DG NITDA Frowns At Over Dependency on Foreign Technologies

The Director General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami restates his commitment towards promotion of IT local content technologies, and daunt dependence on foreign technology in Nigeria.

The DG made this known when the management team of National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), paid a working visit to the Agency’s Corporate Headquarters in Abuja to partner NITDA on IT regulation in the country.

Dr Pantami informed that NITDA is a clearing house for all IT projects in Nigeria, adding that, it is an offence to import any IT component into the country without seeking for clearance from NITDA.

The NITDA boss lamented on the high rate of dependence on foreign technology, “Nigeria is projected to spend N120Billion by the year 2020 on importation of foreign technologies” he said.

“It is a collective responsibility to promote our IT local content and discourage the use of foreign technologies to boost the strength of Naira.

“Our president is behind any project that is of national interest and of great benefit to Nigerians”. He added

Pantami further revealed that NITDA established the Office of Nigerian Content in Information Technology (ONC) a semi-autonomous organisation charged with a mandate to develop, promote and monitor local content technologies in Nigeria.

Dr. DanAzumi Mohammed Ibrahim, Director General NOTAP speaking earlier said that NOTAP’s major mandate is to regulate the inflow of foreign technology into the country.

NOTAP also bemoaned the volume of money leaving the country in form of capital flight,” NOTAP through Evaluation, Registration of Technology Transfer Agreement has saved the country N182Billion, he said.

A committee was set up with members selected from both organisations to closely work together and come up with recommendations on how to further reduce the dependency on foreign technologies.