ICT experts under the aegis of Young ICT Professionals have warned against operational risk and also a ‘single point of failure’ scenario if the National Population Commission were to continue with its plan to deliver 800,000 devices from just one company for the upcoming 2023 Census exercise while welcoming the commission’s efforts to deliver a technology-driven census for 2023.
The experts expressed concern about the unusual focus on foreign tablet brands and suppliers, saying it reduces the opportunities for job creation in the country.
Speaking Tuesday in Abuja at an event organized by Young ICT Professionals, Dr Abdulwahab Olajide Kunle urged the National Population Commission (NPC) to ensure such a high deployment of devices is fairly distributed among the competent factories in the industry to manage delivery risk and maximize job creation opportunities across the country.
He advised the federal government to patronize the local industry robustly as preparations for the 2023 census begin in earnest.
Kunle said the National Population Commission (NPC) and the Federal Government must embrace competent Nigerian device producers for the 2023 National Population Census exercise to help grow the economy, manage risks, and strengthen the security situation in the country.
He said one of the major challenges affecting the ICT industry in the country was that some Nigerians believe that imported products are of higher quality than locally made ones. He noted that the country now boasts over five world-class computer device assembly plants and three Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) certified by global bodies. However, these numbers continue to dwindle because of a lack of fair patronage with local producers.
He commended President Buhari for his unrelenting campaign to patronise locally made products in the country and said the FG’s efforts in that regard have greatly yielded results.
He said investors who struggle to justify the investment face challenges, adding that NPC’s decision to procure 800,000.00 devices is enough to revolutionize the country’s ICT manufacturing sector.
He commended the steps taken by NPC, which visited local OEMs to ensure NITDA compliance while conducting a transparent bid process.
He said engaging local industries will help create job employment and stem the security situation in the country.
According to him, Nigeria’s ICT industries have the manpower and capacity to manage and provide all the devices needed to conduct a hitch-free census in the 2023 exercise without hindrance rather than an import.
He added, “When the country continues to rely on the importation of ICT devices from foreign countries that can be produced locally, it is simply exporting job opportunities abroad and putting pressure on foreign exchange.
“When we talk about missed opportunities in developing local content through Npower, DSO, election devices, smart metres, etc, all these projects could have sparked ICT manufacturing industrialization in the country,” he explained.
He appealed to the FG, policymakers, and industries to encourage and promote made-in-Nigeria products, saying that Nigerians are doing well in manufacturing quality products that could compete with their foreign counterparts.
