Nigeria - For Computers, a Time to Remove the Layers of Mystery

But that Nigeria survived it in spite of the seeming hype is a matter for discourse. High sums of hard-earned resources were expended to remedy the situation. All of these funds found their ways to foreign Personal Computer (PC) manufacturers who appeared to have all solutions to the Y2K problem.

Or so it seemed.

But after year 2000, interest in Information Technology (IT) grew, understandably because of the orchestrated interest expressed by those who understood IT or by those who got into it by sheer curiosity.

Government took up the challenge, brought out a policy on Information Technology (IT) and set up machinery to actualise the policy.

But beyond that, government did not do anything tangible enough to bring the policy to bear.

Nigeria does not have more than 513,000 personal computers either in use or damaged. And huge sums have been expended on these.

The figure was much higher before year 2000, but many old systems got discarded so much that the figure nose-dived to a manageable 513,000. Even at those yearly estimates of purchases peaked at close to 100,000 at the end of 2001. The figure is likely to increase as the prices go down.

Global estimates in the last 10 years indicate that Nigeria alone may have spent close to $9 billion on IT importation. This is clear capital flight.

Those importation could have been higher, but for enterprising nature of the Otigba, Ikeja assemblers who have been able to improvise by bringing components together.

Even if someone somewhere is going to call these systems clones, they nevertheless have bridged a yawning gap for those who desire to have computers and could not afford the high cost of buying branded ones.

Then Zinox Technologies came with its brands of Zinox computers, servers, UPS, laptops and others.

The system meet international standard and specifications, at least evidence to that effect abounds. The advent of Zinox computers thus throws a lot a challenges before the people of Nigeria and especially the professionals.

Even though telecommunication is well developed, government has not been able to initiate such policy as to encourage local assembly of ordinary handsets, so head or tail, private sector initiative has, yielded fruit in Zinox, Otigba and much more earlier, Obodex computers.

In reality, Obodex tried to fill the gap, but it could not be sustained principally because the entire process was carried out abroad without any tangible Nigerian value being added.

Besides, its promoter, Chief Don Etibet went into politics and in the process, Obodex which should have served as the first Nigerian dream despite the importation tag on it, faded away.

Zinox aggressive entry created a value for Nigerians. The systems got certification, put huge funds into it and employed within six months, no fewer than 400 Nigerian workers from both local and international labour market.

This clearly shows that the promoter, Mr. Leo Stan Ekey, who had worked closely with Compaq, Hewlett Packard (HP), Dell, IBM, Epson, APC can indeed do what these well known brands are doing in their countries.

But while these so called known brands employ 96 per cent of their people abroad, they only open mushroom offices here where a very insignificant number of locals who even have no authority to take executive decisions are employed.

Government chose to encourage Zinox not because it feels it must patronise a Nigerian brand, but a brand that meets international standards. And for Zinox to grow and carve an identity that is Nigerian, encouragement must go beyond government but also from private individuals. Otherwise what started well may crash like a pack of cards.

If the demand is not there, production cannot be encouraged, and if production dwindles more people will be thrown into the labour market.

Zinox promoters have attracted the much-needed foreign investment. The sky is large enough for every player.

Speedstar is from Beta Computers, so is Pragmatic laptops. UNITES joins the train soon and these of course, create identity for the country, but they should look beyond mere identity. They should do ir right. Get certifications just like Zinox did. This will create credibility not only for the products but for the country s professional workforce.

So instead of criticising government endorsement of Zinox, these other brands should encourage their productive arsenals by employing the right tools, getting it right and Nigerians are the ultimate gainers.

We cannot continue to integrate and encourage foreign brands at the expense of our national economy.

Only recently , a foreign national was quoted as saying that "this Leo Stan has delivered Compaq, HP, Dell IBM. Is he not over estimating himself with Zinox. The next 16 months will tell if he can truly deliver."

This statement is not only racist inclined, but an insult to Nigeria as a corporate entity. If Zinox fails, Leo Stan has not failed, it is a collective Nigerian dream that has failed.

So to get things cracking many more companies should be encouraged to do what is right to create an enabling competition for Nigerian brands that can match the Zinox standard, because it is intriguing to note that government endorsement of Zinox has not gone down well with a category of IT people. Instead of bellyaching, especially by sworn professional government contractors, they should team up, bring together smaller companies to do what Zinox or at lest something close to what Zinox is doing.

After all, there is one global standard. Only confidence and support for that standard can create creativity. IT is like food. It is futuristic and government can indeed name as many more companies as possible provided they meet international standard lest Nigeria becomes a laughing stock in the IT world.

Government will not waste its resources on a product simply because it is Nigerian. Such products must meet international standards. The person who delivers standards win and I am sure government wants to encourage Nigeria towards globalisation. USA has Dell and Compaq. Taiwan and Hong Kong have ACER, India has ACL, Britain has Time, Germany has Simens South Africa has Mecer, Every country has a choice .