The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has urged greater investment in locally developed technology as part of efforts to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on foreign software and strengthen the country’s digital independence.
The NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Aminu Maida, made the appeal on during the closing ceremony of the fourth NCC Hackathon Live Show in Abuja.
The event featured innovators who developed technology solutions aimed at supporting persons with disabilities and other Nigerians who face digital exclusion.
Maida, who was represented at the event by the Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, said Nigeria needed to move beyond dependence on imported software and focus more on creating technologies that address the country’s specific challenges.
He described the hackathon as an avenue for shifting Nigeria from being mainly a consumer of foreign technology to becoming a producer of locally developed assistive solutions that can serve people across different abilities.
The innovations showcased included artificial intelligence-based speech-to-text tools, voice-enabled public platforms, accessible USSD services and inclusive mobile applications.
According to Maida, such technologies could serve as important foundations for achieving greater technological self reliance.
He also called on venture capitalists, telecommunications companies and state governments to support the innovators with funding and strategic partnerships so that their ideas could progress beyond the prototype stage.
Maida urged investors to see the participants not simply as hackathon contestants but as potential entrepreneurs, business partners and technology suppliers.
He stressed that supporting such innovations would help tackle digital exclusion across the country.
He noted that the need for locally relevant and accessible technology was becoming increasingly important as more economic and social activities shifted online.
Citing World Bank estimates, Maida said about 25 million Nigerians live with some form of disability, while around 3.6 million experience significant difficulties in functioning.
He warned that without accessibility focused digital products, persons with disabilities could face exclusion from important areas such as education, employment, financial services, healthcare and broader participation in society.
