People & Money

Nigeria Produced Over 100 Million SIMs in 2022

The Nigerian Communications Commission stated that over the past year, Nigeria has achieved the local production of over 100 million Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards. Aderonke Sola-Ogunsola, the Head of Financing and Stakeholders Engagement Team at the NCC, revealed this information during this year’s AFRICANXT event, which was held on Thursday in Lagos.

Also Read: NCC Convicts Seven in Abuja, Kano Over SIM-Card Offences

In August 2022, the Federal Government of Nigeria announced a ban on the importation of SIM cards into the country leading to a leap in production by local manufacturers. Mrs. Aderonke stated that the locally produced SIM cards have been requested by various telecommunications companies, thereby ending the importation of SIM cards in Nigeria.

During her speech on the topic of “Mandate and Strides Towards Full Digital Economy in Nigeria,” Sola-Ogunsola mentioned that through the Nigeria Telecommunications Indigenous Content Policy of the NCC, Nigeria has the potential to become the SIM card manufacturing hub for West Africa.

Speaking about the indigenous content policy, she noted that the policy was established to foster innovation among young people and to advance the digital economy.

Also Read: New SIM Ban Necessary Despite Adverse Effect on Economy – FG

’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 noted.

The Head of Digital Skills and Services at the NCC, Freda Bruce-Bennett, also spoke at the event. She emphasized that Nigeria is quickly evolving into a digital economy. Bruce-Bennett noted that of the seven tech unicorns in Africa, five are Nigerian companies, including Andela, Flutterwave, Interswitch, Jumia, and Opay. She also noted that the NCC is collaborating with tertiary institutions and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to enhance the capacity of young people.

The Head of Spectrum Administration at the NCC, Abraham Oshadami, speaking at the event emphasized that the growth of a digital economy is dependent on having the necessary infrastructure. He noted that globally, infrastructure serves as the foundation for sufficient broadband penetration. Oshadami pointed out that Nigeria is taking the lead by offering wireless resources, due to the policies that have been put in place to deploy the necessary infrastructure and ensure its effective operation.

Referring to Starlink’s availability in Nigeria, Oshadami noted that Nigeria has distinguished itself in all of Africa by being at the forefront of making resources available for providing high-speed broadband, leveraging satellite technology.

Also Read: MTN, 9mobile to Begin Trial on e-SIM

AFRICANXT, previously known as Social Media Week, is a yearly event that takes place in February. This year’s theme is: “Cooperate. Collaborate. Innovate. Unlocking Our Potential, Ensuring Africa’s Prosperity”.

David Olujinmi

David Olujinmi studies Engineering but his true passion is research and analysis. He writes about finance, particularly the capital market, investment banking, and asset management. More »

Related Articles

Back to top button
Arbiterz

Subscribe to our newsletter!

newsletter

Stay up to date with our latest news and articles.
We promise not to spam you!

You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter

There was an error while trying to send your request. Please try again.

Arbiterz will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide updates and marketing.