High Incidence Of Failure,Poor IT Delivery, Bane Of Quacks- NITDA
By Olabisi Olaleye
Against the backdrop of implementing the 2018 budget, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), disclosed that high incidence of failure and poor delivery of IT projects in Nigeria is plagued by quacks in the sector.
According to the National Coordinator Office for Nigerian Content Development in ICT (ONC),Nitda, Mr.Kasim Sodangi
Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs will need to avoid implementing information technology, IT procurements with companies not registered with NITDA, as they may not have the capacity or professionalism to deliver IT projects.
Said he: “In March 2018, NITDA issued a framework for the registration of Indigenous IT Service Providers and Contractors in Nigeria. The process is designed to ensure local companies with proven indigenous capability are given priority in executing IT procurement jobs in Nigeria. NITDA therefore directs all indigenous IT service providers and contractors not yet registered with the Agency to immediately commence their registration process for verification and classification of capacity as IT Companies in Nigeria”.
He disclosed further that for NITDA to promote the development of IT in Nigeria and Executive Orders 003 and 005 of the Federal Government for the promotion of local content, NITDA is vigorously implementing and enforcing the Nigerian Content Development Plan in ICT as a sustainable framework for the strategic development of ICT in Nigeria.
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is an Agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria. The Agency was created in April 2001 to implement the Nigerian Information Technology Policy and co-ordinate general IT development and regulation in the country.
On guidelines amendment, NITDA disclosed that the process of amending the guidelines for Nigerian Content Development in ICT is in top gear as various stakeholders’ have made inputs . “Inputs have been received from the telecom Sector Industry Working Group at a session facilitated in partnership with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). And Nitda plans to issue the amended Guidelines before the end of third quarter of 2018 (Q3)”.
Recall that in December 2013, NITDA issued the guidelines for Nigerian content development in ICT as a coherent framework for the development of ICT in Nigeria. The strategic implementation plan for Nigerian content development established the Office for Nigerian Content Development in ICT (ONC) as Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to coordinate the implementation of the program and supervise compliance with the guidelines.
The ONC has issued hundreds of notices and has intervened numerous times to ensure the Guidelines are enforced and that indigenous developed IT content is given priority in the procurements of MDAs. The ONC under the supervision of NITDA has ensured that data hosted by MDAs outside Nigeria is repatriated to Nigerian data centres in line with the provisions of the guidelines.
“NITDA is also utilizing various instruments within its operations to ensure implementation of its guidelines”.