News
Local Content: FG Pushes for Local Production of SIM Cards, Others
The federal government is worried that very little of the $18 billion Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the telecom sector over the years is retained in the country and has begun moves for local content policy, guidelines and legislation.
The government has also set an implementation date of January 2013, by which time; it expects to commence local production of subscriber identity module, base station transreceiver station (BTS), debit, credit and other payment cards.
Already, the Ministry of Communications Technology and key players in the industry are in discussions with offshore companies that are interested in establishing local companies to manufacture devices. It is also discussing with the Ministries of Finance and Trade and Investment on the most appropriate import and tax regime as an incentive for local manufacture.
Mrs. Omobola Johnson, Minister of Communications Technology, said, “The larger proportion of these cards are imported and sometimes personalised outside this country. There are a number of local companies that have the capacity to not only produce cards but also personalise them. Direct interventions must be made to ensure that a significant share of this market is captured by firms operating in Nigeria with of course the necessary high security assurances in place.”
She said that there was very high possibility that with the roll out of the cashless economy spearheaded by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the banking industry, the national and state identity management schemes and other card based services and the growing telecoms industry come 2015 or thereabouts, Nigeria could have close to 500 million chip cards in circulation.
The ICT industry contributed 5.6 per cent to gross domestic product (GDP) in 2011.
The industry has grown at an average of 30 per cent a year for the last two years making it one of the fastest growing sectors in the Nigerian economy.
Most of this growth comes from telecoms which have recorded over 90 million subscribers from about 400,000 in 10 years.
According to her, “The local content agenda that we are developing in the MCT and will soon operationalise is not so much a protectionist agenda but one that places priority on the development of our local industries by levelling the playing field or better still making it more advantageous for companies in Nigeria to do business with other companies in Nigeria.”
She noted that there were some unfortunate anomalies in the ICT industry. “It is cheaper to import a base station than to fabricate one in Nigeria. It is cheaper to import a chip card than to make and personalise them here. It is cheaper and many times more expedient to bring in a skilled resource from any part of the world than to invest in the training and capacity building of Nigerians.”
She stated that in a country with an addressable market of over 100 million in the ICT industry, only a miniscule percentage of devices that were used to access voice or data ICT infrastructure is made or assembled in Nigeria.
It is clear that liberalisation and private sector participation would not guarantee domestic value creation especially in industries where domestic value added was not significant in the first place,” the minister said.
She added that there was need for a deliberate focus, emphasis and approach to ensure that this happened as has been demonstrated by the local oil and gas industry. “In the recent past we have seen many examples of countries that are creating local jobs by stimulating local economies through increasing domestic productivity,” she added.
The Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) and the Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB) have enjoined banks to further deepen and prioritize financial inclusion, women’s empowerment and sustained growth through strategic mandates and frameworks, aimed at closing the financial gap and empowering more small, and medium enterprise (MSME) owners.
Both organisations made this call during a courtesy visit to the newly invested 24th President and Chairman of Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dr. Dele Alabi, Ph.D, FCIB, as part of plans to congratulate him on his investiture as well as seek a stronger alliance between both bodies.
The visit followed Alabi’s investiture where he unveiled his “IMPACT” Vision, themed “Consolidating Our Local Impact, Enhancing Our Global Relevance.”
The vision rests on six pillars: Inclusion across geographic, gender, and generational lines; Membership growth and quality; Professionalism and ethics; Accountability; Competencies and skills development; Technology, automation, and innovation. Other areas of shared interest, include women empowerment, financial inclusion and literacy, as well as MSME clinics, all of which are top on his agenda.
Alabi explained that under him, the institute will be prioritising financial inclusion and women empowerment, because of its realisation that women are often the primary financial managers and caregivers in families. Access to savings, micro-credit, and insurance acts as a safety net during crisis and allows them to significantly improve living conditions.
He added that CIBN would be happy to drive joint knowledge sharing and exchange sessions with CBN and ACAMB across various platforms. “Educating the public through public awareness programmes, with ACAMB as the rallying point, is central to what we do,” he noted.
ACAMB President, Jide Sipe, who led the delegation, spoke in unison with the CIBN president, as he noted that, closing the inbalances in financial access help economies grow faster, reduces inequality, and encourages greater civic participation by all.
Lagos State has become the first sub-national government in Nigeria to establish a comprehensive Greenhouse Gas Registry, a move aimed at strengthening climate governance, improving emissions accountability and accelerating the state’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
The Lagos State Greenhouse Gas Registry (LGHGR) was unveiled at the Central Business District, Alausa, Ikeja, at a ceremony attended by Prof. Akin Abayomi, commissioner for Health, members of the State Executive Council, representatives of the Federal Ministry of Environment, development partners, TPHG Technologies, the diplomatic and business communities, academics, civil society organisations and the media.
