Chairman of the Governing Board of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Idris Olorunnimbe, has pledged to seek presidential incentives for investors willing to establish smartphone manufacturing plants in Nigeria as part of efforts to boost local production and expand digital inclusion.
Speaking at the Digital Africa Summit Roundtable in Shanghai, China, on June 24, Olorunnimbe said local smartphone manufacturing offers the most sustainable solution to the country’s growing device affordability challenge and could trigger a new wave of technology investments.
He promised to personally engage President Bola Tinubu to secure waivers and other government incentives for manufacturers that commit to beginning factory construction in Nigeria before November.
According to him, establishing smartphone factories in the country would reduce the cost of mobile devices, create thousands of jobs, strengthen local supply chains and lessen Nigeria’s dependence on imported handsets.
Olorunnimbe noted that reliance on imported smartphones exposes consumers to high prices, foreign exchange volatility and supply chain disruptions, making devices unaffordable for many Nigerians.
He said local production would enable a larger share of manufacturing costs to be denominated in naira, helping to stabilise prices and improve smartphone access for millions of people excluded from the digital economy.
The NCC board chairman described affordable smartphones as essential tools for accessing online education, digital banking, e-commerce, remote work and government services.
He added that local manufacturing could position Nigeria as a regional hub for device assembly and technology production while creating opportunities for engineers, technicians, logistics firms, component suppliers, retailers and other businesses across the value chain.
Olorunnimbe, however, acknowledged that previous attempts at local smartphone production were undermined by poor product quality, inadequate after-sales support and low consumer confidence.
He stressed that locally manufactured devices must meet international quality standards while remaining more affordable than imported alternatives.
Highlighting Nigeria’s market potential, he said the country has more than 170 million mobile connections and over 150 million mobile internet users, making it an attractive destination for smartphone manufacturers.
He also said the NCC is strengthening device regulation through updated Type Approval Regulations and a proposed Device Management System to combat counterfeit, cloned and stolen phones while improving accountability across the handset market.
Olorunnimbe further advocated expanding smartphone financing through instalment payment plans, arguing that Nigerians should not have to pay the full cost of a device upfront before accessing digital opportunities.
He called on governments, regulators and industry stakeholders across Africa to support local manufacturing, harmonise device standards and improve access to affordable smartphones to build a stronger and more self-reliant digital economy.