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The Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has advised the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) to leverage on smart technology so as to position the country to be a player in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).
Abdullahi spoke recently as the Special Guest at a conference organised by the MAN in Abuja with the theme: ‘Digital Economy Campaign: Prospect and Industrial Connections.’
He stressed that with the various opportunities provided by the present day’s cutting edge technologies like Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotic Technology “every manufacturer can increase his top line revenue and lower his bottom line cost,” adding that “nearly everything we do in our business operations today are powered by digital technology.”
Abdullahi maintained that these emerging technologies will make factories smarter and more functional without or less human intervention. He said, “Emerging technologies such as IoT, AI, Industrial Internet of Thing, (IoT), Automation and Robotic Technology would boost productivities, increase sales, improve efficiency, reduce cost and keep up with the increasingly sophisticated competition, the DG noted.
While acknowledging that the 4IR has brought about the concept of smart manufacturing, digital platforms and digital economy, the NITDA boss noted that the difference between third and fourth industrial revolutions is the disruptive nature of the emerging technologies.
He encouraged MAN members to consider the production of smart phones and other computing devices in Nigeria because of the market availability. His words: “Absolutely for me, there is no reason why we cannot manufacture smart phones and peripheral in Nigeria. I want to appeal to you to focus on the manufacturing of computing devices and their peripheral.”
Earlier, the President of MAN, Mr. Ahmed Mansur in his opening remarks disclosed that the conference would enable the association to learn about new approaches to manufacturing which could result into market expansion.
According to Mansur, “manufacturing sector especially those catering for the Nigerian market that is going to be confronted with the massive expansion of the market potential would have no alternative than to rethink the way they produce, supply and distribute their products.”
