[Mhiz Rebecca]

Nigeria has commissioned the first SIM card production
plant which was build with the financial assistance from the
Bank of Industry (BOI).
The 200 million capacity SIM plant located in Lagos was
inaugurated by the Minister of Industry, Trade and
Investment, Dr Okechukwu Enelamah, on Monday.
The minister described the plant as one example of federal
tovernment’s economic diversification and backward
integration initiative.
Enelamah described the facility as of world class standard,
the reported on Tuesday. Sun
The facility, he said, was government’s commitment to
deepen partnership with the private sector.
The partnership was designed to realise government’s goals
of diversification, job creation and industrialisation.
He expressed confidence in the entrepreneurial spirit of
Nigerians and noted that with conducive business atmosphere
and necessary financial support entrepreneurs could thrive.
“One of the things we need to get right is the whole area
enabling environment. Creating the right investment climate,
ease of doing business for private sector for Nigerian
businesses to prosper.
“We are very committed in the area of financing. I want to
acknowledge the BoI for their support for Secure ID and many
other players and they have our full support to actually assist
the industrialisation of Nigeria.
“We will be backing the likes of BoI and even the development
bank that is coming up, “ he said.
Unveiling the SecureID SIMCard brand, Minister of
Communications, Adebayo Shittu, said efforts within the
telecoms sphere would be garnered to ensure the home-
grown company thrives.
He charged telecoms players such as MTN, Glo, Airtel, and
Etisalat among others to encourage local production by
engaging the firm to produce their SIM cards.
“I believe we must not limit it to Nigeria;we must also spread
to other countries,” he said.
Acting Managing Director, BoI, Waheed Olagunju, who
applauded the investment decision, said the venture was
supported based on its potential to positively impact domestic
consumption, aid technology transfer and adduce employment
opportunities in the sector.