Johnson Toasts Local Developers @ Launch of Students PC Ownership Scheme

Mrs. Omobola Johnson, minister of Communication Technology has paid glowing tributes to Nigerian software developers who developed the technology used to power the students PC ownership scheme.


She informed participants at the launch that the group demonstrated that Nigerians can develop a viable and vibrant local software industry catering to the nation’s domestic needs but exportable to other markets.


The students PC ownership scheme with the theme “promoting increased access and utilization of ICTs in education” was launched in conjunction with National Information Technology Development Agency (Nitda) in Abuja last week.


Johnson disclosed that the Scheme is a collaborative and mutually beneficial effort between PC assemblers, universities, banks, global technology companies and telecoms companies that has required many months of conceptualising and fine tuning.


‘’This initiative is entirely technology driven and contributes to the growing number of ecommerce initiatives that will move us to the desired digital, diversified, productive and efficient economy’’ she said


She decried the low PC penetration in Nigeria which is ranked the lowest in Africa and  noted that, the affordability and availability of the devices and the slow pace by which ICTs were being adopted for teaching and learning in secondary and tertiary institutions was partly responsible for the low PC penetration in the country.


The minister emphasised that the initiative is in line with two of the mandates of the Ministry of Communication Technology- first, to promote the utilization of ICTs in all sphere of life-with education as a priority, and the second to promote and facilitate the development of the ICT industry.


She stated that, the whole world of knowledge and learning was to be found on the internet and effort should be made to ensure that young students have unfettered access to this world so they can participate meaningfully in the knowledge society. 


Johnson stressed that being connected to electronic libraries, having access to world class research material, being connected to a network of students and research institutions means that students can also participate as not only consumers of all of this content but also creators of the content through the productivity and efficiency benefits of having their own device.


Johnson noted that government in this scheme has moved from the role of the contracting entity to the enabling entity through the efforts of NITDA and the Ministry in conceptualising the scheme and being the ‘honest broker’ that brought all the parties together.


Speaking earlier in his welcoming speech, Prof.Cleopas O. Angaye,  director-general of National Information Technology Development Agency said that the student personal computer ownership scheme was born out of the dire need to increase PC penetration among the students of higher learning especially in Nigerian Universities.


Angaye,  noted that it was means of challenging licensed OEMs to boost their productive capacities which would eventually have a multiplier effect in terms of job creation, poverty reduction and increase their market share in the Global competitive economy.


He enumerated some of the unique strategy adopted for the student PC ownership scheme to include: ensuring sustainability. Continued and increased access; partners with tertiary institutions’; and the student’s scheme is self funding.


He solicited for collaboration and partnership with any of the stakeholders to ensure the sustenance of the scheme.