Digital Visionary: Uwaje pays tribute to late Prof. G.O. Ajayi, pushes for inclusive IT history - ITREALMS

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Former President of the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON), Chief Chris Uwaje, has paid a profound tribute to the late Professor Gabriel Olalere Ajayi, hailing him as a "true cerebral digital enigma" whose vision was instrumental in institutionalizing Nigeria's National IT policy, reports ITREALMS.

The tribute was delivered at the lecture and launch of the Prof. G.O. Ajayi Foundation, an initiative established to honor and "reincarnate the overwhelming vision" of the late Professor.

Without unified IT ecosystem: Odusote warns Nigeria risks becoming 'Digital Colony' - ITREALMS

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The former Federal Permanent Secretary and pioneer administrator of Nigeria’s .ng domain, Dr. Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, has warned that Nigeria risks becoming a “digital colony” if stakeholders fail to align and synergise in building a unified Information Technology (IT) ecosystem, reports ITREALMS.

Speaking at the maiden Principal IT Stakeholder Engagement Forum, organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in collaboration with the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) Abuja Chapter, Odusote lamented the persistent duplication of initiatives and fragmented efforts in Nigeria’s digital sector.

NCS fixes November 20 for NITMA 2025, set to honour IT trailblazers - ITREALMS

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The Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) has officially announced that the 2025 National Information Technology Merit Awards (NITMA) will hold on November 20, at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, reports ITREALMS.

NCS President, Dr. Muhammad Sirajo Aliyu, disclosed this during a press briefing, last weekend in Lagos, noting that the event would recognize and reward outstanding individuals, institutions, and governments that have contributed to advancing Information Technology (IT) development in Nigeria and beyond.

Menxtt NG revolutionizes Nigeria’s digital landscape comprehensive IT solutions - ITREALMS

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The Menxtt Technology NG, a fast-growing tech startup based in Ikeja-Lagos, is making waves in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem by offering a wide range of high-quality devices, including laptops, smartphones, and tablets.

Specializing in reputable brands such as Dell, HP, MacBook, iPhones, Nokia, and Samsung, the company is setting a new standard for delivering premium tech products to Nigerian consumers and businesses.

IT advancement across the Niger: Anambra, Lagos enter partnership - ITREALMS

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Towards advancing Information and Technology (IT) development in Nigeria, the Anambra ICT Agency and its Lagos State counterpart, have agreed to a partnership to strengthen their respective IT ecosystems, reports ITREALMS.

This collaborative effort which stemmed from bilateral meetings with the IT ecosystem members during the Reverse Trade Mission in the United States of America, is geared towards addressing emerging challenges, fostering innovation, and enhancing the overall cybersecurity infrastructure.

This no doubt resonates with the Federal Government's call, through the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, at the recently concluded meeting of the Nigeria National Council of ICT Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Abeokuta, Ogun State, for the digitalization of MDAs operations.

NITDA: Why Uwaje bagged national IT leadership award - ITREALMS

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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has given reasons why the former President of Institute of Software Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON), Chief Chris Uwaje, was recently honoured with the National Information Technology (IT) Leadership award, reports ITREALMS.

Uwaje who is largely referred to as the Oracle of IT industry in Nigeria, according to NITDA has mentored several Nigerians in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) ecosystem both locally and internationally.

NITMA2022: Funke Opeke emerges IT Personality of the year, 55 fellows inducted - ITREALMS

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The founder and chief executive officer of MainOne, Ms Funke Opeke, has emerged the Information Technology (IT) Personality of the year and Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu became the Digital Governor of the year, at the 2022 Nigeria IT Merit Awards, reports ITREALMS.

Their emergence was sequel to the 2022 Nigeria IT Merit Awards hosted by the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) at the Music Society of Nigeria (MUSON) Center, Onikan Lagos on Thursday with creme dele creme of IT industry in attendance.

TEXUB lands in Nigeria to boost online IT trade - ITREALMS

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Dubia-based smart Business-To-Business (B2B) solution provider, Texub, has landed into the Nigeria's electronic commerce industry with its market place platform, reports ITREALMS.

Disclosing this in a chat with ITREALMS in Lagos on Tuesday, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Texub, Mr. Suchit Kumar, said that the company's presence in Nigeria makes it the fifth footprint since formal launch some five months ago.

