Lagos — Operators of mobile phones maintenance centres have called on the Federal Government to expand its investment in the communication sub-sector to improve the industry's capacity to provide sustainable employment for Nigerians.

They said in Lagos on Monday that the investment expansion and re-injection of funds would create ingenuity and professionalism needed for the development of another African silicon valley.

Mr Saint Wisdom, an executive member of Global System of Mobile Communication Technologists Association of Nigeria, Lagos said the profession of telephone maintenance was not only profitable, but was an avenue for a new technical entrepreneurship.

Wisdom said that the new entrepreneurs were shifting from mere telephones sales to the domestication of telephone maintenance and the evolution of telephones technicians.

He said that the demand for cellular phones technicians and the attendant new wealth creation window would continue to be high, as long as international telephone companies continued to access the Nigerian market.

"The future of mobile phone maintenance is bright in the country, with the massive importation of fairly used phones into the country. I want the government to explore this sub-sector.

"It is a profitable venture because on a good day I realise an average of N7,000, which is enough to take care of my family," Wisdom said.

Mr Taiwo Waheed, another mobile phone technician, said that the telephone revolution in Nigeria since 2001 had created a new level of business in technological development.

Waheed, who repairs and trains many Nigerian youths, also describe telephone technicians as cash cows.

"I have trained many youths, who are interested in earning a living in this profession and am willing to train as many as possible as a way of reducing unemployment," Waheed said.

Mr Adesina Suleima, a phone technician, said that opportunities abound in the trade in spite of the nation's poor investment in telecommunication.

"Government should create a mobile phone assembly centre, where youths will be engaged on how to maintain and assemble telephones; it will enhance the economy of this country.

"Government can invite experts from Europe and China to train the youths and provide them with the necessary tools.

"The training and acquisition of new skills will help to reduce crime to a minimum in the country," he said.

Suleima said that the influx of substandard spare parts and poor electricity supply were frustrating the business.

He also urged the government to monitor the activities of telephone importers and improve the electricity supply nationwide to boost the new wealth creation window. (NAN)