Former Special Adviser to the former Executive Vice-Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Ernest Ndukwe, Ayoola Oke has suggested that the Central Bank of Nigeria should collaborate with Nigerian Export-Import (NEXIM), African Export-Import (AFREXIM) and Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to provide financial support for small Information Technology (IT) Operators in Nigeria.
Ayoola gave this suggstion while speaking with newsmen on the drawback against the technology development in the country.
The IT Expert urged the Federal Government to insist on a minimum of 10% of international traffic, in bound and out bound to be handled by Nigerian International Data Access Operators (IDAs) operators for overall development of the country.
While still speaking on how the country can leverage on IT development, He stated that small operators should be given import duties for their ICT equipment, adding that the Local Content Policy of the Federal Government for telecoms should be finetuned and enforced to support local participation in the industry.
“CBN should work with NEXIM, AFREXIM and NCC to provide financial support through low interest rates and sovereign financial guarantees for small operators so that they can grow.
“Government need to insist on a minimum of 10% of international traffic, in bound and out bound to be handled by small NIGERIAN IDA operators. Before now they were not even allowed out bound traffic.
“Small operators should be given import duties for their ICT equipment
“The Local Content Policy of the FG for telecoms should be fine tuned and enforced to support local participation in the industry.” He said.
Meanwhile, The Expert revealed that local origin operators called International Data Access Operators (IDAs) and IGW International Gateway Operators within the international call market have all been practically crushed and dead.
He said that the companies are shutting down and sacking all their employees contributing to high unemployment rates.
Oke questioned how Nigeria will be able to infuse local content into the telecom industry in the situation when Nigeria origin companies are not allowed to grow.
“As for the International call market the local origin operators called International Data Access Operators (IDAs) and IGW International Gateway Operators have all been practically crush3”Ed and dead except may be those fronting for major operators.
“These companies are shutting down and sacking all their employees contributing to high unemployment rates.
“How will Nigeria be able to infuse local content into the telecom industry in this situation when Nigeria origin companies are not allowed to grow.” The Expert stated.