Describing the initiative as a landmark achievement in the state’s environmental sustainability drive, Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, general manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), said the Registry marks a defining moment in Lagos’ climate action journey and reflects Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to building a resilient, climate-smart and environmentally sustainable economy.
According to Ajayi, the digital platform will enable the state to accurately measure, monitor, report and verify greenhouse gas emissions across key sectors, providing credible data to guide environmental policies and climate interventions.
He said the Registry would strengthen evidence-based decision-making, improve transparency and accountability, support national and international climate reporting obligations, unlock carbon market opportunities and boost investor confidence in Lagos’ environmental initiatives.
Ajayi also commended TPHG Technologies for providing the technical expertise that made the pioneering project possible.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Abayomi described the Registry as a major milestone that positions Lagos at the forefront of climate governance and emissions accountability in both Nigeria and Africa.
He noted that climate change has evolved into a significant public health and governance challenge, stressing that access to reliable emissions data would enable the state to formulate evidence-based policies, attract climate financing, strengthen resilience and accelerate its transition to a low-carbon economy.
Providing insights into the technical framework of the project, Dr. Mofoluso Fagbeja, lead consultant and chief executive officer, TPHG Technologies, explained that the Registry was developed from the greenhouse gas inventory jointly undertaken by LASEPA and TPHG Technologies in 2022, using 2019 as the baseline year for emissions assessment.
He said the platform is designed to close critical emissions data gaps, particularly within the industrial sector, while supporting effective climate policy implementation, emissions management and sustainable development.
Fagbeja also disclosed that the greenhouse gas inventory estimated that poor air quality contributes to about 35,000 premature deaths annually in Lagos, underscoring the urgent need for stronger emissions control measures and cleaner environmental practices.
In a goodwill message, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, minister of Environment, represented by Mrs. Adenaike Olunimpe Oludunni, federal controller of Environment in Lagos, commended Lagos State for pioneering the initiative, describing it as a significant contribution to Nigeria’s climate commitments.
He said the Registry aligns with the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement and supports the Federal Government’s Energy Transition Plan, while reaffirming the ministry’s commitment to deeper collaboration with Lagos State on climate governance and environmental sustainability.
A recently released Henley Passport Index 2026, showed that Nigerian citizens can travel to at least 20 destinations outside the African continent where entry is allowed either visa-free, with a visa on arrival (VOA) at no extra cost, or via an e-visa.
This expanded access opens doors for Nigerian travellers to experience countries in the Caribbean, Asia, and beyond with greater ease.
Below is a comprehensive guide to countries outside Africa which Nigerian passport holders can visit without a traditional visa.
Visa-Free Countries outside Africa for Nigerian Passport Holders:
Barbados
Cambodia – Visa on arrival
Comoros Islands – Visa on arrival
Cook Islands
Dominica
Fiji
Haiti
Iran – Visa on arrival
Kiribati
Lebanon
Maldives – Visa on arrival
Micronesia
Montserrat
Niue – Visa on arrival
Palau Islands – Visa on arrival
Samoa – Visa on arrival
St. Kitts and Nevis
Timor-Leste – Visa on arrival
Tuvalu
Vanuatuul
Fact-Check: Elon Musk’s “Tesla Pi Phone” is Internet Rumor
Dangote Plans to Donate One-Third of Wealth to Charity as Legacy
NDPC Directs DCPMIs to Register with Agency or Face Legal Consequences
Malpass, Ex World Bank Chief Raises Alarm over Nigeria’s Secretive Debt Structures
How and Why Apps Deplete Data – ALTON
NRC, Ponzi Scheme Collapses Resulting Loss of Billions of Naira
EFCC Busts NIS Visa Overstay Racket, Uncovers N700m in an Account
Tokenization, Blockchain Technology will Transform Financial Institutions – IMF
From Scarcity to Scale: What Africa Can Learn from India’s Agricultural Transformation
BON Establishes Six Ad Hoc Committees to Modernize Broadcasting
News2 days agoSee Verified 20 Countries Nigerian Passport Holders Can Travel Visa-Free
E-Business2 days agoReport Says Cybercriminals Deploy Malware to Hijack Crypto Wallets, Monitor Browsers Telegram
Telecom2 days agoSubscribers, Telcos Warn FCCPC over Airtime Lending Enforcement
Telecom2 days agoNCC, REA Partner to Cut Telecom Costs with Renewable Energy
E-Business2 days agoNPC Opens 131 Births, Deaths Registration Centres in Anambra
General News2 days agoAfDB, Nigeria Urge African Control of Mineral Resources
General News2 days agoLagos Chamber Opposes 21 Percent Pension Contribution, Warns of Job Losses
Telecom2 days agoNigeria Pushes for United African Front Ahead of Global Telecoms Elections