NCC seeks local smartphone factories to cut device costs

The Chairman of the Governing Board of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Idris Olorunnimbe, has called on global smartphone manufacturers to establish production plants in Nigeria, promising to seek presidential incentives for investors willing to build factories in the country.

Speaking at the Digital Africa Summit Roundtable held in Shanghai, China, on June 24, Olorunnimbe said local smartphone manufacturing offers the most sustainable solution to rising device costs and would significantly deepen digital inclusion in Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Saturday, he pledged to personally engage President Bola Tinubu to secure waivers and other government incentives for manufacturers that begin 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.

According to Olorunnimbe, producing smartphones locally would reduce dependence on imported devices, lower production costs, create jobs and protect consumers from the impact of foreign exchange fluctuations and global supply chain disruptions.

He noted that local manufacturing would allow a greater proportion of production costs to be paid in naira, making smartphones more affordable for millions of Nigerians.

The NCC chairman said wider access to affordable smartphones would expand participation in online education, digital banking, e-commerce, remote work and government digital services.

He added that establishing smartphone factories would also strengthen Nigeria’s technology ecosystem by creating employment opportunities for engineers, technicians, logistics operators, component suppliers and retailers while positioning the country as a regional manufacturing hub.

Olorunnimbe, however, acknowledged that previous efforts to assemble smartphones locally failed to gain consumer confidence due to poor product quality and weak after-sales support.

“The aim is to build phones in Nigeria that match 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 said.

He observed that Nigeria’s over 170 million mobile connections and more than 150 million mobile internet users provide a strong market for smartphone manufacturers.

The NCC chairman also said the commission was strengthening device regulation through updated Type Approval Regulations and the proposed Device Management System to tackle counterfeit, cloned and stolen devices while improving consumer protection.

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

He further advocated smartphone financing through instalment payment plans, arguing that more Nigerians should be able to acquire smartphones without paying the full cost upfront.

Olorunnimbe urged governments, regulators and industry players across Africa to promote local manufacturing, harmonise device standards and expand access to affordable smartphones to drive digital transformation across the continent.