Nigeria may lose $144bn to importation of ICT devices, software in 2019 – NITDA

Nigeria may lose about $143.8billion to importation of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) devices and software in 2019, an amount that is seven times more than this year’s budget, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has said. NITDA’s Director General, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, who stated this on Tuesday in Abuja at the […]

Nigeria may lose about $143.8billion to importation of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) devices and software in 2019, an amount that is seven times more than this year’s budget, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has said.

NITDA’s Director General, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, who stated this on Tuesday in Abuja at the opening ceremony of this year’s eNigeria conference and exhibition, said Nigeria loses approximately $2.8 billion annually from the importation of ICT goods and services, including a whopping $1 billion spent annually on software imports.

Locally manufactured or assembled computers represent less than 8% of all the computers used in the country, a situation that is bad for Nigeria, according to the NITDA boss.

"Within the limits of the mandate that set us up, we at NITDA are repositioning ourselves to filter the IT gadgets being imported to the country in the overall interest of the nation…We strongly plead with our international manufacturers to domesticate their products in order to achieve a win-win relationship", he said.

Dr Ibrahim Pantami told the audience which includes Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Minister of Communications Adebayo Shittu, some National Assembly members and ICT industry stakeholders that the diversification of the Nigeria’s economy has become imperative in the face of dwindling revenue from the oil sector.

ICT, he said, provides a veritable option for diversifying our economy because it has the added advantage of being able to improve efficiency and enhance productivity in all the other sectors of the economy.

According to him, NITDA is creating an environment that supports high level ICT-based capacity building for young tech entrepreneurs.

In his remark, the Communications minister said FG’s plan to set up ICT village in Abuja is in top gear.

When fully operational, he said, the village will serve as hub where upcoming innovators and developers will be mentored by experts to grow their innovations.