Technology

Turnover of ICT firms hits N185bn mark


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…50 tertiary institutions get internet link..
Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson says the turnover of information communications technology, ICT companies into the Nigerian economy has reached N185 billion in 2013 and is expected to hit N200 billion by 2015.

The minister disclosed in Abuja at a public function organized in Abuja, and also revealed that the ministry has linked about 50 universities in the country on internet connectivity.
She noted that the increase was necessitated by the new policy drive of the ministry that spurred the increase from N181.8 billion to N183 billion in 2011 and 2012 respectively to the present status.
As part of efforts to encourage innovation and local content, she said that the ministry has made available $15 million as venture capital to ICT with plans to increase it to $50 million by 2015. This according to her, is aimed at encouraging local software manufacturers, innovative hubs, original equipment manufacturers and young entrepreneurs, who are yearning for support.
Mrs. Johnson also announced plans by the ministry to establish information technology, IT incubation centres in six geopolitical zones.
The idea according to her, is to catalyze ICT industry by helping Nigerian ICT entrepreneurs create successful businesses, enable public-private partnership and private-sector managed innovation centres.
With Lagos Centre already launched and Calabar to be launched in July, she assured that the centre would have presence in all the six geopolitical zones in the next two years. On e-government, the minister said that the number of Government services delivered online has increased in the past two years to 45 and is expected to reach 100 by 2015. This is as she said that the number of ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs with effective web sites has also increased to 480 this year and all expected to hook up by 2015.
On device ownership and penetration, she disclosed that the number of personal computers in Nigeria increased from 7.0 percent in 2012 to 12 percent in 2013. In the area of mobile devices, Johnson said that the penetration in Nigeria has moved from 70 percent in 2012 to 82 percent in 2013.
Mrs. Johnson further disclosed that public access venues were not left out in the ministry’s plan to increase access to service all Nigerians. She noted that high number of Nigerians are  excluded from infrastructures that can meet their basic needs, saying that  increasing the spread of ICTs can be a means through which the gap can  be closed.
“There exists an unacceptably high number of  Nigerians that are excluded from infrastructures that can meet their basic needs. Increasing the spread of ICTs can be a means through which this can be corrected. ICTs contribute to increasing social welfare and security by being applicable in the delivery of  education, health, security and other basic needs. Implementation of guidelines on deployment of Public Access Venues is resulting in better coordination and more efficient and equitable spread of resources.
“Approximately, 2,380 PAVs have been established. However, they are not evenly distributed across the country. Some are in very close proximity to one another. We will not rest until all Nigerians gain access,” she said.
On connection of schools to internet services, the minister said that the ministry declared Nigerian students a priority and through its collaboration with Ministry of Education, National University Commission and  Universal Service Provision Fund and the World bank, STEP-B had deployed a fibre-optics research and education network to 27 federal universities, 12 medical colleges, 28 off-campus sites and nine federal universities by September.
The project, she said would be extended to state universities, polytechnics, and colleges of Education  in 2014.
In addition this, she said that Tertiary Institutions Access Project, TIAP has  provided desktop computers, printers, wireless network facilities to tertiary institutions, implemented in 204 institutions from 2010 – 2012 and 74 institutions in 2012, while from this year, TIAP Universities Inter-Campus Connectivity provided fibre connectivity between 17 Nigerian universities and their corresponding medical colleges/teaching hospitals.
The minister who lamented the domination of Nigerian ICT industry by international companies put the Software imports estimated into Nigeria at about US$1bn annually. According to her, foreign ICT industry dominates 70 percent of the PC market share, 100 percent of mobile phone market and 78 percent market share of mobile network operators.

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