Nigeria now manufactures SIM Cards, smartphones ─Minister

*Nigeria has capacity to produce a minimum of 200 million SIM Cards annually… we are producing smartphones, says Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, Honourable Minister for Communications and Digital Economy

Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect

In line with the activation of the Federal Government’s policy direction to have a minimum of 60 to 70 percent telecommunication devices manufactured in the country, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, Honourable Minister for Communications and Digital Economy, has said Nigeria now has the capacity to produce Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Cards and iPhones for the African continent.

Dr. Pantami said henceforth, importation of SIM cards and other 60-70 percent of items needed in telecommunications sector of the country will be produced locally.

The Minister disclosed this development to reporters at a forum at the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress Thursday, June 3, 2021, in Abuja, FCT.

Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, Honourable Minister for Communications and Digital Economy

According to him, Nigeria has capacity to produce a minimum of 200 million SIMs annually.

Pantami said: “We came up with a policy that we wanted Nigeria to in the next two to three years, that a minimum of 60 to 70 percent of what we need in the telecommunications sector, that is going to be produced locally. We have started it.

“When this administration came on board, even SIM cards were imported to Nigeria but as it is today, the Federal Government has provided an enabling environment for the private sector.

“And as it is today, we have the capacity to produce SIM cards not only for our consumption but for the entire African continent.”

The Minister further noted: “We have the capacity to produce a minimum of 200 million SIMS annually.

“We have provided an enabling environment for the private sector to start the production of smartphones. Today in Nigeria, we are producing smartphones.”

He restated the resolve of his Ministry to leverage Information Technology (IT) to boost the Nigerian economy and tackle security challenges in the country.

Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice-Chairman (EVC/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), also said the telecom regulator  is intensifying efforts at tackling the menace of kidnappings and other forms of criminalities in the country.

Danbatta assured that those in indulge in kidnapping would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

He said despite the antics of kidnappers, the NCC has been working in cahoots with security agencies to ensure the wellbeing of the citizenry.

According to him: “Every registered SIM has the biographic and demographic of the holder.

“Once such a SIM is used to perpetrate any crime we can easily through information in the data base be able to come up with the identity of the person who perpetrate the crime. We have been doing that all along.”

The NCC EVC and CEO further stated: “The Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy through the NCC is alive to this important responsibility of containing crimes.

“We provide information about the person committing the crime within the shortest possible time to the relevant security agents in our country.”