The Industrial Training Fund (ITF), says it will soon commence the mass production of Android phones for Nigerians.
Director General, Joseph Ari, who made the disclosure, said that the agency was in the process of putting finishing touches to the processes and modalities to begin the project.
Speaking at a media briefing to unveil ITF’s strategic policy direction for the period 2022-2025, Ari noted that apart from the need to widen the capacity of the machines involved in the mass production of android phones, there was also the need for the agency to finalise the legal framework for the purpose intellectual property rights .
“Yes,it is true that in June last year ,we gave a sample of our android mobile phone to Mr President , Muhammadu Buhari but you know that the issues surrounding production are long and varied. As I speak to you, two weeks ago, I was able to inspect the Assembly plant which has now been installed at the Model Skill Training Centre in Abuja because we needed to widen the capacity of the machines but they have now been installed,” the director general said.
He further pointed out that the agency needed to also work with other regulatory agencies in terms of drawing the legal framework and other things they were now being concluded, to find the legal framework for the purpose of intellectual property rights.
“So from that June last year till now, we have done a lot to ensure that we roll out the mass production of the Android mobile phones and even a private company in Lagos. Afrione, an Indian company, has also approached us to partner with us in the area of capacity building and we have already signed a memorandum of understanding in that regard. So the roll out plan is on course,” Ari added.