President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, July 21, 2021, received the first-ever made-in-Nigeria mobile phone, known as the ITF Mobile, during the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the State House, Abuja.
The phone is one of 12 indigenous mobile devices produced by the Model Skills Training Centre of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) — a federal agency under the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
Locally Produced with Indigenous Components
The presentation was made by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo, who highlighted that the phones were assembled using locally sourced components by the Electrical/Electronic Technology Department of the ITF’s Model Skills Training Centre.
“Twelve indigenous mobile cell phones produced by the Model Skills Training Centre of the Industrial Training Fund; an agency under the Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment, was launched,” Adebayo said during the presentation.
“It gives me great pleasure, Mr President, to present you with one of the phones.”
What This Means for Nigeria’s Tech Industry
The ITF Mobile initiative marks a significant step toward technological self-reliance and local manufacturing capacity in Nigeria’s ICT sector. It aligns with the federal government’s push to promote made-in-Nigeria products and reduce dependence on imports.