James Emejo
26 September 2007
Lagos — The Information Technology Association of Nigeria ITAN, has advocated that the $185 One Child Per Laptop initiative and other such foreign based laptops should not be patronized by the Nigerian government. ITAN in a communiqué released at the end of its one day IT future summit stated that the initiative would not benefit Nigeria in terms of jobs creation. Local alternatives according to him should be engaged.
The communique signed by the President of ITAN Jimson Olufuye also called for the rejuvenation of Computer In Schools Initiative (CISI) with "CEO CISI" with the adoption of a school by a CEO for a period of at least 2 years. Amongst other initiatives canvassed by ITAN for the restructuring, repositioning and retooling for Vision 20: 2020; with particular focus on the Information Technology Industry; include the commissioning of yearly Research on IT Development/Penetration in Nigeria with support from donor agencies, the commitment to building an IT Industry House in Abuja and the creation of a building fund and the creation of a yearly Mega-Exhibition in collaboration with ECOWAS and other stake holders.
ITAN also called for adherence to the payment of its yearly subscription fees by members as well as the yearly endorsement of products like Notebooks, Desktops, Servers, Network products, UPS, Productivity softwares etc, as well as an endorsement fee to be determined by NEC. The association further called for the conduction of the following yearly events like the Enhancing IT Penetration in Nigeria (EITPIN) Seminar which holds around last Thursday/Friday in March, IT Future: between 2nd & last Thursday/Friday in September and the Local/International Trade Tours which holds in October/November of every year as well as the establishment of a monthly ITAN Newsletter.
The summit had made a case for the adoption of locally made computers in Nigeria by Nigerians to enable an IT compliant nation manned by digitally compliant Nigerians. The Chief Executive Officers who gathered at the one day summit in Lagos made a case for locally made computers and called for more patronage of local brands by Nigerians. Prof Cleopas Angaye, the Director General of the National Information Technology Agency NITDA had stated that there was a great demand and emerging market for investors in the Nigerian IT industry. He made a call fornecessary mechanisms to be put in place to be part of the IT huge market.
He also stated that the public-private-policy of the federal government was a good platform for all stakeholders to be part of the process of adequately positioning Nigeria in the global IT industry. He however stated that the survival of Information Technology depends a great deal on the power sector stressing that the success of the measures taken by Government to address the power issue will further guarantee effective IT development in the sector.
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