NCC mulls new framework to promote local content in Nigeria’s telecoms sector

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says it is developing a new framework to drive the federal government goal in promoting indigenous content in the country’s telecommunications industry. 

Umar Danbatta, NCC executive vice chairman (EVC)/chief executive officer, said this during a maiden virtual policy implementation assisted forum event (PIAFo), themed, “Facilitating policy implementation to deliver value in the Nigerian telecoms sector,” on Thursday.

In May 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari had launched the national policy for the promotion of indigenous content in the telecoms sector.

It focuses on major areas in the telecoms sector such as manufacturing, software development, compliance, monitoring, licensing, funding, people, and research & development for digital innovation and entrepreneurship.

Danbatta said the primary objective of the policy is to encourage local and foreign investments in the Nigerian communications industry.

“The National Telecommunications Policy posited that the domestic production of telecommunications hardware and software is desirable for national development,” he said.

“It further states that Government shall encourage domestic production of telecommunications equipment, components and software to meet local and export demands.

“With the steady evolution of Telecommunications in Nigeria, the industry and its infrastructure are appreciated as the infrastructure of infrastructures, positioned to drive growth and efficiency in every other sector (both private and public) by supporting the optimisation of institutions and processes in the ecosystem.

“The NCC is vigorously promoting local investment in digital infrastructure and competition in the provision of accessible high speed broadband infrastructure.

“I would like to assure you that the Commission is wholly committed to realising the vision of President for promoting indigenous content in the telecommunications sector as has been done in the Agricultural and Petroleum sectors to achieve our goals of significant participation, preservation of scarce foreign exchange and improving the lives of Nigerians.

“To ensure effective implementation of these objectives, we are developing a robust compliance monitoring and enforcement framework leveraging on existing mechanisms.”

In his welcome address, Omobayo Azeez, organising committee chairman of the PIAFo, said the forum would also address policies of other sectors such as banking, oil & gas, aviation.