How Nigeria is losing millions of dollars annually to technology transfer regulations non-compliance
…As FG moves to penalise defaulters
By Blessing Emmanuel, Abuja
Nigeria is losing millions of dollars annually to companies who fail to submit their technology transfer agreements to the Federal Government.
The Director General of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Dr. Obiageli Amadiobi made this revelation when she led the top Management staff of NOTAP on a familiarisation visit to some Information and Communication Technology (ICT) companies in Lagos recently.
On of the stakeholders in his welcome address, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Computer Warehouse Group (CWG), Mr. Adewale Adeyipo expressed delight in the energy and enthusiasm demonstrated by the new DG within a few days of her appointment, adding that the company is ready and willing to partner with NOTAP in ensuring the development of the ICT ecosystem.
He said that NOTAP’s mandate and activities are enormous and strategic to directly or indirectly generate over 2000 jobs annually within the ICT space. He added that for a nation to be globally competitive, it must adopt one of the key elements of growth, which is ICT holistically.
He said that what government in the developed countries consider first while thinking of investment is digital penetration and regretted that over the years the Country has expended over $987.8 million on digital media subscription and downloads, adding that this sum could have been saved for Nigerian economic growth if adequate support for local ICT operators had come from government through policies.
Likewise, the DG of NOTAP complained that companies that do not submit their technology transfer agreements to NOTAP for proper evaluation and registration will soon face stiff penalties and prosecution.
She stated that NOTAP was established to regulate the inflow of foreign technology through the registration of technology transfer agreements to promote the development of locally motivated technologies.
The Director General further stated that while the Office is working assiduously to ensure that Nigerian companies are offered the best contractual terms in acquisition of foreign technologies, some companies are hiding under the non registration of hardware to avert registration of their agreements because they have lumped up software and hardware together thereby shortchanging the system.
She expressed the commitment of the Office in synergising with companies that strictly comply with NOTAP rules but will ensure stiff punishment for erring ones.
“Available records show that a greater percentage of companies in Nigeria operate on imported technologies which run into millions of dollars without NOTAP registration necessitated by Law, thereby shortchanging the Nigerian economy.
“By law, it is mandatory that NOTAP should be involved during the technology negotiation stage to ensure that the Nigerian entrepreneur acquires appropriate technology in best contractual terms so to enable rendition of services commensurate with the money expensed on it,” she stated.
The new NOTAP boss said that in line with the renewed hope mantra of the present administration, no company is allowed to continue to avoid registration of technology transfer agreements with NOTAP.
She also stated that some operators lump acquisition of foreign hardware with the software with the claim that the technology can not be registered since it is hardware.
She emphasised that such companies are doing great disservice to the nation and should henceforth desist from such practices.
In the same vein, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft Nigeria plc, Mrs. Ola William said that NOTAP had done remarkably well in fast-tracking the development of the ICT sector.
She used the opportunity to debunk the remour making the rounds that Microsoft was winding up to leave Nigeria, adding that the company was committed to the sustainable growth of the ICT ecosystem