Oyewole: Lack of information governance, bane of national digital economy policy - ITREALMS

ITREALMS: 

Lack of effective data and information governance has been identified as potential bane of any national digital economy policy implementation in the country, reports ITREALMS.

The President and Chairman, Governing Council, Institute of Information Management (IIM), Amb. (Dr) Oyedokun Ayodeji Oyewole, made this observation in Lagos at the weekend, during the media presentation of the National Information Management Stakeholders’ Forum (NIMSF).

He decried that both government and a good number of organizations were yet to regard data and information as essential corporate assets, with a clear understanding of the difference between Information Technology (IT) and Information Management (IM).

Oyewole, who also is the founder, Records and Information Management Awareness (RIMA) Foundation, noted that the need for information management professionals in the country to be charged with managing the information life-cycle to evolve and assume their rightful position, as Information Management is gross misconceived in Nigeria cannot be over emphasized.

Stressing that for an effective National Digital Economy Policy implementation, there is a need for the industry to effectively and consistently engage the Ministry of Information and Culture, “as effective data and information governance will go a long way in ensuring the success of the initiative.”

ITREALMS recalls that stakeholders in Nigeria may be gearing up for a revolution in the Information Management (IM) industry with their strong demand for the creation of National Information Management Development Agency (NIMDA), reports ITREALMS.

NIMSF also called for the breakout of Information and Archives departments from the current Ministry of Information and Culture by creating NIMDA to enable transformation and repositioning, especially on data and information governance in the country.

In addition, NIMDA, he said, for instance, will be setting the standards and ensuring that qualified and certified personnel are assigned to the management of government data and information.

Also, he said, developing and promoting best practices in government business processes and providing adequate training and monitoring for data and information management personnel in government, will be part of the proposed agency mandate.

NIMDA, he noted that when set up will ensure all government’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) comply with standards, processes, procedures, and specifications as it applies to data, information, records, content, and archives use, classification, storage, collaboration, retention, and disposition.

Further, NIMDA, he told ITREALMS, will work with other relevant government agencies in ensuring appropriate information management and technology tools are deployed at all government MDAs for effective information security and governance and so on.

He insisted that for an effective National Digital Economy Policy implementation, there is a need for the industry to effectively and consistently engage the Ministry of Information and Culture, stressing that “effective data and information governance will go a long way in ensuring the success of the initiative.”

NIMDA, he said, will be tasked with managing the “Information Lifecycle of data, information, documents, contents and archives generated by all government agencies, ensuring enabling standards, specifications, processes, laws, and policies are in place for a good data and information governance regime in the country.”

NIMSF, he told ITREALMS was developed by the RIMA Foundation to advance sustainable development at all levels in the information management industry.

“Our activity aims to enhance open, accountable and participatory decision-making and governance on sustainable development through enhancing the involvement of all industry stakeholders. We focus particularly on the effective engagement of stakeholders on information management related policy processes,” he said.

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Pix: L-r: Protocol Officer, Kitiya James; Member, Governing Council and Director of Training, Dr. Kolawole Oseni; President/Chairman, Governing Council, Dr. Oyedokun Ayodeji Oyewole and Head of HR, Merit Endurance, all members of Institute of Information Management (IIM-Africa) during the press conference by National Information Management Stakeholders’ forum held at IIM-Africa’s secretariat on Friday in Lagos State, Nigeria.

Metropolitan Networks lands in Lagos, pledges cutting-edge IT solutions

ITREALMS:

The United Kingdom-based Information and Technology firm, Metropolitan Networks, has landed in Lagos-Nigeria with a pledge to offer cutting edge solutions, reports ITRealms.

Founded in 2003 in London, to provide quality customer-centred network support, and later security and managed service, the Managing Director, Ashok Thomas, in an interaction with journalists in Lagos, said the firm has the experience and capacity to meet the needs of organisations both large and small in the country.

Thomas said the advantage of Metropolitan Networks’ vast experience in the IT Industry will help improve the connectivity, efficiency and security of businesses.

  

According to him, the firm would offer advanced IT security services, managed services, hosting, infrastructure, and server connections for businesses in Nigeria.

  

He said each business sector has specific requirements, which the firm is equipped to support, stressing that the vast resources both human and material in Nigeria are potential to be developed and explored.

According to him, the country has what it takes to rule Africa and impact the world greatly, especially with the right and adequate policies from government at all levels.

Thomas added that Metropolitan Networks plans to grow and develop further with Nigeria, saying it has made impact through projects done in Saudi Arabia, Trinidad and Tobaggo, and a host of others.

