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The Computer and Allied Products Dealers Association of Nigeria (CAPDAN) has asked the Nigerian government to provide an ICT intervention fund to help build local capacity in the ICT industry.
CAPDAN’s President, Mr. Adeniyi Ojikutu, while speaking recently inside the Lagos Computer Village, Ikeja, said like the agriculture intervention fund, an ICT fund will further enhance the capacity of indigenous entrepreneurs to be active in the topmost echelon of the sector. The Ikeja Computer Village is touted as the West Africa’s ICT market capital.
“We need to build an ecosystem that is both sustainable and well-funded through government support to take up and manage higher technology risks,” said Ojikutu whose village also recently hosted the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
While addressing the traders and Ibo community in the Computer Village, Sanwo-Olu assured that his government, if voted into power, would provide support infrastructures including regular power supply and internet to boost the growth of not just the village not just as a technology products centre but a creative hub for tech ideas.
“This place is the biggest computer village in the world, we have potential here, Facebook can come out from here likewise Google,” said Sanwo-Olu who has repeatedly said that technology will occupy a prominent position in his government.
CAPDAN’s Ojikutu while congratulating President Muhammadu Buhari for winning another four years said his association will work with the government to transform the Computer Village a proper formal sector which will require the support of government in areas that include business, technical and engineering trainings for the business owners within the Computer Village
His words: “The training will improve the professional standards of engineers in the Computer Village and will also improve their contributions to the country’s economy. Ultimately, it will affect the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and improve the country’s economy.”
