By Emeka Aginam

STRONG indications have emerged that the market for Original Equipment Manufacturers, (OEMs) will be attractive again as the Federal Government has disclosed that it would resuscitate Import Duty Waivers for OEMs with established assembly status in IT devices .

Communication Technology Minister, Omobola Johnson who visited the Computer Village last week in Lagos told officials of Computer and Allied Products Dealers Association of Nigeria, (CAPDAN) that any dealer who can prove established assembly status in IT devices will get import duty waiver on CKD systems.

Local PC assemblers
Presently, the four local PCs assemblers in the country — Beta Computers, Brian Computers, Zinox and Omatek — are the IT firms that have established assemble status in IT devices having been approved by the government to supply hardware devices in public and private establishments.

Work with CAPDAN to push local devices
The Minister also disclosed that the Federal Government would work with CAPDAN on how best to push more local brands in not less 500 shops retails shops in the Nigerian Silicon Valley, the Computer Village Ikeja. Johnson also told CAPDAN officials that there was need to push Nigerian brands into the local market said to be the toast of international community as a result of its large market.

The Minister who was excited on what she saw in the market having visited big players like Brian Computer, IT World, Slot, Micro Stations among others said that, “We will work with your association to push local brands in the market. We need to create local demands. This is an important market for the country but noted on the need to sanitize the market to attract more international players already scrambling for space in the market said to be congested.

Relocation of Computer Village
Speaking on the relocation of Computer Village to a new site to accommodate more dealers, the Minister noted that it is a state government issue. “We need to talk to the Lagos State Government on how best to make the market more exciting and enjoyable both for the buyers and sellers. It is not a national government issue and I know that the Lagos State Government is working closely with the market” she explained.

Value change
Acknowledging the fact that the market is congested, the noted that there was need for value change in a way of sanitizing the market and pushing local brands in the market.

According to the Minister, “My biggest disappointment here is there are not enough Nigerian devices in this retail shops. The market is congested but I do know that the Lagos State Government is putting more attention in computer village. We need to work on how best to push more local brands in this market

“Before you enter the shops here, the experience is not usually good but when you enter the shops eventually, the experience is really looks nice. We have to change this. There is need to create good retail experience especially for the visitors” she said.

Even with the relocation saga that has been dragging for many years, it would be recalled that Ikeja computer village makes Ikeja itself stand out from other towns in Lagos,the so-called largest IT market in West Africa. Like other well known markets in Lagos it is very busy and rowdy. But it differs greatly from other markets in that it is home to the major dealers of Mobile Phones and computers as well as their accessories.