Despite the fast pace of growth which Nigeria’s Information and Communications Technology, ICT, has recorded in the last ten years, there is not much to show for the activities of local firms; as foreign firms have continued to dominate the communications sector.
At present, foreign brands, especially in the computing segment, control over eighty per cent of the market, leaving about twenty per cent to indigenous companies.
A close observation shows that international ICT manufacturers such as Samsung, HP, Dell, Acer, Asus and vendors (Huawei, ZTE and Ericsson) continue to take control of the hardware market. This leaves indigenous operators such as Zinox Computers, Brian Integrated Systems, struggling to remain afloat in what has become buyers market.
It is estimated that about four million ICT devices enter the country on a monthly basis showing that Nigeria continues to lose huge revenue in capital flight through the importation of hardware products. According to ICT experts, Nigeria remains a dumping ground for all forms of poor and substandard technologies.
The dominance of foreign products in ICT is also robbing the country of the ability to develop a knowledge-based economy, as its tech-savvy youths prefer foreign ICT products and services.
The National Information and Technology Development Agency, NITDA, has noted that within the last five years, the country would have spent about N120 billion on the importation of foreign technologies.
One expert, Chris Uwaje, Director-General, Delta State Innovation Hub, has suggested that in tackling the challenge of the domination of the ICT sector by foreign technologies, the country must look critically into the issue of local content development.
Dr. Uwaje, who is a former President of the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria, ISPON, stressed that Nigeria need not remain a consuming nation, but should try and become a productive one that aggressively exports its products and services to other countries.