   

“We have a lot of experience with service providers in the U.K., the Caribbean. As an IT Integrator, we bring operational efficiency and innovation to business organisations. The intention is to replicate that in Nigeria and the plan is already mapped out to achieve this,” he said.

Equally, Thomas said they were in the country for a long term, noting that Metropolitan would want to play huge roles in Lagos smartcity projects.

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Overhauling IT prepares firms to leapfrog competition

ITREALMS:

Dell EMC has said that the results of new research conducted by Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG) into the benefits of information Technology (IT) Transformation results in bottom-line benefits that drive business differentiation, innovation and growth, reports ITRealms.

According to the research, today’s business landscape is rife with disruption, much of it driven by organizations using technology in new or innovative ways. In order to survive and thrive in today’s digital world, businesses are implementing new technologies, processes and skillsets to best address changing customer needs. A fundamental first step to this change is transforming IT, to help organizations bring products to market faster, remain competitive and drive innovation.

“Data is the new competitive edge – yet it’s become highly distributed across the edge, the core data center and cloud.  Organizations realize they have to move quickly to turn that data into business intelligence – requiring an end-to-end IT infrastructure that can manage, analyze, store and protect data everywhere it lives,” said Jeff Clarke, Vice Chairman, Products and Operations, Dell Technologies. “We’re in the business of better business outcomes, giving our customers the ability make that end-to-end strategy a reality, driving disruptive innovation without the fear of being disrupted themselves.”

ESG employed a research-based, data-driven maturity model to identify different stages of IT Transformation progress and determine the degree to which global organizations have achieved those different stages, based on their responses to questions about their organizations’ adoption of modernized data center technologies, automated IT processes and transformed organizational dynamics.

“Companies today need to be agile to stay competitive and drive growth, and IT Transformation can be a major enabler of that,” said John McKnight, Vice President of Research, Enterprise Strategy Group. “It’s clear that IT Transformation is increasingly resonating with companies and that senior executives recognize how IT Transformation is pivotal to overall business strategy and competitiveness. While achieving transformation can be a major endeavor, our research shows ‘Transformed’ companies experience real business results, including being more likely to be ahead of the competition in bringing new products and services to market, making better, faster data-driven decisions than their competition, and exceeding their revenue goals.”

At Dell Technologies World, April 30 – May 3, 2018, experts from Dell EMC will discuss these results and demonstrate how IT Transformation creates a digital advantage that can help businesses become more valuable to customers and more competitive in their respective markets.

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CPN, not NITDA has mandate to register, license IT contractors – NCS insists

ITREALMS:

The last may not have been heard of the controversial registration and licensing of Information Technology (IT) contractors embarked upon by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), as the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) has insisted that only the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) has the power to conduct registration and licensing in IT industry, reports ITRealms.

NCS, ITRealms recalls is the umbrella organization of all Information Technology professionals in Nigeria and diaspora, interest groups and stakeholders in the country.

Anything other than CPN registration, NCS told ITRealms is tantamount to double registration and contravenes the Federal Government policy on ease of doing business and lacks due process.

The latest is coming in reaction to NITDA insistence in carrying on with the so-called registration and licensing, this NCS decried, saying it may lead to the registration of quacks and non-professionals because the exercise is devoid of due diligence as enshrined in the CPN Act 49 of June 1993.

As alluded by NCS President, Prof. Adesola G. Aderounmu to ITRealms, is self-serving and any undercurrent discovered in the industry should be have been reported to CPN promptly.

NCS further argued that based on CPN mandate of Act 49 of June 1993, only the Council has the authority to register and license IT contractors, citing the CPN Act section 2, subsection 2 on membership registration, which states inter alia:

“Persons admitted to the membership of the profession shall be registered as members of the profession in various categories including the corporate member category.”

Also NCS cited section 8 (1) on the list, which states thus, “CPN has the mandate to keep, publish, print the list of all registered professional and is available for inspection for members of the public at all reasonable time. This has been in operation since 1998.”

And finally, NCS cited the CPN Act section 18, subsection 2b, which focused on licensing and asserted that “It prescribes the form of licence to be issued annually.”

NCS president, a professor of computer science, pointed out that the call for another registration and licensing of IT contractors by NITDA is equivalent to double registration which is contrary to the Federal Government’s policy on ease of doing business.

