General News
Software Can Generate $10b Annually if Harnessed-Obaro
John Obaro is the managing director of SystemSpecs. He has had a distinguished IT management career and is regarded as one of the most respected personalities in the Nigerian IT industry.
Under his leadership, and with a team of professionals with varied experience, SystemSpecs has attained the enviable position of Nigeria’s leading software house and aspiring to become the de-facto software institution in Africa.
Before establishing Systemspecs, Obaro worked with United Bank of Africa, International Merchant Bank (IMB) among others.
He spoke on issues around software development in the country.
Evolution of SystemSpecs In the Software Space
I left Intercontinental Merchant Bank (IMB) in 1992 as Head of Systems Department to start SystemSpecs.
This was after I led a team that implemented Nigeria’s first international banking application on a network linking Lagos and four other towns.
By this laudable feat, I helped in pioneering Nigeria’s online real-time banking at a time when most banks were still debating its feasibility.
SystemSpecs started with a foreign financial and business application called SunSystems and due to demand from our clients then, we decided to develop HumanManager, a Payroll/HR application.
As the market developed and we began to envision the emergence of e-business and e-payment space in Nigeria, we went ahead to develop and introduce Remita, a world class e-Payment application into the Nigerian market.
Remita has today been adopted by all Nigerian banks and is used for the payment of all Federal Government contractors and employees under the Central Bank of Nigeria’s e-payment initiative.
Attaining leadership requires foresight, creativity, innovation, focus, excellence, discipline, hard work, resilience, patience and consistency; these are necessary roads that any successful entrepreneur must travel and we give God the glory for where we are today.
SystemSpecs is strictly a software company with focus on e-payments, financial and human resource management applications.
Challenges of Nigerian Software Industry
Nigeria, like most African countries that are in the developing nation’s league is predominantly plagued with “information poverty”.
Data is such a hard thing to find in Nigeria, so people just make up the numbers and the man that can shout the loudest gets the most attention. Unfortunately, you don’t really need to shout to win an argument if you have verifiable facts.
Today, no one can estimate the country’s earnings from software exports as they would for cocoa or oil export.
According to National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), the country loses over $1billion annually to software importation simply because most Nigerian companies prefer to import foreign off-the-shelves software to meet local needs where indigenous software could have provided better solutions.
Any software that comes from abroad was built mainly for that environment and anyone who uses it here is just a secondary user.
This has further thinned the potential of the Nigerian software market which by now should be in excess of probably $10billion annually if well harnessed.
There are some people who don’t believe in themselves, therefore, they cannot even believein their immediate environment.
Their belief is that something must come only from the western world for it to be good. I put that to ignorance.
However, this is not to say that I am not mindful of some challenges with a few locally developed software such as low quality assurance, non-scalability, improper documentation and packaging among myriads of other issues. If we don’t deliberately share success stories, no one will believe the indigenous software space is really worth the effort.
SystemSpecs’ Critical Success Factors
We have done a lot with the Remita integrated solution. You can’t get that anywhere in the world because they, for instance, do not have “ghost worker” challenges.
So, I will say it is high time government further encouraged the use and adoption of indigenous software in the country. I think with the right policies and awareness, indigenous software will blossom in the country.
Trends & Opportunities in the Nigerian Software Industry
Today, we live in a world that is driven by information technology and the software industry which has been a source of galloping income for some countries is at the driver’s seat.
A faster and more powerful economic and technological development has taken off in Africa and the Nigerian Software industry is likely going to easily become the most significant regional player going by current developments in the country.
There are so many opportunities for the software industry in a developing economy like Nigeria given the low capital entry requirements as well as the industry’s high value, high growth, high technology and knowledge-rich profile of software activities.
It is apparent that the industry requires skilled manpower but few raw materials which are not in any way damaging to the environment.
There is a big opportunity to remake the software space because of the fundamental shift of the software business focus from just the corporate market to the consumer experience.
The need to bring the consumer experience into the development and use of software is good ground for easy harvests.
There should be sufficient home-grown software that can handle the day-to-day lifestyle of the Nigerian people.
The major requirement for the software industry is human capital and with the country’s size and abundant supply of low cost software engineers or graduates, majority of whom are self-taught, the country stands a chance to provide highly skilled professionals with absolute wage comparative advantage in the international software market.
Nigerians are beginning to realize the importance of software for day-to-day activities and have therefore began to invest in this sector, although the rate at which the industry is growing is still at a very slow pace.
Cloud computing and mobile applications are also new trends in software development. In these areas there are so many opportunities for developers who know and understand these technologies.
Opportunities for Upcoming Software Developers
Software development is an art. You must develop some kind of stronginterest in it for you to succeed.
Apart from updating your knowledge and skills through training on new technologies, you must be focused and patient.
There are lots of institutions with the right development programmes springing up to help interested persons in software engineering and related fields. So get up and get trained!
