By The Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson has decried the dominance of Nigeria’s ICT industry by foreign companies. According to her, international companies control 70 per cent of Nigeria’s PC market and 100 per cent of the mobile phone market, while more than 70 per cent of the mobile network operators are owned by foreign companies.
“Now please don’t get me wrong, the presence of international companies is necessary and it is a good thing especially in a sector as global and advanced as the ICT sector but when it gets to a point where companies owned by Nigerians are playing at the fringes of a very lucrative and fast growing market, then government has to intervene and we have done this in a very purposeful and deliberate manner,” she added.
The minister who spoke in Lagos at the recent International Forum on Accelerating Nationwide Broadband Access in Nigeria organised by Broadband Rights Project – Africa, in collaboration with the Openmedia Group and Atlantic Telecoms & Media Ltd identified four priorities to achieve broadband diffusion. She listed Connect Nigeria, Connect Nigerians, Local Content and ICT in governance as the four priorities that will position the ICT sector for high to medium growth and in turn have high to medium capacity to create jobs and wealth.
“Focusing on these four priorities will enable us deliver a digital revolution that will be broader, deeper and much more impactful than the telecoms revolution that we are ever so proud of,” said Johnson.
