" ITREALMS: Local content: ATCON demands appropriate policies for ICT sector - ITREALMS

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Tuesday, September 04, 2018

Local content: ATCON demands appropriate policies for ICT sector - ITREALMS

The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has called for enactment of appropriate Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) policies to stimulate local content development in the country, reports ITREALMS.

Speaking through the second vice president, Mr. Muyiwa Ogungboye at the quarterly forum of the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) with the theme: Local Content Development in Nigeria’s ICT Sector: Stimulant for National Economic Recovery” made this demand in Lagos.

ATCON claimed it has some three dedicated programmes for local content, namely “Professional Apprenticeship in Telecommunication Engineering, Professional Apprenticeship in Telecoms Regulatory Affairs, and Professional Apprenticeship in the production or manufacturing of Telecommunications equipment’s.”

Ogungboye who also is the Managing Director of e-Stream said that in order for the ICT sector to supplement or replace the oil and gas sector, policies which favour the sector must be put in place.

“It should be emphasized that the petroleum industry which used to be the cash cow for our nation (from a foreign exchange earning perspective) is not doing so well right now and this is a global issue that will take some time to recover,” he said.

He also said that the direct implication of this is that Nigeria may not be able to finance her budget without resorting to further government borrowing.

“ICT can as a matter of fact serve as the new cash cow for the country provided the right polices are put in place,” he said.

ATCON, he said, would like to seek the cooperation of NITRA in information dissemination of the need to fast track the implementation of local content framework.


Government, the body said at all levels must make the ICT sector a top priority in Nigeria, emphasizing need for government to increase the budget on ICT.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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Pix: L-R Aaron Ukodie, publisher e-World Magazine, Muyiwa Ogungboye, MD e-Stream and 2nd VP ATCON, Emma Okonji, chairman, NITRA, Executive Director, Systemspecs Dr. Eze and Chief Chris Uwaje, former president, Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria at the event. Short URLs: goo.gl, mcaf.ee, cli.gs

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