NIGERIA: There are indeed very strong indications that the market for locally manufactured personal computers in the country will soon get a huge boost as the minister of Communications and Technology, Omobola Johnson, at the weekend unfolded plans b Super Uniqe CB Product: Turnkey Real Estate Flyers Package y the Federal Government to partner with Nigeria -based indigenous PC manufacturers, including Beta Computers Limited, on a Students PC ownership scheme. Johnson gave this indication when she visited th Speedstar Computers brand manufacturing plant of Beta Computers Limited. She disclosed that the scheme was a public- private arrangement expected to equip Nigerian students, in tertiary institutions for the first phase, with notebook computers and relevant content and broad band connectivity needed to face the challenges of bridging the digital divide and emerging world knowledge economy. The minister who was excited by the motorised conveyor driven assembly plant of Beta Computers assured that the scheme when fully implemented would create thousands of jobs in the country for a lot of Nigerians who would be involved in not only the manufacture of the these computers, but also in distribution, sales and support of the deployed computers. Earlier in his response, the managing director of Beta Computers, Will Anyaegbunam was full of praise for the minister for conceiving the laudable scheme and the methodological way and thoughtfulness that is very evident in her approach to its implementation. He assured her that “We are ready to partner with the government on this scheme. We have the capacity to do that with our high quality Speedstar range of computers.” While commending the federal government on the scheme, Anyaegbunam identified negative perception as the major challenge indigenous brands face in the market today. This he said was inspite of the fact that there was no real difference in what foreign brands were doing in PC manufacturing and what the locals were doing . All the laptops contain the same Intel processors and motherboards and the chasis known as “barebones” come from the same top ODMs (Original Design Manufacturer’s) in Asia. He assured the minister that with Beta’s over 20 years’ experience in the ICT industry in Nigeria, Speedstar laptops offer the best value in the market for propagating the desired e-learning experience of Nigerian scholars at every level, which is part of the requirements of the 21st century knowledge economy. Anyaegbunam further said that their PCs products had been put through stringent quality tests which ensure the user gets the very best in performance, stability and compatibility, while providing excellent scalability and practical functionality for both home and enterprise computing demands. Speaking further on the students PC ownership scheme which will be launched later this year, the minister said it was expected to make personal computers available to students of tertiary institutions at affordable prices with the payment done in such a way that students may pay as little as N3, 000 every month over up to 24 months to own a laptop. While assuring the Board of Beta Computers represented by its’ chairman, Anthony Oboh, and two other directors, of government commitment in ‘Buy Nigeria’ goods, the minister said, “We are going to work with the banks. We will work out the payment structure so that no student runs away without adequate payment for the PC. We cannot continue to be consumers of foreign products. With our large student population, we will create demand for our local manufacturer’s with a level playing ground and healthy competition among them.” Omobola Johnson, who has been preaching buy Nigeria goods, assured that the present administration was committed to facilitating device penetration among Nigerians but lamented that only 10% PCs in use were locally manufactured. “What we are saying is that more devices will be pushed into the market through this scheme, so that local brands can create jobs for Nigerians. This is the only way to move forward and create captive market for local computer manufacturers.”
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