NCDMB inaugurates ICTLOCA to protect local ICT practitioners

The Nigerian Content Consultative Forum ICT (NCCF-ICT) sectorial working group by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has inaugurated recently the ICT Local Content Association (ICTLOCA) at the stakeholders meeting in Lagos.

ICTLOCA is the association responsible for the protection of interest of local ICT practitioners, enforcement and implementation of the NOGICD Act and other local content policies of government on the use and deployment of indigenous Information Communication Technology products and services in the oil and gas sector and other sectors of the Nigerian economy for the benefit of local ICT practitioners.

The executives of the association inaugurated include Barr. Akinwale Akingbade – President, Ms. Olubusayo Atoki – Vice President, Adebunmi Akinbo – Secretary, Gbolahan Awonuga – Treasurer and Mrs. Abibat Olatunji – Legal Adviser
The ICT Local Content Association mandate is to ensure that ICT practitioners are allowed to benefit from the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, which has provided them the right and platform to participate in the provisions of ICT goods and services in the oil and gas sector.

The body which represents the interest of ICT practitioners in the oil and gas sector is also to tap into the over $190 billion local content market following the creation of the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum ICT (NCCF-ICT) sectorial working group by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).

The Local Content Act allows Nigerian ICT players to provide 75 percent rental of communication lines, 85 percent telecommunication subscription services; 95 percent of public address system services as well as 75 percent of other information system/ IT services.

The Act allows Nigerian IT practitioners who are to provide up to 45 percent of network installation/support services. 51 percent of software development and support services, 51 percent of computer-based modeling services, 51 percent of computer-based simulation/training programmes services and 51 percent of CAL/CAP services.

Others include 50 percent of hardware installation support services, 50 percent of operating system installation/support services, 60 percent of user support/help desk services, 70 percent of library service, 50 percent of IT management consultancy services, 50 percent of data management services, 60 percent of telecommunication installation/support services and 60 percent of data and message transmitting services.

There is lack of awareness/information about the provisions of the NOGICD Act. The Act, in recognizing the importance of IT/ICT to the oil and gas sector specifically in section 58(f) of the Act, directed the NCDMB to set up the NCCF- ICT required to consist of stakeholders, government and regulatory agencies in the ICT.

According to Section 12 of the NOGICD Act, Nigerians are to be given first consideration for the provisions of goods and services in the sector.