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The Nigerian government said it was stopping importation of digital technological products or services to promote local and build inshore capacity.
Importation would only be allowed “until and unless the country is convinced that capacity to develop such product and service is not readily available in the country,” Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami stated this week in Abuja at the 2022 Digital Nigeria Conference, Exhibition and Award organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
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Pantami told stakeholders from within and outside Nigeria at the event that it has been exigent to enforce Executive Orders on local content and bolster digital capacity of Nigerians.
According to the Minister Executive Order 003 of May 2017 on ‘Local Content Procurements by Ministries, Department and Agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria’, and Executive 005 of February 2018: ‘Planning and Execution of Projects, Promotion of Nigerian Content in Contracts and Science, Engineering and Technology’ both support indigenous ICT industry and skillsets.
“Even in the employment position that is publicised, as long as there are Nigerians that have the capacities to take up the challenges, it is not allowed for you to bring somebody from outside the country, except in an agreement transferring knowledge, and 40% of our products and services must be retained for Nigerians,” said Pantami at the three day event designed to discuss and deepen the value propositions of Nigeria’s burgeoning digital economy.
