Local PC makers to benefit from IT intervention fund
By Emeka Aginam
The Nigerian local personal computer (PC) assemblers are expected to benefit from IT intervention from currently being pushed by the Nigerian Computer Society, (NCS).
It would be recalled that the four local PCs approved years back by the Federal government d are not limited to Beta Computers, Brian Integrated Systems, Zinox and Omateck computers.
Although the actual amount of fund being sought by the NCS from the First Bank for the initiative was not disclosed as at press time, the President of NCS, Mr. Demola Aladekomo who s during a courtesy visit to First Bank Corporate Head Office last week said that the IT intervention fund if fully implemented would among other things create at least 1 million IT related jobs within the next five years.
He told the First Bank management that a well articulated and financially supported policy on assembly and manufacturing of hardware with incentives not just for local consumption but also for export, accelerated development of capacity for software design and publishing and partnerships with governments to develop business processing, large scale modern call centres, knowledge/Incubation parks can create not just millions of jobs for Nigerians but contribution to the nation’s GDP that may rival oil as had happened in other countries.
Aladekomo who said that the fund would put more people to work than a combination of three or four different sectors of the economy combined could do noted that the intervention fund is also targeted towards supporting their members involved with PC manufacturing for public PC acquisition programs.
“Specifically, we seek to work with you to create an intervention fund targeted LPO financing, capacity development and the other programs mentioned above. If you approve of this initiative, we shall work with you to put in place the modalities of execution and ensuring its success.” he said.
What is required, according to him is leadership and partnership with NCS in this critical area that may spell doom for our country if not urgently tackled.
Employment
He said that, “We make bold to say that if fully utilised, the IT industry could put more people to work than a combination of three or four different sectors of the economy combined could do.
“NCS intends working with the Federal Government towards creating, conservatively, One Million IT related jobs within the next Five years. Key areas of focus towards achieving this goal are: Business Process Automation, Call Centre Operation, Health Care Delivery, Emergency and Disaster Response Systems, Software Development, Incubation and Knowledge Park development to mention a few.
According to him, the IT intervention fund is an initiative of NCS driven by national development challenges and socio-economic developmental priorities.
“It is proposed by NCS to accelerate IT development in Nigeria in view of the increasing relevance of IT in facilitating sustainable development and overall prosperity which aligns with the goals of the Ministry of Communication Technology.
“In particular the focus is on employment generation. NCS intends working with the Federal Government towards creating, conservatively, One Million IT related jobs within the next Five years.
“Again the details and modalities will depend on further discussions with the bank and other stakeholders” he explained. If fully implemented, he said that obviously employment generation from the initiative would boost the economy.
” Due to the strategic nature of IT in driving development it will put people to work in a massive manner. It will therefore improve the security situation and reduce the ills and evils associated with large scale unemployment.
“This is the major area where NCS will like to partner with First Bank. Specifically, we seek to work with you to create an Intervention Fund targeted towards supporting our members involved with PC manufacturing for public PC acquisition programs, LPO financing, capacity development and the other programs mentioned above. If you approve of this initiative, we shall work with you to put in place the modalities of execution and ensuring its success” he explained.
CBN cashless program
He said that the NCS recognised and commended the recent E_Payment Cashless program of CBN, adding that the project would generate 50,000 IT related jobs within the next six months alone. “We expect this program to generate another 250,000 IT related jobs by the end of 2012.
It is not nuclear science, when we say One Million IT related jobs can be created within five years if a third of it is already being created just by the right policies within months.
Challenges
To actualise the proposed IT intervention fund, he said that what is required is leadership and partnership with NCS in this critical area.
“NCS looks forward to leadership buy in from the financial services to make this effort successful. It is a forward looking initiative for job creation and sustainable development. NCS however requires the partnership of financial services stakeholders and regulators. There is a need to approach the fund from a developmental mindset.
“In view of the need to address pressing developmental challenges, seize amazing opportunities for growth in the digital enabled world and enhance the future prospects of the Nigerian economy, the financial sector needs to support IT industry efforts of this nature” he added.
