*Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice-Chairman/CEO of Nigerian Communications Commission, says various steps in implementing the National Policy for the Promotion of Indigenous Content are focused on promoting economic linkages, job creation, and聽 SMEs’ participation in the telecoms value chain via supply of goods and services to the sector

Gbenga Kayode | 绿帽献妻

As part of effort at activating the Nigeria Digital Economy programme, the Federal Government has expressed its determination to reverse the trend of importation of all types of telecommunications products, especially where production of such is possible in the West African country.

绿帽献妻 reports Prof. Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Honourable Minister for Communications and Digital Economy, said this at the first Nigerian Telecommunications Indigenous Content Expo (NTICE) 2022, held August 1-2, at the Landmark Centre, on Victoria Island, in Lagos.

Cross-sections of participants at the NTICE 2022, at Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos

The Minister, who reassured Nigerian consumers of the government’s focus on improving local content in the telecoms industry, received immediate commendation from Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice-Chairman/Chief Executive Officer聽 (EVC/CEO) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

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Prof. Danbatta informed the audience at the two-day event in Lagos, that the Minister鈥檚 efforts and support have spurred the telecoms sector regulatory Commission to take certain steps that have yielded immediate results being showcased at the expo.

The government organised the expo 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.

Minister cautions against importation of SIM Cards

Prof. Pantami also emphasised that the Nigerian Government had made efforts at protecting of the telecoms industry in the country鈥檚 economy.

According to him, the sector contributes impressively to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by insisting on the drastic reduction in the reliance on foreign products.

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Pantami, however, warned against importation of such products like Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Cards, which he reaffirmed could be produced in Nigeria.

He also took a swipe at the recent efforts at imposing five percent Excise Duty on telecommunications services in the country.

He as well argued that appreproriate Ministry, which oversees the telecommunications industry, was not consulted, and the timing of such a fresh duty in a period of hardship being witnessed in Nigeria currently, is antithetical to the growth of the industry.

Pantami declared: “I was not consulted before the decision on five percent Excise Duty was reached, and it was unfair to impose such a tax on an industry that was already burdened with other taxes and already contributing about 17 percent to the country鈥檚 revenue.”

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The Minister further told his audience, including Hon. Akeem Adeniyi Adeyemi, Chairman of the House Committee on Telecommunications, that his position was already shared by the National Assembly (NASS), in Abuja, FCT, which was also not consulted on the industry issue before it was announced.

He noted: 鈥淲e must do what we need to do to protect the industry.聽 “Beyond making our opinions known, we will take legitimate and legal steps to stop any plan against the interest of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry.”

In respect of the NCC’s efforts at promoting indigenous content in the industry, Prof. Danbatta further disclosed the objective of the NPPIC is to transform the enormous strides achieved by the telecoms industry in the last two decades into long-term indigenous economic development outcomes for Nigerian companies and the citizenry.

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The EVC/CEO intoned the Commission had taken various steps to ensure that the process of implementing NPPIC is painstakingly pursued through capacity strengthening, institutional building and strategic policy tools.

According to the NCC Chief, these measures will further promote domestic and economic linkages, job creation and the participation of local Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in the telecoms value chain via the supply of goods and services to the sector.

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