Over 100m SIMs produced locally in one year, says NCC

The Nigeria Communications Commission says over 100 million Subscribers Identity Module has so far been produced locally within a year of the first Nigeria Telecommunications Indigenous Content Expo.

This was made known by the NCC’s Head of Financing and Stakeholders Engagement Team, Aderonke Sola-Ogunsola, at this year’s AFRICANXT on Thursday in Lagos.

Sola-Ogunsola spoke on: ‘Mandate and Strides Towards Full Digital Economy in Nigeria’.

She said that through the Nigeria  Telecommunications  Indigenous  Content of the NCC,  the country could serve as a manufacturer of SIM in West Africa.

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According to her, over 100 millions of SIMs have been ordered by various telecommunications  companies putting an end to the importation of SIM and an attainment of a fully digital economy in Nigeria.

Sola-Ogunsola said at the 2022 indigenous content expo in Lagos, the Federal Government banned the importation of SIMs.

She said the Nigeria Telecommunications Indigenous Content was put in place to encourage innovation among the youths and promote the digital economy.

“There is the need to ensure individuals, businesses, and the nation harness derivable benefits and the opportunities offered by the emergent digital culture, to improve quality of life, grow businesses, and leapfrog the national economy.

“This remains the overarching objective of government policies, plans, and strategies,” she said.

The Head, Digital Skills and Services, NCC, Freda Bruce-Bennett, said Nigeria was rapidly becoming  a digital economy.

Bruce-Bennett  said out of seven unicorns, Nigeria had five which were Andela, Flutterwave, Interswitch, Jumia and Opay

According to her, the NCC is working with campuses and the National Youth  Service  Corp on how youths could build their capacity.

Head, Spectrum Administration, NCC, Abraham Oshadami, said digital economy  could not exist without infrastructure because globally infrastructure was the bedrock for adequate broadband penetration.

Oshadami said Nigeria  had taken the lead by providing  wireless resources because there were policies to deploy the infrastructure  and make them work.

According  to him, Nigeria has done so well in the entire Africa by being at the forefront of making resources available to provide high dosed broadband leveraging  on satellite and technology.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the ongoing AFRICANXT, formerly called Social Media Week, is an annual event held in February.

This year’s theme is: ‘Cooperate. Collaborate. Innovate. Unlocking Our Potential, Ensuring Africa’s Prosperity’.

NAN