The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria has thrown its weight behind the Nigerian Communications Commission’s push for local smartphone manufacturing, saying the initiative could significantly boost digital inclusion, create jobs and position Nigeria as a technology manufacturing hub.
ALTON Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, gave the endorsement on Saturday while reacting to the call by the Chairman of the NCC Governing Board, Idris Olorunnimbe, for increased local smartphone production and innovative financing models to make devices more affordable.
Adebayo described the proposal as a practical response to one of the biggest barriers to digital inclusion in Nigeria, noting that smartphone affordability had overtaken network coverage and data costs as the major obstacle to broadband adoption.
He said Nigeria must deliberately shift from being a consumer of technology to becoming a producer, innovator and exporter of digital technologies.
“Our ambition should extend beyond assembling devices. We must pursue genuine knowledge transfer, research and development, product engineering, software development, semiconductor capabilities and large-scale manufacturing,” he said.
According to him, Nigeria possesses the population size, telecommunications market and youthful workforce needed to build a globally competitive technology manufacturing industry.
He said the country’s long-term objective should be to produce smartphones and other digital technologies not only for domestic consumption but also for export across Africa and the global market.
Adebayo said the emergence of Artificial Intelligence had further strengthened Nigeria’s opportunity to become a major technology manufacturing destination.
He explained that AI was already transforming manufacturing through improved product design, quality assurance, supply chain management and customer experience.
He noted that investments in AI-enabled production would improve productivity, create high-value jobs and strengthen Nigeria’s competitiveness.
The telecom operators’ chairman also backed the NCC’s proposal to tackle the proliferation of counterfeit and non-type-approved devices.
He described the grey market as a major challenge affecting consumers, original equipment manufacturers and the telecommunications ecosystem.
According to him, robust local manufacturing supported by strong quality standards and effective type approval would provide credible alternatives to substandard imported devices while boosting consumer confidence.
“This will strengthen consumer protection, improve network performance, retain greater value within our economy and stimulate industrial growth,” he said.
Adebayo further endorsed innovative smartphone financing models, improved device management systems and identity-enabled credit frameworks, saying they would enable more Nigerians to own quality smartphones through affordable payment plans.
He said telecom operators were ready to partner with the government, manufacturers, financiers, investors, academia and development partners to establish a sustainable local manufacturing ecosystem.
“The initiative represents a national economic transformation agenda capable of creating jobs and strengthening Nigeria’s position in the global digital economy,” he added.
Olorunnimbe had, during the Digital Africa Summit Roundtable in Shanghai, argued that Nigeria’s biggest digital inclusion challenge was no longer network coverage or data affordability but the high cost of smartphones.
He urged coordinated efforts involving local manufacturing, trusted devices, financing and policy reforms to accelerate broadband penetration and unlock the country’s digital economy.
