By STAKEHOLDERS in the Nigerian Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry have lashed the Local Content Office under the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Federal Ministry of Communications Technology for poor implementation of the local content policy in the country.
They also bemoaned the seeming confusion which the several ICT strategy documents, roadmaps, national ICT blueprints and master-plans created in the country.
The stakeholders in a communiqué issued at the end of the first Digital Africa Leadership Series, with the theme: “Generating Laws and Policies for Creating Local $Billion Tech Companies – How do we get there?” called for a need for harmonisation and/or communication of the right document.
They demanded to know from government which of them is driving plan for the industry lashing at the Local Content Office under the National Information Technology Development Agency and the Federal Ministry of Communications Technology for poor implementation of the policy.
They further went on to demand for a target percentage of local ICT contracts to be awarded to Nigerian businesses, advising that where no Nigerian company is qualified, such Nigerian company should understudy the expatriate company in order to ensure transfer of knowledge within a specified period.
Participants at the one day event which included members of the civil society organisations, entrepreneurs, government functionaries and CEOs of top ICT firms said there is a need for the country to consciously think of the policies and legal framework needed to build the Nigerian Tech companies that would achieve multi $billion status.
According to them, there is an established correlation between the number of $billion tech companies in a country and the size and level of development of the economy adding that that greater effort should be put in the country to ensure that government meticulously executes its National ICT policies or Road Map.
While calling on the Minister and the leadership of other ICT agencies to inspire and drive a new vision for Nigeria’s ICT industry through their public engagement and use of the social media, the stakeholders observed the inadequacy of the current intellectual property and copyright protection laws in Nigeria and advocated for the laws to be updated to provide sufficient protection for Nigerian businesses.
Also attracting the attention of the participants was the quality of ICT education from Primary, Secondary and especially the tertiary levels, which they said are weak when compared to what is obtainable from other parts of the world.
They noted that it is important for the government to create the enabling policies, laws and infrastructural environment needed to greatly enhance the quality of ICT education in Nigeria, adding that Government’s direct intervention to hasten the size and variety of capacity in ICT for the country is highly desirable.
The stakeholders were also worried that despite the two decades of efforts at enhancing relative ICT infrastructure in the country with regards to electricity, telecommunications network and computer hardware availability, the level, size, number and quality of infrastructure in the country are still insufficient, thereby impinging on the ability of the country to properly participate in the coming 4th Industrial Revolution.
They advised that the government must take urgent action to provide the country with a befitting infrastructure in readiness for the 4th Industrial Revolution.
The stakeholders commendation the Federal Government on the National ICT Park project suggesting that a minimum of 30 Techshops should be built across the country that will provide implements or building materials.
They also commended the Minister on the plan for the proposed transformation of NIPOST to amongst other things, provide electronic banking services, e-commerce services, banking and finance services, transportation and logistics services and property development services expressing excitement over the NIPOST reform package that will soon be launched.
Isaiah Erhiawarien
