Plc, Mrs. Florence Seriki, said the company has factories in one, namely the Laptop, Casting for Desktop, Speakers and Solar.

She noted that Omatek went to the Stock Market with the hope of raising fund for expansion, but was dissatisfied with the lending rates.

She, therefore, advocated for a single digit interest loan so as to encourage manufacturers, especially in country like Nigeria.

Stressing that Omatek Solar section, is the only place in Africa you have 24 hours supported by Solar.

“We never waited for electricity to start,” she declared.

Omatek, she said, is a CKD factory, which means it’s a Complete Knocked Down factory, adding that the firm now join hands with universities to bring up to speed the students who take part in the internship exercise.

For instance, she said that Omatek and the University ofLagos (UNILAG) and other universities, adding that in the main time, UNILAG has about 10 students and others five.

“We now have partnership with our universities with interns sent to us from time to time. UNILAG sent us 10 and others five,” she said.

Key challenges of Omatek, she said is that of capital for further investment and volume, pointing out that Omatek has resolved to borrowing off shore at singular digits to be able to meet production.

Other industry players who spoke at the event including Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, the chief executive of Teledom Group and National Coordinator, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Sir  Sunny Nwosu.

While Nwosu lamented the policy implementation on local content, he was particular about the last Friday advert by the Nigeria Police Commission, which called for tender with specifics on Hewlett Packard (HP) brand of computers.

Describing it as a kill of joy for the local investors and assembling plants like Omatek and others

Equally speaking, the former president of the Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) and chief executive of Teledom Group, Dr. Ekuwem, warned that the position of the industry is that during the call for tenders, brand specifics, should not be mentioned.

This, he said, will enable every stakeholder to play at a level ground, mostly, the locally assembled products.

Remmy Nweke/DSBNews

 
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Broadband Committee to submit report in March

CommTech minister's rep John Ayodele and ISPON president Chris Uwaje flanked by

award winners for the night and dignitaries that presented them at Presidential Dinner 2013

The National Broadband Committee headed by the former Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe is gearing up to submit its report on or before the end of March.

The Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, who was represented, Engr. John Ayodele, made this disclosure at the Presidential Dinner organized by the Institute of Software Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON) at the weekend in Lagos.

“The report of broadband committee will be ready within the next one month,” she declared.
 

She also assured that in the next three weeks the draft policy on local content will be ready for stakeholder input, saying that every country has levels of local content or the other.
 

“The mobile world is full of mobile applications,” she asserted, emphasizing that the federal government, especially through the Ministry of Communications Technology (CommTech), is ready to partner with ISPON.

This, according to him, would increase the value in software industry.

“We have the challenge to develop this industry, so as to contribute better than Nollywood and energy,” Minister’s rep stated.

Also speaking, chairman, National Broadband Committee, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe commended ISPON led by Chief Chris Uwaje and called for more understanding and patronage for the local software industry, as we look forward to broadband evolution.

He said his committee has been working tirelessly to ensure that Nigeria has a globally acceptable to drive investment into the country and eventually create jobs.

Prizes were also given to deserving software companies.

Remmy Nweke/DSBNews 
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Samsung Galaxy Grand hits Nigeria market

From left: Head of Sales, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Olumide Ojo;

Samsung Electronics West Africa Hand Held Products Marketing’s Ms. Olajumoke Okikiolu;

Samsung Brand Ambassador and star musician, Mr. Olubankole Wellington (Banky W), and

 Business Head, Hand Held Products, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Emmanouil Revmatas,

at the unveiling of the new Samsung Galaxy Grand dual-SIM Smartphone and launch of musician

and Samsung Ambassador, Banky W’s ‘R&BW’ album in Lagos.

Celebrated maker of mobile handsets, Samsung Electronics, recently rolled out its Galaxy Grand smartphone in Nigeria, even as African Samsung Ambassador, Banky W’s ‘R&BW the Grand Love Project’ album was launched.
 

Managing Director, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Brovo Kim, said the new Galaxy Grand comes with  5-inch display, smart, dual-SIM Galaxy Grand combines the features of Samsung’s game-changing Galaxy S III and the revolutionary Galaxy Note II.
 

The new Galaxy Grand, he said, ensures that Samsung maintains its dominance in the global smartphone market, by positioning itself to meet the demands of consumers desirous of optimizing the value that they derive from their mobile devices.
 

Kim noted that this continues the legacy of launching innovative devices that redefine consumer experiences, stressing “We take great pride in announcing the launch of the Galaxy Grand in Nigeria. The Galaxy Grand is revolutionary not only in terms of the great smartphone experience that it provides but also in terms of its value proposition. We feel that the Galaxy Grand will further fuel the growth of the smartphone market in the country and will especially delight consumers looking for a device with great, smart dual-SIM capabilities.”
 

Kim maintained Samsung’s commitment is to fulfill brand promise of inspiring the world and creating the future through its commitment to bringing new and meaningful innovations to the doorstep of customers.

 

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