Minister Advocates Promotion of Indigenous Tech Solutions

Raheem Akingbolu

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami has reaffirmed the federal government’s determination to reverse the trend of importation of all types of telecommunications products, especially where production in Nigeria is possible.

Giving his keynote address at the 2022 edition of the Nigerian Telecommunications Indigenous Content Expo (NTICE), held in Lagos, Pantami charged stakeholders to intensify efforts in the promotion of Nigeria’s indigenous telecommunications sector. He decried the influx of foreign software in Nigeria noting that “77 per cent of software in use are foreign, while only 23 per cent are obtained locally.

The expo was organised as part of effort to vigorously pursue the objectives of the National Policy for the Promotion of Indigenous Content in the Nigerian Telecommunications Sector (NPPIC), through the National Office for Developing Indigenous Telecoms Sector (NODITS) domiciled in the NCC.

Also speaking at the event, a major player in Nigeria’s digital space, Elo Umeh,  also joined stakeholders in Nigeria’s technology and telecommunications sector to advocate for promotion of indigenous technology solutions and telecom content.

Umeh, who is the Managing Director and Chief executive Officer of Africa’s leading Data and Marketing Technology company, Terragon, made the call while speaking at a panel section alongside other industry stakeholders during the event, noting that private-public partnership was necessary to drive promotion of indigenous content and solutions.

According to him, “Building an ecosystem consisting of megacorporations is super critical for our indigenous digital economy to thrive. The government must be deliberate about working with the private sector to promote innovation and indigenous content, through policies and initiatives such as the establishment of NODITS (Nigeria Office for Developing the Indigenous Telecom Sector) to foster indigenisation of software.”

The expert pointed out that Terragon has always been focused on developing technology solutions to solve business challenges within the African context, in order to contribute toward building the indigenous digital economy and its unique ecosystem.