NITDA: How RLG closed Nigeria equipment manufacture deal

Mr. Peter Jack, the Managing Director of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has explained why RLG Communications Limited, was issued operating license by the Nigerian IT agency for the manufacture computers and other ICT devices in the country.

“After the site inspection, the company’s products were subjected to rigorous tests. The tests were carried out on both the hardware and software. Though there were some observations made on the products, the general assessment is that the products are of world class standard. It was based on these assessments that NITDA decided to issue a license to the company”, Jack says noting that the road to the issuance of the RLG license “was tasking and tedious because the agency had to subject the company’s products to various regulatory tests before the certification was issued.”

According to the NITDA top brass, “the application for the accreditation was received sometime in 2014 and after a meticulous consideration of the application, NITDA undertook an on the spot assessment of the plant and facilities of the company.”

[blockquote right=”pull-right” cite=”Peter Jack, CEO of NITDA”]“After the site inspection, the company’s products were subjected to rigorous tests. The tests were carried out on both the hardware and software. Though there were some observations made on the products, the general assessment is that the products are of world class standard. It was based on these assessments that NITDA decided to issue a license to the company.”[/blockquote]

According to him, “after the site inspection, the company’s products were subjected to rigorous tests. The tests were carried out on both the hardware and software. Though there were some observations made on the products, the general assessment is that the products are of world class standard. It was based on these assessments that NITDA decided to issue a license to the company.”

Although the NITDA chief admits he was aware of the harsh environment in which ICT firms operated in Nigeria, he warned the licensed company against reducing the standard of its products.

Jack says that NITDA was ready and willing to partner with original equipment manufacturers to achieve greater productivity, adding that that local content was put in place to assist them.

“I dare state that the OEMs must comply with the guidelines put in place by NITDA,” he said, expressing concern over reports on breakdown and malfunctioning of personal computers assembled in the country.

While receiving the operating licence from NITDA, the RLG’s Regional Communications Director for West and Central Africa, Mr. Tosin Ilesanmi, said the certification of the company’s products would save Nigeria from being a perennial dumping ground for sub-standard and pirated products.

“The certification will also instill confidence in the ICT sector and allow the emergence of a truly regulated sector in the country”, he says adding that, “we started the process of getting certified by NITDA on April 15, 2014 and it has taken us this long to get certified as a lot of processes had to be followed.”

The Director-General of NITDA says the agency’s drive is to promote innovations and create job opportunities through ICT in Nigeria

NITDA was established by the Federal Government to create a framework for the planning, research, development, standardisation, application, coordination, monitoring, evaluation and regulation of information technology practices, activities and systems in Nigeria, Jack says.