Local Content: OEMs Sell 778,886 Locally Assembled Devices in 2 years – DG NITDA

Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, has said in two years Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) has sold 778,886 locally assembled devices.

Speaking in an interview with journalists, the Director General of NITDA, Mal. Kashifu Inuwa, stressed that his administration has ensured massive improvement in patronage of indigenous OEMs in the last three years.

He said that in 2015 – 2016, less than 250,000 deice were sold by indigenous OEMs but with the intervention of NITDA, drastically changes have occurred, as records show that in 2018/2019 OEM sold three times the number sold prior to 2017 with 778,886.

Reacting to Presidential Executive order 003 for promotion of local content, he said NITDA had mandated MDAs to purchase Nigeria content including hardware products.

He said the agency is implementing the Executive Order through a vigorous active surveillance and adequate monitory of project assessment.

According to him, “NITDA has demonstrated great support and has ensured improved patronage of indigenous OEMs in the last 3 years. It is a fact that the purchase of local devices by MDAs is unprecedented within these years compared to previous years before 2018. For instance, in 2015-2016 less than 250,000 devices were sold by indigenous OEMs.

“However, due to the intervention of NITDA, records shows that in 2018/2019 alone OEMs sold three times the numbers sold prior to 2017 with about 778,886 of locally assembled devices sold in 2018 and 2019.

“There are some challenges with the implementation of the Presidential Executive Order 003 for promotion of local content in the procurement of MDAs and the NITDA issued Guidelines for Nigerian Content Development in ICT, which mandates MDAs also to purchase Nigerian hardware products.

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“NITDA is implementing the Executive Order and Guidelines vigorously through active surveillance and IT Projects assessment and clearance process of the Agency. Nevertheless, procurement law requires OEMs to either bid directly or work with other contractors to bid to ensure transparency and value for money. If MDAs violate the process NITDA can then be notified for action.

“There is also a challenge with the quality of some of the indigenous brands. In an effort to address this challenge, in 2018, we mandated these OEMs to go through a rigorous certification process requiring them to have ISO 9001:2015 for quality management systems.

“This, we believe, will ensure they are able to provide products that meet quality and regulatory requirements always. Currently, only 3 out of 10 previously registered OEMs have been fully certified,” he said