Wire and cable manufacturer, Coleman Technical Industries Limited (CTIL) has opened the first West African localized fiber optic cable factory in Ogun State, Nigeria.
The multi-billion factory is the 5th facility on the African continent and is expected to function in collaboration with the world’s largest fiber optic manufacturer, Corning Inc.
The Administrative Director / Executive Director of CTIL, Mr. George Onafowokan announced that the aspiration was to have a fiber optic plant located in Nigeria and to particularly create jobs for thousands of people.
According to him, the development was in response to President Buhari’s call for rapid development of digitization penetration in Nigeria’s economy and pursuit of local content development in capacity building in countries, driven by Nigeria’s Content Development and Monitoring (NCDMB).
He said: “This is neither the first nor the last, we will be laying the groundwork to triple the size of this project in Ogun state in the next three weeks which will take on the size of the project. This will build capacity for this country; will build capacity for West Africa, Central Africa and 50 percent of the entire African continent.
“This will make Coleman the largest fiber optic cable factory on the African continent. Our business summary is based on the premise of believing in Nigeria and building local capacity; Building Nigerian ideology and breaking down barriers,” said Onafowokan.
He praised the commercial and technical teams at Corning Inc. for the trust and unwavering support that Coleman Wires and Cables has shown in the project.
In his speech, Steve J. Candler, director of fiber business in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) at Corning Inc. USA, one of the world leaders in materials science innovation, revealed that there is a huge opportunity for content in Nigeria and neighboring countries due to the growing demand for bandwidth-intensive services, driven by changes in the way we work, we have fun and communicate.
Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, who commissioned the project, commended the company for tremendous progress and assured his government’s continued support.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo said the factory has finally positioned Nigeria to significantly meet the country’s demand for cables and wires and give the company the opportunity to actively participate in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
