The Computer and Allied Products Dealers Association of Nigeria (CAPDAN), has urged the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to consider upgrading the computer village market in Lagos to a technology hub, where people will be trained on local manufacturing of computer and allied products.
Computer village which is known as a hub for Communications and Information Technology devices business, was described as an asset to Nigerian economy and a critical and important value in the country
CAPDAN Chairman speaking at the event during the visit of NCC to CAPDAN yesterday, Comrade Ojikutu Ahmed Adeniyi, said there was need for NCC to collaborate with CAPDAN to train young and talented traders at the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) that is currently being managed by NCC across the country.
According to him, “the activities of computer village goes beyond selling of mobile devices. It is a hub where a lot of technical activities go on, the level of repairs, refurbishment and software-related activities that are carried out here entails skills that are at par with the expertise needed for manufacturing mobile devices from scratch.”
He added that “computer village provides the highest number of ICT solutions in Nigeria and Africa at large. The market, also known as the hardware capital of Africa employs the highest number of graduates in any market in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.
“NCC should leverage on such expertise to contribute to the Nigerian economy and upgrading it to a replica of what is obtainable at Silicon Valley or India’s Bangalore. This will also enhance and grow the manufacturing and innovative potential of the market”, Adeniyi said.
Also speaking, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of NCC, Prof Umar Danbatta, accepted the proposal and promised to work with CAPDAN to upgrade the Lagos Computer Village to a Technology Hub, that will accommodate technology incubation and development, geared towards growing indigenous technology that will address national and global needs.
Danbatta was pleased with the contribution of ICT to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), and assured CAPDAN of the willingness of NCC to assist its members in the area of training and capacity building. He added that the DBI would remain open for collaboration and training; he also commended the efforts of CAPDAN for making the telecomm industry a vibrant one.
