The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun on Thursday, inaugurated the first fibre optic cable-manufacturing factory in Ogun, saying that the factory would boost the development of his administration’s digital economy infrastructure.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Coleman Wire and Cable fibre optic company located along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, he expressed his delights that the pioneer factory would boost the advancement in teaching and learning processes across the state.
“The manufacture of fibre optic cables locally would aid the deployment of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the different sectors of the economy. It would boost tech innovation, improve medical care and access to data information as well as enhancing Internet connection,” he said.
Abiodun furthered that his administration’s commitment towards building a technologically advanced state had won his administration awards in the area of ICT and digital economy by the Federal Ministry of Communications, BusinessDay Newspaper in 2019, Independent Newspaper, and Daily Times in 2021.
He added that the awards were in recognition of the efforts of his administration to maximise the advantages of ICT and digital economy.
Abiodun disclosed that the launching of its digital economy project which aims at laying five thousand kilometres of fibre optic cables across the state would receive the needed boost with the commissioning of the first fibre optic cable factory in West Africa in Ogun.
The governor noted that the commissioning of the factory would go a long way at conserving the already scarce foreign exchange, promoting tech transfer, generating employment and alleviating poverty.
He called on other well-meaning individuals and organisations to benefit from the opportunity the state has, reminding the private industries in the state to be mindful of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to the host communities.
“In this regards, industries are expected to complement the existing infrastructure that have been provided by the state government through prompt payment of their taxes,” he said.
In her remarks, the United States of America Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, represented by the Commercial Attache, David Russell, who noted that the impact of the factory would be seen everywhere, added that more jobs would be created for the people of the state.
More so, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Coleman Technical Industries Limited (CTIL), George Onafowokan, who disclosed that the company has a firm belief in local content in inception, added that the vision of the company was based on the premise of believing in Nigeria and growing local capacity.
George, who also noted that the company would build capacity for the country, West Africa, Central Africa and about 50 percent of the continent, added that the plan would make the company the biggest fibre optic cable factory in the continent by September of 2023.
The Minister for Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo, represented by Adewale Bakare, commended the dedication of the company to the growth of the economy of the country.
He added that the expansion of the factory from electricity wires and cables to the production of fibre optic cables used by telecommunication companies and other industries, including defense and medicals for various applications in Nigeria and other West African sub-region, is a confirmation of the confidence in the industrialisation drive of the Federal Government.
