Minister wants importation of substandard IT products stopped

The Minister ofCommunicationTechnology, Mrs Omobola Johnson, has inaugurated a technical committee that is expected to develop a framework for technical standards for Nigeria 's ICT industry.Speaking at the committee inauguration event in Abuja last week, she expressed hope that this would arrest rampant dumping of substandard products in the Nigerian market.The minister hinted that her ministry would also raise a private sector lead committee to develop a framework and template to establish a pilot scheme of Technology Incubation Centres for Nigeria.According to Mr Olusola Teniola, an engineer and Chief Operating Officer of Phase3 Telecom, who represented ATCON at the inauguration, 'there is indeed the need for experts in government, academia, and the private sector to pull together to solve the issue of Nigeria being a dumping ground for sub-standard IT products and services.'This step by Mrs Omobola indicates her appointment was the right one as she seems loaded with what it takes to fix ICT issues in Nigeria.She has reeled out roadmap, and not long ago, at the West African ICT Conference (WAFICT) she stated that the government was considering the development of a National ICT broadband network and another National network for Education and Research, which requires the setting up of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) for implementation.'She also hoped that the ongoing ICT Policy harmonisation by the ministry would provide the necessary legal framework for the operation of the SPVs.
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