Whether as an employee or a self-starter, you will require mentorship for product and industry understanding.
Mentoring helps you to gain good momentum and quickly exit when your venture is not likely to succeed.
Like I said earlier, you really have to be creative to succeed in the software industry. It may already be too late trying to develop a banking application in Nigeria right now because we have lost that to the foreign players but when you understand what banking means to you as an individual you can develop software around it to address specific unmet or undiscovered needs.
This is why the mobile money application was so successful in Kenya unlike Europe where there are so many banks with several transaction platforms.
To become a successful entrepreneur you must also develop certain skills in management, marketing and human relations.
Launching Pads for Entrepreneurs
Do not make money your goal, make the delivery of quality software your goal and remember this may take some time, and then money will come.
Be patient. A lot of software companies that will stand the test of time do take a long time to build.
You may need to learn three vocabularies; “Partnership, Collaboration and Team execution”. Even marathon races have support.
This is one of the ways you can create safety net for yourself and mitigate the risk of wearing out during the software development phase as a self-starter especially knowing fully well that there are some heavyweights in the industry lurking around to offer you jobs rather than partnerships as a small developer.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes but don’t make the same mistake twice. Be ready to fail. Unfortunately, today there is the stigmatization of failure in our environment.
The whole idea about success without failure is really funny.
The Remita product that the whole nation boasts of today was a product of a failed bid! Be creative and resilient in the execution of your business plan and it’s not just about business plans but the thinking behind the assumptions of your business plan that matters.
Be professional in managing people and finances and go to school to learn same if need be.
If you happen to require loans, seek help first from informal sources. If your friends and family have not invested in you, why should someone else?
You must develop a thick skin especially to survive the Nigerian business terrain and by this I mean a strong staying power; the ability to stay focused on what you believe to be a solution that can sell.
Understand the intellectual property laws and rights, and don’t be in a hurry to give out your code without protection. It could be costly.
Prospective Entrants into the Software Industry
Software industry is such an amazing one because of its potential for the economy of individuals and nations. India today makes more money from software than Nigeria makes from oil.
The richest companies in the world today are in the computer industry.
Records have it that half of the ten richest men in the United States made their money from software-related businesses.
However, more than making the money is the fulfillment of helping to solve daily life’s problems for people.
If you must enter the industry as an employee or entrepreneur, I will leave you with three words and they are “innovation, innovation, and innovation”.
Innovation is apt in designs and architecture, in business models, and in monetizing your solutions using cost effective solutions distribution mechanism.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced that, from January 1, 2026, all local airports and airstrips operating without valid permits will face sanctions.
Speaking at the maiden Airstrip Owners/Operators Stakeholders’ Engagement in Lagos on Monday, Godwin Balang, Director of Aerodrome and Airspace Standards, said only a few of Nigeria’s 92 airstrips currently hold valid operational permits. These include operational, non-operational, and airstrips under rehabilitation or construction.
Balang stated that the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has been informed that, from 1 January 2026, local airports under its management without proper permits will be sanctioned. “FAAN has been apprised that effective from 1st January 2026, local airports without appropriate permits under its management would be sanctioned accordingly. This is not a threat but a collective resolve,” he said.
The NCAA noted that 68 of the 92 airstrips are federal government properties managed by the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, while 24 are owned by individuals and private organisations. The authority to enforce these measures comes from Section 71 (3) & (4)(a) of the Civil Aviation Authority Act 2022, which empowers the NCAA to certify aerodrome operations and set safety standards.
Balang addressed stakeholders’ pleas to review the N30 million permit fee and other charges to encourage investment. “I completely agree with you because by doing that it would look like the government will be making less money, but we are actually going to be making more money.
“We have a population of over 200 million people with conservatively less than three million people who are actively flying. So, it is also a big opportunity that if we are able to charge less, more people will be able to fly,” he said.
NCAA Director General, Capt. Chris Najomo, outlined the engagement’s goals: to improve communication with state and private airstrip operators, clarify regulatory requirements, address challenges, and promote global best practices.
“It is my fervent hope that these objectives will be fully realised and airstrip operations in Nigeria will, henceforth, be conducted in strict compliance with all regulatory provisions and global best practices,” he said.
One of the suspected promoters of the cryptocurrency trading platform, Crypto Bridge Exchange, Adefowora Abiodun, who was recently declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, voluntarily surrendered himself to the anti-graft agency on Monday.
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja, in a ruling on Thursday last week, approved the EFCC’s request to arrest and detain six promoters of CBEX pending the conclusion of investigations into the alleged offenses and possible prosecution.
Abiodun, alongside five others – Adefowora Oluwanisola, Emmanuel Uko, Seyi Oloyede, Avwerosuo Otorudo, and Chukwuebuka Ehirim – was declared wanted by the EFCC following submissions made by the commission’s counsel, Fadila Yusuf.
