Comments on: Can an average Nigerian afford a PC?

By: Orikinla Osinachi

Orikinla Osinachi — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 19:48:03 +0000

All your points are valid.

But, computer literacy does not depend on the affordability of a PC.
But on the availability and accessibility.

Genevieve Nnaji e-mails me from her mobile phone and if the average Nigerian can afford a mobile phone, then he or she can afford a PC, from the palmtop to the laptop or desktop.

Computer centres are all over the towns and cities in Nigeria. And most churches in Nigeria have computer literacy classes. The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) promotes computer literacy in all the parishes.

Nigerians love computers and GSM phones. But, they prefer GSM phones, because they are “Walkie-Talkies” they can carry along anywhere they go. And once they know that there are GSM phones they can use as PCs, they will go for them once they become very popular.

Millions of Nigerians already know that you can watch movies and play music on PCs. And once they know that they can watch their favourite TV programmes from the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), AIT, Channels and other TV stations on the PC, they will prefer PCs to TV sets.

I know some Nigerians with giant TV sets they paid hundreds of thousands of naira to acquire, but they don’t have PCs. And majority of Nigerians with cars don’t have PCs.

As you noted, the primary target of computer literacy should be the schools. Especially the public schools. Because, most private schools have computer classes.

The utopian dream of one laptop for every Nigerian kid is more than meets the eye and if the government can even afford to provide the computers with one laptop for every class in all public schools, that will go a long way in accelerating the popularity of computer literacy in Nigeria.

The experts in ICT know how best to address the challenges.
I am still a novice.

By: wisdomseun

wisdomseun — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 16:14:25 +0000

Good question and good analysis, I believe we will get to that point where computers will be available in every home, its just a matter of time. 2 years ago, the awareness of computer was not as high as we have now, infact you see young boyz doing all sort of horrible things in the cafes, trust Nigerians all they learn are the vices of any available technology, bet we got it from the asians. In like 3 years ago, most of the pirated CD’s we have in Nigeria are gotten from Malaysia and some of the asian countries, but today Nigerians are doing all these. Well those are the bad sides which some of the anti crime networks in Nigeria are fighting.
The annoying part of this whole computer thing is the dumping of scraps in Nigeria, system as old as 486 and 386 are still available in the market today, its sad and annoying…but you still see people going for such system all in the name of “Cheap”. Any way, kay, you did a good research and I can assure you that nigeria will attain to that height. We will get there.

By: Emmanuel

Emmanuel — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 07:23:36 +0000

I’d like to share my story briefly here. I finished Secondary in 1995 and my mumsie forced me into attending a Computer School. You can imagine how I felt then! It was as if I was being punished for a sin I didnt commit but today the impact of that initial push is enormous. Yeah, it is true that our priorities differ and that determine what we spend our money on. I dont want to believe that it is the issue of erratic power supply that is not making people to buy Computer Systems. It is all about what matters to us most.

On the issue of training, the NGOs we have around are doing their part. I dont know if most of us know about Lagos Digital Village – http://www.lagosdigitalvillage.org.ng. The focus of the centre is to equip Nigerian Youths with the basic ICT skills. I have volunteered on several occassions at the centre but the turnover is not encouraging. I saw many old people attending the course than youths. The focus of an average youth is basically how to look good and impress his/her peers. Africans dont like learning. We so much love comfort that we can do everything to remain in our comfort zone irrespective of what we might be loosing.

So, how many of us really want to learn? All we are concerned with is the GAIN we will get now. We dont want to make sacrifice today for tomorrow. That explains why the few that know little about what the computer can do literarily use it for YAHOO YAHOO!. I must tell you that going for knowledge today is a sacrifice on some of our part. I can remember locking myself up in the Internet Room of my department (when most of my colleagues were already on their bed asleep) in 1999 just to read some articles and what some of the foreign universities have on their websites. LIke Kayode said, the use of the computer cant be quantified and only few know about this.

The starting point… Our family. Let’s forget about the whole nation for now. Nigeria is too large for us to handle. Start by ensuring that your family members really understand the impact of Computer. You might need to paint a picture of what they have been loosing since they dont embrace this tool. Beyond this, go out of your way to enrol your brother and sister in computer course(s). You will not mind the cost of this as it will definitely be your SEED into their future. I believe if we all embrace this attitude, Nigeria will be better for it.

The time is now to ACT but we have to start from our immediate family. Leave what the government has not done; forget about what the NGO is not doing and let’s focus on what we can do with our family…

By: Remi

Remi — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 02:55:53 +0000

I agree that the only way to get Nigerians more tuned into the technology is through the education system. The education system is where the flaw lies. Teachers/lecturers are barely paid, then we talk about having computers in the lab. The numbers will not add up. Ok so it is the same agreement every time.

Mobile phones caught on because Nigerians were fed up with NITEL and then it became an essential item. With regards to electricity, a few folks might end up worrying about the possible damage to the PC due to continual fluctuation in electricity supply.

By: joftech

joftech — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 18:03:32 +0000

If every average Nigerian can get a PC in their homes the level of ICT awareness and development would have skyrocketed by now.

Yesterday i was reading how the Egyptian govt. gave all their workers PC and laptops by making deducting the money from their salary. Today Egypt is more on the ICT lanscape than Nigeria.

If Nigerians can buy PCs the same way they have been buying mobile phones, they would have gain tremendously from it’s benefits.

But one of the major obstacle militating against the widespread adoption of PCs in a typical Nigerian home is electricity supply. If power supply is more stable PC awareness will surely become widesepread.

By: Nneka

Nneka — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 15:52:29 +0000

Using the computer is not really on the high priority list of nigerians, Phones are more of a priority
As they say charity begins at home, first of all why dont we start from the educational institutions, let them get more invloved in the use of computers.
Its shocking, how very ignorant people with “computer science” degrees, are about computers. A Graduate with a degree in computer engineering can tell you that he/she has seen a computer like 3 or 4 times. They dont know the inner workings of computer physically but theoretically they can quote it. Its a shame
Not only the computer graduates/students, all other students studying various degrees, have a lab set up where the students dont have to pay (that is why most of us are computer illiterate) to use the computer for school work, interact find out what is happening in the world, be more aware of their surroundings and society etc. But i dont think they are ready to do that one.

There are internet cafe’s on the campuses, but you have to pay to use it.
As you said you can say a lot on this topic and there will be no end.