The CEO of Omatek ventures PLC, the first African computer manufacturers and president of computer society of Nigeria, Engr (Mrs) Florence Seriki has called on the government to fully support and encourage locally made products.

The Omatek boss said this in an exclusive interview with CEOAFRICA, stating that it is the only way Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) who are into production can thrive.

Engr Florence said ‘‘Information Communication Technology (ICT) should be the driver of a leading economy hence has called on both Federal and State government to wade into the ICT world by promoting the African based product rather than foreign ones, in order to compete favourably in the global market.

 Stating examples of China and Japan as leading economies, that produce and consume their own locally made goods.

According to her, ‘‘If local industries are not encouraged and patronize the state of unemployment in Nigeria would continue to be on the rise”. She then called on the government, banks, and other related agencies to restructure their policy to patronize the local brands and also encourage forums whereby stakeholders are brought together for interaction so that they can know their needs and proffer immediate solutions.

She however urged Nigerians to move away from being a consumer of finished foreign products and be a producer as well as consumer of finished local brands.

The CEO of Omatek also encouraged the youths of Nigeria to be courageous, believe in home products and build around their dreams, stating that one has to believe in his or herself to succeed. While calling on Career women to create a bond between them and their children especially through “exclusive’’ breast feeding, she also urged them to make God their best partner.

Finally, she called on primary and secondary schools as well as university students for IT training  saying “they are welcome anytime’’, as part of her Corporate Social Responsibility to encourage young ones to have a technology inclined mind in order to move the nation forward and be able to compete with their foreign counterparts.

Omatek Ventures PLC is the first African company to manufacture computers in Nigeria. It was established unofficially in 1986 and officially in 1988, making the establishment 26 years old. It has a branch in Ghana.