NCC Chair Pledges Presidential Incentives To Lure Smartphone Manufacturers To Nigeria

The chairman of the Governing Board of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Idris Olorunnimbe, has pledged to seek presidential incentives for investors willing to establish smartphone manufacturing plants in Nigeria.

Olorunnimbe made the commitment in a statement issued on Saturday, expressing optimism that the country could soon attract a new wave of investments in smartphone production.

The statement was drawn from his remarks at the Digital Africa Summit Roundtable held in Shanghai, China, on June 24.

According to him, local smartphone manufacturing offers the most sustainable answer to Nigeria’s growing challenge of device affordability and is essential to expanding digital inclusion.

He disclosed that he would personally engage President Bola Tinubu to secure waivers and other government-backed incentives for manufacturers that commit to commencing factory construction in Nigeria before November.

“If any manufacturer in this room, or any manufacturer listening to these proceedings will commit to building a factory in Nigeria, and to beginning construction between now and November, I will take that commitment to the President myself and seek the waivers and the support you need to make it happen,” he said.

Olorunnimbe noted that attracting smartphone manufacturers to Nigeria would lower device costs, generate thousands of jobs, strengthen local value chains and reduce the nation’s dependence on imported handsets.

He explained that the country’s heavy reliance on imported devices leaves consumers vulnerable to high prices, exchange rate fluctuations and disruptions in global supply chains, making smartphones unaffordable for many Nigerians.

The NCC board chairman further stated that local production would ensure a larger share of manufacturing costs is denominated in naira, helping to stabilise prices and improve access to smartphones for millions of citizens currently excluded from the digital economy.

He stressed that affordable smartphones are critical for accessing online education, digital banking, e-commerce platforms, remote work opportunities and government services.

“Local manufacturing will help expand digital inclusion by making quality smartphones more affordable and accessible to ordinary Nigerians, especially young people, students and small business owners,” he said.

Highlighting the wider economic impact, Olorunnimbe said local production could position Nigeria as a regional hub for device assembly and technology manufacturing while creating opportunities for engineers, technicians, logistics providers, component suppliers, retailers and other businesses across the value chain.

He, however, acknowledged the challenges that hindered previous attempts at local smartphone production, including poor product quality, inadequate after-sales support and low consumer confidence.

“The aim is to build phones in Nigeria that match the imported phones on quality and beat them on price. A locally made device that asks Nigerians to settle for less is not worth making,” he stated.

Olorunnimbe pointed out that Nigeria’s market of more than 170 million mobile connections and over 150 million mobile internet users presents a significant opportunity for smartphone manufacturers.

He added that the Federal Government’s digital economy agenda has created a foundation for greater investment in telecommunications infrastructure and local manufacturing, noting that the next step is to translate policy objectives into tangible industrial growth.

To boost consumer confidence, he said the NCC is strengthening device regulation and market oversight through revised Type Approval Regulations and the proposed Device Management System.

According to him, the initiatives are designed to curb the circulation of counterfeit, cloned and stolen devices while improving accountability and traceability within the handset market.

“A phone is only truly cheap if it is real, if it is safe, if it connects properly, and if it carries a warranty the buyer can rely on,” he said.

Olorunnimbe also advocated broader access to smartphone financing through installment payment schemes, arguing that Nigerians should not have to pay the full cost of a device upfront before benefiting from digital opportunities.

He called on governments, regulators and industry players across Africa to support local manufacturing, harmonise device standards and expand access to affordable smartphones, stressing that the continent must work together to build a stronger and more self-reliant digital economy.