PLANS are in top gear to ensure that Nigeria produces about 25 indigenous and sustainable software firms by 2017. The modalities for the realization of this agenda are currently been worked out. The Minister of Communications Technology, Dr. Omobola Johnson, who gave this hint in Lagos at the weekend, noted that the formal launch of the Nigerian Content Agenda by the ministry will play huge role in driving this target. Johnson, who lamented that about 300 Nigerian firms play at the fringes of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry despite its robustness and largeness, noted that the dominance of the sector is still largely by the multinationals, “which is actually not bad. But to further grow the industry, there is need to build successful local industry.”The minister observed that Nigerian companies needed to be more capitalized to be able to compete favourably well in the global market and rank among firms including Microsoft;
Google; Oracle; SAP and others.She explained that the ministry has created guidelines that will support local companies growth in the ICT sector including, accelerating the demand for local ICT products and services; ensuring procurements through local companies and partnership with multinational ICT firms. Painfully, and disturbing to note that currently the Nigerian software sub-Sector loses about $360 million yearly as capital flight, a fact the minister recently confirmed in a presentation.Indeed, various efforts are already being explored to jumpstart the country’s software and indeed ICT potential, among which include the National ICT Incubation Programme taMastgged iDEA (Information Technology Developers Entrepreneurship Accelerator). A centre has been put up in Lagos, while another one is expected to be situated in Calabar, Cross River State. The initiative, which was unveiled last year, was expected to create successful ICT businesses and catalyse the technology Industry by helping Nigerian ICT Entrepreneurs create successful businesses.Johnson at the launch of iDEA last year informed that the centre will also support the interactions between software entrepreneurs/start-ups and their partners, thus developing indigenous skills and capabilities. It will also act as hubs of innovation that support the development and maturity of a local software economy.The IDEA centre, she added will provide incubates business and technical training, access to software development tools at no cost, use of facilities and computing resources for development purposes, mentoring, assistance with marketing and promotion and access to finance.In addition, the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON) through its yearly software competition hosted in Tinapa, Calabar also tilted towards creating software genius in Nigeria. Only last week, Nigeria presented 14 out of the about startups for this years DEMO Africa, targeted also at creating big business out of the country’s ICT sector.Meanwhile, the minister has lend her voices to the calls for more investments in the ICT industry.Speaking at the ‘Ericsson’s 2015 and Beyond’ forum held in Lagos, stressed that major investments still required to build out desired broadband network for Nigeria. She noted that though the ICT industry has attracted about $32 billion Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) since the liberalization of the ICT sector, three times more investments still needed. She called on investors and telecoms operators to work with government on the Connect Nigeria initiative.Johnson, who identified issues of multiple taxation and levies as impediments to the roll out of communication infrastructure in Nigeria, stressed that adequate ICT infrastructure is crucial to good quality of service and ubiquitous broadband access.To address the issue of multiple taxes/levies, impeding infrastructure roll out, she disclosed that the Ministry unveiled the Smart State initiative geared at accelerating roll out of critical communication infrastructure in Nigeria.The Smart states initiative will also lead to improved connectivity to un-served and underserved communities across Nigeria. The expected goal is for the Smart State initiative to enable roll out of infrastructure across Nigeria.Through the Smart State initiative, the Ministry is in the process of convincing State Governors and the relevant authorities at the state level to agree to eliminate multiple-taxation and adopt measures that will remove arbitrary charges and enhance telecom service delivery. Other benefits to this agreement include standardised pricing on right of way, taxes and levies, thereby increasing the predictability of cost for infrastructure development in the ICT sector. The agreement will reduce cost of network deployment and shorten the period for application processing.
source:guardiannews
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