Following the influx of substandard and fake mobile phones that has been described as an economic sabotage for Nigeria, the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Communications, would soon start the registration process of all mobile phones coming into the country.
The Minister of Communications, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, disclosed that it had become necessary for the country to evolve a system of registering all phones coming into it.
He added that local production of telecom devices must be encouraged to guard against Nigeria becoming a dumping ground for all manners of Information Technology wares.
Meanwhile, the Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, Prof. Umaru Danbatta, explained that cloning of ICT devices like mobile phones was creating a big economic problem, and affecting many products in the country.
He added that mobile phones are targeted, with around 250 million fake products sold yearly in the country.
“The number makes up between 15 and 20 per cent of the worldwide mobile phone market, despite the negative economic impact of the unpleasant trend on the producers of genuine products, and government-licensed dealers that include brand devaluation,” Danbatta said.
The President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, Mr. Olusola Teniola, also disclosed that more than 20 mobile phone brands in the country are not NCC type-approved, as they contribute significantly to the persistent poor quality of service in the country.
The Minister also called on the leadership of the Computer and Allied Products Dealers Association of Nigeria to find a way to stem the growing
tide.
“We are ready to partner with the association to ensure success,” he added.
The President, CAPDAN, Mr. Ahmed Ojikutu, assured that his group was ready to work with the Ministry in all capacities that would move both the sector and the country’s economy
forward.
“The ministry should collaborate with us on training, to get technicians at the market to international standard and build an incubation centre for more training and therefore, drive local content in the ICT sector, so as to develop more made-in-Nigeria products.
“We need the help of the Ministry, to facilitate free broadband in the market, which is adjudged as the largest technology market in West Africa, through the Nigeria Satellite, apart from the need for provision of funds for ICT research to develop Nigeria-based software,” he added.
