By Emeka Aginam

THE Federal Government’s push to promote local content in Information Communication Technology, ICT, has started yielding expected results as leading computer manufacturing companies in Nigeria have come together to establish an organization tagged Certified Computer Manufacturers of Nigeria, CCMON.

The OEMs, including Brian Integrated Systems, BETA computers, OMATEK computers, VEDA technologies and ZINOX Technologies said the aim of the union was to aggregate and champion their support of the government’s local content in ICT policy.

The PC manufactures stated that with CCMON there will be a unified platform to drive their operations to the highest international quality standards that will lead to increased capacity to meet local and export demands.

The coordinator of CCMON, Mr. Bode Pedro, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of VEDA technologies at the weekend said that the coming together of local OEMs has been in the pipeline for quite some time, adding that now is the right time for the synergy because of the renewed impetus of the government towards the support and growth of local Nigerian content in ICT.

“The main objectives of CCMON include working with all relevant stakeholders to grow the capacity of Nigeria Computer manufacturers that will generate increased employment, strengthening the Naira and grow our local economy”, he said.

In meeting these objectives, he said that the group had pledged to work closely with NITDA, Office for Nigerian Content in Information Technology (ONC), the Ministry of Communication and the office of the Vice President (VP) that heads the nation’s economic team to ensure that the laudable objectives of the governments guidelines on local content adoption in ICT is properly implemented to the benefit of the country.