The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion, NOTAP, says it has remitted about N20 billion into the national treasury in the past 12 to 18 months of its operation.
The Director General of NOTAP, Dr. Umar Bindir disclosed this in his office, while briefing newsmen on the proposed joint conference with telecommunication service providers on regulation of foreign technologies. Bindir said the achievement was made possible due to the renewed drive of the agency to optimize utilization of right technologies and empowering the local champions.
He said NOTAP had in the last 12 to 18 months alone, remitted the said amount from those companies that have respected the law establishing NOTAP and presented their agreements for registration in NOTAP,with their approvals amounting to between 10 to 20 billion naira payments for technology transferred in the sector.
On the proposed conference, the NOTAP Boss said the two days event is aimed at partnering with the telecommunication companies in the country on respect for Nigerian laws, right pricing and engaging 40 percent of locals on technology utilization and transfer by foreign companies.
The two days event which holds in Lagos will also focus on the modalities for sourcing and importation of foreign technologies by all the operating companies in Nigeria with a view to ensure that the interest of Nigeria is fully protected.
According to Bindir, Nigeria has no reason to import technology if only the right technologies and allowed into the country and steps are taken empower Nigerian inventors and patronize them, especially in this era when ICT has become one of the fastest growing sector of the economy.
“This inflow of technology became necessary because our country wants to be industrialized, our country wants to manufacture consumable goods, our country wants to ensure that we provide goods and services for our people and development of our country to the next level.
“ I am not happy to report that nearly, if not 100- per cent of the technology required to drive this highly functional sector is actually source from outside Nigeria and the range of technology, includes soft ware, meaning computer programmes from simple to sophisticated levels.
It included specialised electronic computer programmes, hardware, very complicated facilities; it even includes landing fibre optic from the sea to as well as the distribution.
It even includes installation of sophisticated masts all over the country to host some of these facilities of the service providers like Airtel, Mtn, Emerging Market Telecom services, Glo.
