Barrister Abdur-Raheem Adebayo Shittu, Minister of Communications, has charged ICT Stakeholders to come up with viable recommendations on how to make the country an export hub for ICT hardware and software in Nigeria, as well as help the nation achieve the sustainable development goals by 2030.
Barrister Shittu made this call while delivering his opening remarks at the Nigerian Software Stakeholders meeting organised by National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in conjunction with its subsidiary, the Office for Nigerian Content Development in ICT which was held recently in Lagos.
The Minister who was represented by Mrs Moni Udoh, Director ICT in the Ministry, disclosed that the Ministry has granted the Certified Computer Manufacturers of Nigeria (CCMON) approval to set up a Service and Repair Center in the Ministry for locally assembled computers bought by MDAs.
Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantam, Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), collaborated the Minister’s position when he said, “at NITDA, we are committed to driving the local content Executive order.
“We have demonstrated our willingness by enforcing the Guidelines for Nigerian Content Development in ICT”.
The DG stated that the Federal Government of Nigeria signed another Executive Order #5 to improve local content production especially in IT.
“We will ensure that no hardware or software will be imported into the Country without giving preference to our indigenous products”, he added.
Pantami, revealed that Nigerians are highly creative and talented, he said “Nigerians have been doing wonderfully well in the area of Software development, but we have challenges, our general perception is that what is produced locally is inferior, and we must change our perception”.