Weak enforcement hinders local content policies – ATCON

Despite Nigeria’s strong local content policies, weak enforcement continues to hinder the sustainability of critical infrastructure, the President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, Tony Emoekpere, has said.

Local content refers to policies designed to ensure that Nigerian companies, professionals, and resources play a central role in infrastructure development, particularly in the telecommunications sector.

At a recent stakeholders’ forum in Lagos, ATCON’s Tony Emoekpere linked local content to infrastructure sustainability, arguing that while Nigeria has policies promoting indigenous participation, weak enforcement undermines their impact.

Without proper implementation, infrastructure projects may suffer from substandard execution, lack of accountability, and ethical challenges that compromise their long-term viability.

“We are dealing with a moral challenge. An engineer who switched from diesel to gas generators encountered a new problem—workers began stealing engine oil instead, as they could no longer siphon diesel. These issues require both technical and ethical solutions,” he said.

Emoekpere stressed that infrastructure deployed without adherence to proper standards is bound to fail.

He called for the full implementation of policies that promote local content, arguing that sustainable infrastructure development depends on ensuring that indigenous companies and expertise are actively involved in building and maintaining critical systems.

“If infrastructure is deployed in a suboptimal manner, failure is inevitable. We need to establish proper standards that all stakeholders—government, private sector, and the public—can align with,” he stated.

While Nigeria has policies designed to encourage local participation and enhance infrastructure resilience, Emoekpere noted that enforcement remains a key challenge.

“We must move beyond discussions and focus on actionable steps, follow-ups, and policy enforcement,” he added.

Industry stakeholders have consistently called for stricter regulatory oversight and accountability measures to ensure that Nigeria’s infrastructure development aligns with global best practices.