NCC Moves to Strengthen Local Smartphone Manufacturing With Fresh Incentives

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced a package of incentives targeted at promoting the local production of smartphones, tablets and other telecommunications equipment as part of efforts to make digital devices more affordable and increase access to technology across the country.

The Chairman of the NCC Governing Board, Chief Idris Ibikunle Olorunnimbe, said the Commission was taking a more active role in driving industrial growth by creating an enabling environment for investors to establish device manufacturing plants in Nigeria.

Policy measures, including tax holidays and streamlined customs processes, would back the initiative to lower production costs and boost local manufacturing capacity, he said.

Effective regulation is still crucial to ensure consumers access to quality and affordable digital devices, according to Olorunnimbe.

“Regulation and market integrity are what make a market affordable to begin with. They are its precondition. A phone is only genuinely cheap if it’s real, if it’s safe, if it works and if it has the warranty the buyer can trust,” he said.

He observed that Nigeria has made considerable progress in telecommunications coverage, but the high cost of smartphones still prevents many citizens from participating in the digital space.

The NCC chairman said cutting the cost of devices would complement ongoing investment in network infrastructure and help bridge the country’s digital divide.

He also advocated moving away from the traditional model of outright phone purchases, saying more flexible financing arrangements will make devices accessible to a larger segment of the population.

“Do away with the notion that a Nigerian has to buy a phone outright, in one payment, on the day. “It’s not how it works anywhere else in the world,” he added.

Olorunnimbe said locally made smartphones, routers and MiFi devices would be incorporated into the Commission’s digital inclusion programmes as part of the broader strategy.

He said the devices are likely to have embedded links to educational platforms as part of the NCC’s zero-rated education programme, enabling students and other users to access learning materials without paying for data.

In addition, the devices will provide direct access to key government digital services, including civic registration, tax administration and e-health platforms, to improve citizens’ access to essential public services.

The initiative, he said, is not only about expanding access to the internet, but also ensuring that digital connectivity translates into better educational opportunities, improved public service delivery and greater economic participation.

The NCC said the policy is a demonstration of its commitment to fostering the development of indigenous technology while supporting Nigeria’s drive for a more inclusive and self-reliant digital economy.