Expert Tasks Government On Companies Leaving Nigeria

An IT expert, Professor James Agajo has urged the government to reach an agreement with all foreign companies that are doing business in the country to avoid further shutdowns.

Professor Agajo, who is also the Head of Wireless Communication and Intelligent System Research Team, Federal University of Technology Minna, disclosed this in an interview with LEADERSHIP TV yesterday. He noted that reaching an agreement with the right stakeholders and having the right policy will attract more foreign companies and investors into the country.

Recall that on the 7th of March, Microsoft Corporation shut down its engineering section of the African Development Center in Lagos. The corporation’s shutdown has been a source of worry to Nigerians as it provides jobs for over 500 people.

Although the right information about the tech company’s shutting down is yet to be known, Prof. Agajo stated that ‘there is no smoke without fire.’ According to him, Nigeria’s 70% youth population makes it a ready market for technology companies. He revealed that tech companies will strive in Nigeria as the youth population is an asset that can drive businesses, hence the matter should be looked into.

Lamenting on the rise in youth unemployment, he explained that the government said, “It is the government that can see to the issue of companies leaving the country. In advanced countries, it is a concern for the government to see a staff laid off or a company shut down because these staff pay taxes.

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The moment a company is down, it means a lot of workers won’t be able to pay tax.”

Speaking on the future of artificial intelligence in the Nigerian Technology Sector, he emphasised that the sector is coloured with different ideas and concepts that can be exploited if there is no control scheme put in place by the government. However, he commended the minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, for his creativity, adding that the minister is coming up with the creation of tech firms that will generate about 500,000 jobs for Nigerians.