Nigerian officials urge holistic approach to local content

Nigerian experts in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are pushing for a holistic approach to expand local content.

Industry officials speaking at a one-day summit on local content, organized by the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) and held in Lagos on Friday, agreed that there is a need for collaboration among all stakeholders in the sector.

Nigerians should be aware of the need to ensure that local content matches international standards, according to Mary Oduma, director of licensing at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the country's telecom regulator. The regional environment is challenging, but perseverance should be the watchword, she said.

Lanre Ajayi, president of the Nigeria Internet Group service provider association, highlighted the need to train and grow personnel, with a focus on training young people.

It is especially important to constantly update the educational curriculum, particularly at the higher institutional level in the country, agreed Titi Omo-Ettu, CEO of consultancy Telecom Answer Associates.

Jimson Olufuye, president of the Information Technology Association of Nigeria, said the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) can take a lead role in driving local content development.

ATCON President Emmanuel Ekuwem assured the industry insiders at the summit that suggestions would be communicated to the appropriate quarters in the government, adding, "the communiqué must be implemented with follow-up, and ATCON would work with other agencies, both public and private, to aid the industry to grow."