NOTAP gains N20bn 18 months

The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion, NOTAP, says it has remitted about N20 billion into the national treasury in the past 12 to 18 months of itsoperation.
The Director General of NOTAP, Dr. Umar Bindir disclosedthis in his office, while briefing newsmenon the proposed joint conferencewith telecommunication service providers on regulation of foreign technologies.
Bindir said the achievementwas made possible due to therenewed drive of the agency to optimize utilization ofright technologies and empowering the local champions.
He said NOTAP had in thelast 12 to 18 months alone, remittedthesaid amount from those companies that have respectedthelaw establishing NOTAP and presentedtheir agreements for registration in NOTAP,with their approvals amounting tobetween 10 to 20 billion naira payments for technology transferred in the sector.
On the proposed conference, the NOTAP Boss said thetwo days eventis aimed at partnering with thetelecommunication companies in the country on respect for Nigerian laws, right pricing and engaging 40 percentoflocals on technology utilization and transfer by foreign companies.
The two days eventwhich holds in Lagos will also focus on the modalities for sourcing and importation of foreign technologies by all the operating companies in Nigeria with a view to ensure that the interestof Nigeria is fully protected.
According to Bindir, Nigeria has no reasonto import technology if only theright technologies and allowed into the countryand stepsare taken empower Nigerian inventors and patronize them, especially in this era when ICT has becomeone ofthe fastestgrowing sector of the economy.
“This inflow oftechnology becamenecessary because our country wants to be industrialized, our country wants to manufacture consumable goods, our country wants to ensurethat we provide goods and servicesfor our peopleand developmentof our country to the next level.
“ I am not happy to report that nearly, if not 100- per centof thetechnology required to drive this highly functional sector is actually source fromoutside Nigeria and the range of technology, includes soft ware, meaning computer programmes from simple to sophisticated levels.
It included specialised electronic computer programmes, hardware, verycomplicated facilities; it evenincludes landing fibre optic from the seato as well as the distribution.
It even includes installation ofsophisticated masts all over the country tohost some of thesefacilities ofthe service providers like Airtel, Mtn, Emerging MarketTelecom services, Glo