By Charles Mgbolu

Research In Motion RIM; makers of the Blackberry range of smart phones has through it’s regional director- east, central and west Africa Mr. Waldi Wepener announce to ICT journalists in Lagos that the company as part of attempts to fully have the company and phones more localised in the country intends to work closely with Nigerian software developers.

Our reporter asked if RIM had identified any of these software developers and Mr Wepener answered in the affirmative. He said “We have met with some of them severally and intend to stay in contact with them.

We also plan to identify many more of them when we begin to organise application contests specifically for developers in the country. This should encourage them to run applications for the Blackberry phone”

Mr Wepener disclosed that he had visited the ICT market in Ikeja, Lagos also known as the computer village and was stunned by what he saw. He said “It is a most vibrant market filled with so many people.

I was particularly thrilled when I saw Blackberry phones everywhere from organised shops and dealer centers to men under umbrellas beside the road. It was a good feeling.”

Mr Wepener said new market campaigns on the Blackberry range of smartphones will kick off soon, to leverage extensively on the computer village. This quickly brought up the issue of refurbished and fake phones which had thrived in the market. He however did not admit that Blackberry has fakes but said even it were so, it proved that his products were good

RIM’s yearly revenue had gone up by 53% with over a billion dollars in their account. The company boasts of 67 million users and subscribers globally especially with the introduction of the Blackberry Bold launched three months ago.