After hearing the EFCC’s application, Justice Nwite ruled, “I have listened to the submission of learned counsel for the applicant (EFCC). I have also reviewed the affidavit evidence and exhibits, along with the written address. I am satisfied that the application is meritorious and hereby grant it as prayed.”
All six promoters were declared wanted by the EFCC for their alleged involvement in a fraudulent investment scheme valued at over $1 billion.
Following the declaration, Abiodun, accompanied by his lawyers, turned himself in at the EFCC headquarters at around 4:00 p.m. on Monday.
Abiodun expressed his willingness to cooperate with the EFCC.
Counsel to the suspect, Babatunde Busari, stated that his client decided to submit himself for investigation to clear his name and correct the false narrative being widely circulated in the media.
General News
Afe Babalola University Partners with New Horizons to Integrate 4IR Skills into Academic Curriculum
The institution has been lauded for its rapid ascent in academic rankings and its dedication to producing socially relevant graduates since its establishments in 2009 by legal luminary Aare Afe Babalola. It has consistently demonstrated excellence in education and research, and has been recognized as Nigeria’s best university for three consecutive years.
Deputy Director, ICT, Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), Ado Ekiti, Muyiwa Oladimeji (left); Vice Chancellor,
Prof. Smaranda Olarinde; Managing Director, New Horizons Nigeria, Tim Akano and the University Bursar,
Pastor Dupe Babatola, during the signing of Memorandum of Understanding between New Horizons and the varsity for the integration of 4IR skill sets into ABUAD’s academic curriculum in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
Afe Babalola University has entered into a strategic partnership with New Horizons Nigeria to integrate Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) skill sets into its academic curriculum. This collaboration aims to empower ABUAD students with globally relevant competencies in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain, 3D Technology, and the Metaverse, Web 3.0, Full Stack, Cyber Security among others. By embedding these cutting-edge technologies into its programs, ABUAD reinforces its commitment to producing graduates who are not only job-ready but also poised to be innovators and wealth creators in the global tech ecosystem.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, Vice Chancellor of ABUAD, and Mr. Tim Akano, CEO of New Horizons Nigeria. The University Bursar Pastor Dupe Babatola, and Mr. Muyiwa Oladimeji, the Deputy Director of ICT were also present at this meeting.
According to Prof. Olarinde, she stated that the partnership aligns with ABUAD’s vision of fostering innovation and excellence and by integrating 4IR skills into the academic curriculum, students are being prepared to meet the demands of the modern workforce and to drive technological advancement.
Also, Mr. Akano asserted that “New Horizons is proud to collaborate with ABUAD, an institution that shares its commitment to technological empowerment. Together, we will provide students with the tools and certifications necessary to excel in today’s digital world. It could be recalled that in the first three global industrial revolutions, Africa was not present at the parties of Agric revolution of the 17th century, Industrial revolution of the 18th century, and Information Communication revolution of the 20th century, Africa got late to the party. This explains the large-scale hunger, poverty, and diseases that Africa is battling with today. We are in a new era, the age of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). AGI will determine the trajectory of every profession, going forward. Regardless of whatever course or profession one chooses, there is a component of AGI in it that will decide who is a modern lawyer or obsolete lawyer, who is a modern Doctor or Obsolete Doctor, who is a modern Engineer or obsolete engineer, and who is a modern art student or obsolete art student. Any university today that produce graduates without relevant 4IR skills and certifications attached during their undergrad years is producing obsolete graduates. The four major global challenges confronting humanity are not permanent problems but rather TECHNICAL/Technological problems. A case in point was smallpox, which had killed over 400 million people worldwide. However, when Edward Jenner invented a vaccine, using technology, smallpox got killed itself. Therefore, all the key problems in the world today: hunger, poverty, disease, Climate Crisis, Youth Unemployment are all technological problems that need technological solutions. This is why ABUAD’s partnership with New Horizons is necessary, critical and urgent with a view to ensuring that going forward, the ABUAD graduates have what it takes to compete with the Chinese, Americans and Japanese when it comes to 4.0IR innovations”.
This strategic partnership with New Horizons Nigeria signifies a pivotal step in ABUAD’s mission to remain at the forefront of educational innovation, and to ensure that its students are well-equipped to navigate and lead in the evolving technological landscape.
New Horizons Nigeria is Africa’s largest ICT training organization with over 200 training centres in various universities, high schools, and retail locations across Nigeria, empowering over 100,000 students yearly. New Horizons Nigeria is a franchise of New Horizons International, the world’s largest ICT training institute with Head Office in California and offices in 90 countries worldwide. The institution pioneered the integration of International ICT certification into the Nigeria academic curricular twenty years ago and some of the students that passed through New Horizons training in their respective universities are managing global corporations today in Silicon valley and working with global IT giants like Microsoft, MasterCard, Oracle, Google and Amazon among others.
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