By Anthony Areh
The Association of Mobile Communications Devices Technicians of Nigeria (AMCODET) says it is time for Nigeria to look inwards for local production of mobile devices after attaining 60 years of age.
Mr Apara Ige, the National Chairman of the association, said in Abuja that the country was spending lots of money importing foreign made devices.
Ige explained that mobile devices, especially the Global Systems for Mobile Communications (GSM), introduced by the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo, had impacted positively on the ICT sector of the economy.
“We are 19 years of GSM in Nigeria, there has been tremendous improvement and changes with the coming of GSM to the country since 1999 in the economy.
“The GSM sector has been able to employ numerous youths, making them entrepreneurs and self-employed, which has also boosted development in the science and technology sector.
“The communication gadgets in the ICT ecosystem make up for the digital economy and the devices are the cash flow of the economy.
“When you buy a phone, after some months, it might develop a fault which will need fixing, and it in turn generates income for those who are in that sector.
“We are still lagging behind in indigenous production, Nigeria is not making deliberate effort to produce mobile devices locally, we are still depending of foreign countries, companies for our communication gadgets.
“It is high time Nigeria look inwards and develop locally made devices because after crude oil, the communications sector is making serious contributions to our Gross Domestic Product,’’ he said.
Ige advised that the Ministry of Science and Technology to explore the possibility of using local technology towards establishing mobile devices manufacturing companies in Nigeria.
“The Ministry in collaboration with some foreign companies producing mobile devices can sponsor our youths to train on the production of the devices and encourage technology transfer,’’ he said.
Ige commended the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, for engaging youths and making efforts in ensuring that the sector impacted positively on the economy digitally.
