The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced that all SIM cards used in Nigeria are now manufactured locally.
Babagana Digima, the head of new media and information security at NCC, made this announcement during a two-day training session for media executives in Lagos, titled “Upskilling Media Stakeholders on Trends in Telecommunications.”
Digima emphasized that this milestone reflects NCC’s commitment to promoting local content and encouraging indigenous participation in the telecommunications sector.
This initiative has been facilitated by the Nigeria Office for Development in Indigenous Telecommunications Sector (NORDIT).
“Two years ago, nearly 99 to 100 percent of SIM cards in Nigeria were imported. However, with the establishment of NORDIT, we prioritized the local manufacturing of SIM cards. We directed all mobile network operators (MNOs) to source their SIM cards locally. As of now, 100 percent of all SIM cards used in Nigeria are manufactured domestically,” Digima stated.
As the former head of NORDIT, Digima noted that the commission, through NORDIT, has been advocating for increased indigenous participation in the telecom sector.
NORDIT has also provided grants and incentives to support local companies in the industry.
Aminu Maida, the executive vice-chairman of NCC, also addressed the media executives. Represented by Abraham Oshadami, the executive commissioner of technical services at NCC, Maida explained that the initiative to upskill media executives aims to bridge the understanding gap between the commission and the public.
“The success of our industry relies on proper enlightenment and education. Your role as media professionals is crucial. This training will help you understand the commission’s operations, interventions, and challenges, enabling you to better inform consumers,” he said.
The training also aimed to develop a reliable database of key media partners and foster strategic relationships with media stakeholders.
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