For a holistic development of all sectors of the Nigerian
economy, every sector that operates within it will have to enjoy a policy of
inclusiveness.
This is why the Nigerian Tech industry has been clamoring for
local content development and patronage by the government and other
stakeholders. Strategies and plans should be put in place to achieve this
because of the inherent gains the country stands to benefit therefrom.
One of the gains expected here is the boost it will give to our
start-ups and enterprises that are still struggling to survive in this harsh
business terrain of ours.
In my opinion, we need to start assisting our start-ups to grow,
as well as ensuring that our enterprises too are sustainable by patronizing
them where they have the capabilities to handle those aspects that are,
hitherto, reserved exclusively for foreign enterprises.
It is not enough to spend billions of Naira in organizing Tech
Conferences, Seminars, etc., which these start-ups and other entrepreneurs in
the country attend. Without patronage of local content offered by them, they
will remain at the back seat of global relevance.
I see nothing wrong in having a substantial number of these
operators in our ecosystem even having to export their solutions to other
countries of the world just like we import solutions in hardware and software
from other parts of the world.
By patronizing our own, the billions of dollars lost annually to
the importation of these foreign expertise will reduce drastically and what our
local enterprises earn will remain in this country for its economic and
developmental growth.
The amount we spend annually in this regards is expected in
increase in leaps and bounds in years to come, hence, the need to plan on
keeping these funds here. That way, our dollar requirement to meet these
imports will reduce, hence, strengthen our local currency against the dollar.
Apart from the above, the security issues inherent in entrusting
our data infrastructure, for instance, to foreign outfits will also be
minimized.
Adopting and implementing a strategy of patronizing our own,
will also encourage indigenous creativity in our Start-ups and enterprises to
improve on the quality of their products and services as well as give them both
local and international recognition.
This is because local content development is a precursor to the
development of local skills, technology transfer, use of local human resources
and local manufacturing.
The direct and indirect impacts of these will create incremental
value for us as a Nation. We will also witness consistent utilization of our
human and material resources for the provision of products and services in the
tech sector, hence, reduce our soaring unemployed figure in the country.
An improvement in quality and standards will also facilitate the
development of indigenous capacities.
In the light of the current globalization, all hands must be on
deck by all the stakeholders in the industry to ensure that Nigeria becomes
relevant and competitive on the global scene by encouraging local content
development.
I, however, see light at the end of the tunnel in this regards.
Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, the Director General of NITDA, has stated that one of the
objectives he seeks to achieve in office is to encourage local content input in
order to assist the start-ups and entrepreneurs in our ecosystem to grow.
This, if tenaciously pursued, will be in line with enforcing and
giving bite to one of the policy thrusts of the Agency.
Also, just as I was concluding this piece, the Minister of
Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, speaking on a Radio program monitored
in Ibadan, stated that the Ministry has drawn up an ICT road map to run from
2016 to 2019.
This, according to him, is intended to stimulate the growth of
the tech ecosystem. The content of this ICT road map is, however, still under
wraps as it is still awaiting the endorsement of the Federal Executive Council.
At this point, I can only say that I hope the issue of local
content development and input is part of the road map as this is one sure way
to boost the sector. If this is not so, it is not too late in the day to add it
to it before the Federal Executive Council gives the document the desired
approval.
The problem, however, with policy guidelines, strategies, road
maps, etc., is that, without implementation, all will end up in the archives of
government Ministries and Agencies.
As we proceed in the year 2017, I will want to see the Ministry
of Communication's road map that includes the local content delivery policy
given the positive nod by the Federal Executive Council and a strict
implementation of this in order to move the tech ecosystem in Nigeria forward.
CFA is the Founder, www.CFAtech.ng & Co-producer/Presenter,Tech
Trends on Channels Television
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