ISPON Tasks NITDA DG to Machinery to Prioritise Use of Local Software

The Institute of Software Practitioner of Nigeria (ISPON) has called on Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, the newly appointed director-general, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to urgently set up machinery for declaring the use of made in Nigeria Software in Nigeria a priority.

Mr. Olorogun James Emadoye, ISPON’s president made the call in an address on the Nigeria’s 56th Anniversary, saying that this will go along way into meeting the yarning of Nigerians.

“ISPON welcomes the appointment of Dr. Isa Ali Pantami has the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency.  We believe that Dr. Pantami should immediately settle down to start the process of taking Nigeria to the next level in the development, standardization and usage of made in Nigeria software.  His appointment at a time when Nigeria is in recession and therefore in need of strategies to quickly come out of recession by creating employment for jobless Nigerians is apt.

“Therefore calls on the new DG to immediate put in place necessary machinery for declaring the use of made in Nigeria Software in Nigeria a priority.  This will go a long way into meeting the yarning of Nigerians. ISPON shall be on hand to support the DG for the benefit of all Nigerians”.

Emadoye also said that, in clear terms, it has become, not only mandatory, but indeed a time-sensitive national priority and strategic imperative that, Nigerian Government at all levels must ensure the establishment of digital ‘Retooling’ Institutional models and by extension, the patronage of the local content software and solutions to accelerate development and wealth creation.

According to him, “Africa has been described as the 2nd largest Continent on earth, the cradle of mankind civilization, the home of dance and rhythm and the most resource rich continent on earth. Africa has an estimated population of over 1.2billion people which are about 16% of the world population.

“According to internetlivestat.com, Africa has recorded 9.8% penetration of Internet Users against the 90.2% of the rest of the world as at November 2015. We are not there yet but if we must secure the opportunities provided by the IoTs, Africa must understand the role and impact of Software in actualizing the globalization order.

“Pleasantly, within the last half decade, Nigeria Internet Penetration has actually increased from 23% to 46.1%, we have recorded tremendous growth in the area of software development, job creation, education, health, agriculture, digital inclusion etc.

“It was said that ICT in Nigeria contributes 10% of the national GDP so it means that if platforms are created, skills and capacity developed, policies and strategic plans implemented, Africa will be transformed into a Digital Ecosystem for wealth creation within the next decade.

“In clear terms, it has become – not only mandatory – but indeed a time-sensitive national priority and strategic imperative that, Nigerian Government at all levels must ensure the establishment of digital ‘Retooling’ Institutional models and by extension, the patronage of the local content software and solutions to accelerate development and wealth creation.

“This,” he said “amongst others, is fundamental for the actualization of effective national e-readiness status and the mandatory automation of all transactions processes, functions and operations – which must be sustained by highly skilled and IT literate work force”.