" ITREALMS: Every year we save a minimum of N300bn - DG NOTAP

Sunday, December 07, 2014

Every year we save a minimum of N300bn - DG NOTAP



The Director-General of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Dr. Umar Bindir has revealed that annually his agency saves Nigeria a minimum of N300 billion from technology transfer and other related services, reports DigitalSENSE Business News.

Dr. Bindir made this revelation Tuesday, at a two-day Stakeholder Forum on Technology Transfer in the Telecom Sector organized by NOTAP in collaboration with the Airtel Nigeria, MTN Communication Nigeria and Etisalat Nigeria at the Eko Hotels, Victoria Island, Lagos.

This is coming as Airtel, MTN and Etisalat have commended NOTAP for the efforts so far in promotion of Nigeria and Nigerians as well as encouraging technology transfer principle to the benefit of the country.

He also told DigitalSENSE Business News that NOTAP law enables the agency to regulate technology transfer, among others, noting that technology is moving it from where it is, to where it's needed.

Bindir said that foreign technology transfer should clear their technologies, sources, fees with NOTAP, but warned that what NOTAP does not do is dealing with unclear remittances, profits remittances, to name a few.

He maintained that NOTAP is empowered by law to encourage more efficient process for the identification and selection of foreign technology; development of the negotiating skills of Nigerians with a view to ensuring the acquirement of the best contractual terms.
 
In addition, Dr. Bindir told DigitalSENSE Business News that NOTAP is to register all contracts or agreements having effect in Nigeria on the date of the agreement as well as use of trademarks, right to use patented inventions, supply of technical expertise in the form of the preparation of plans, diagrams, operating manuals or any other form of technical assistance of any description whatsoever; the supply of basic or detailed engineering.

He warned that for a long time, NOTAP has been lenient, but now would tighten its belt.

“I am leaving you since but you will see how I am going to tighten it now,” he cautioned.

He said that NOTAP has power to ensure provision of a more efficient process for the adaption of imported technology and monitoring on a continuous basis of the execution of any contract or agreements registered.
 
Emphasising that the law empowers the director shall not register any contract or agreement where he or she is satisfied that it falls within the relevant specifications.

Pointing out that where there is an onerous or gratuitous obligation on the transfer of the technology to assign to the transferor or any person designated by the transferor.
 
On registration compliance, Dr. Bindir told DigitalSENSE Business News that no payment shall be made in Nigeria to the credit of any person, outside Nigeria by or on the authority of the Federal Ministry of Finance, the CBN or any license bank in Nigeria in respect of any payment due under a contract or agreement mentioned.

He explained that except where a certificate is issued by NOTAP director, cautioning banks to be wary of undue transfer of technology without clearance.

“We do all these namely based on the information supplied to NOTAP, working closely with other regulators, openly and transparently, practically, in the national interest, etc” he said.

 +Remmy Nweke @NOTAPng @FDI

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Pix: Dr. Umar Bindir, DG, NOTAP

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