“Furthermore it may lead to the registration of quacks and non-professionals,” NCS president declared.

Aderounmu who also is the Director, African Centre of Excellence in Software Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, maintained that the failed and substandard public IT projects alleged by NITDA as basis for current controversial registration and licensing, should have been reported to CPN for necessary action.

“IT contracts should only be awarded to CPN registered members; the list is available online and in accordance with Public Procurement Act 2007,” NCS president said

Prof. Aderounmu emphasised that registering and licensing IT contractors is not within the mandate of NITDA, which is to create framework, guidelines and policy to develop IT.

“When properly implemented, it will solve the problem of unemployment in Nigeria which is the focus of the present administration,” NCS president insisted.

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NITDA reacts to NCS, insists on registering IT contractors, clarifies position

ITREALMS:

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has reacted to the call by the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) to stop the registration and licensing of Information Technology (IT) contractors and service providers in the country, insisting on carrying on the process claiming it would weed out quacks, reports ITRealms.

Already, ITRealms gathered that several indigenous IT Contractors and Service Providers have commenced the process of registration with NITDA as at the time of filing this report.

NITDA in its clarifications on why the agency embarked on the process ab ni tio, the Director-General of the agency, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, said the registration process will ensure professionalism in IT service delivery, value for national investments in IT and weed out quacks who may seek to take advantage of public procurements for selfish interests.

Although, Pantami acknowledged the position and mandate of the ComputerProfessionals (Registration Council) of Nigeria as a Council is mandated to have control and supervision of the (Computing) profession as provided by Section 1(2) of the Computer Professionals (Registration council of Nigeria) Act., as well as concerns of the Nigeria Computer Society, he insisted that the registration by NITDA is in line with agency’s mandate as specifically stated in Section 6 (a, f) NITDA Act 2007.

This, he said, mandated NITDA to create a framework for the planning, research, development, standardization, application, coordination, monitoring, evaluation and regulation of information technology practices, activities and systems in Nigeria; and to render advisory services on all information technology matters to the public and private sectors.

Pantami maintained that “it is within the regulatory and developmental role of NITDA to ensure that IT contractual practises and project delivery in the public sector are done in accordance with best practices, within acceptable standards and in the interest of the development of IT in Nigeria.”

Furthermore, he said, NITDA as the clearance house for IT projects of the Federal Government, has the responsibility to ensure that IT projects are executed by professional firms.

“NITDA as a regulator will not relent in its quest to improve IT practises and expose projects that are ill-conceived or poorly executed,” he said, assuring all Nigerians that it will not allow sub-standard projects in MDAs being executed by companies that have limited or no capacities. 

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NCS faults NITDA registration, licensing of IT contractors

ITREALMS:

Umbrella organization of all Information Technology professionals, interest groups and stakeholders in the country, the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), has faulted the registration and licensing of Information Technology (IT) contractors in the country by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), reports ITRealms.

According to the President of NCS, Prof. Adesola G. Aderounmu, this exercise was never in the mandate of NITDA but that of Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN).

This, he said, follows a policy statement released by National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Director General, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami on the 12^th February, 2018, which on general principle is to register and license all IT contractors in Nigeria.

“Our position is that this is not part of NITDA’s mandate because as the name suggests this agency is to plan, promote and develop regulatory framework and guidelines as stated in NITDA Act 2007, section 6a,” he said.

NCS also pointed out that the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) Act 49 of 1993 is saddled with the mandate to register, license, supervise and control the profession as stated in CPN Act section 1 (2).

Therefore, NCS, he said, frowns at the policy state, which is capable of confusing the general public to create an uncoordinated approach to policy issues and both Acts of Parliament as stated earlier.

NCS, he further said, belief that NITDA’s mandate is to ensure seamless cooperation and interaction towards the use of IT as a development tool for the country.

In addition, NCS commends the approach and wisdom of the Presidential Executive Order 005 of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, which emphasized professionalism, stressing that the Public Procurement Act 2007 with particular reference to section 19 if properly implemented will promote best practices professionally.

“On a related note CPN Act section 22, states that failure to engage professional practitioners is an offence in Nigeria punishable under the Act,” he declared.

NCS, therefore advised NITDA in its advocacy capacity not to embark on registering and licensing of IT Contractors and service providers (Registered IT professionals) activities and instead concentrate on developmental issues which could be jointly achieved collaboratively.

“CPN is the only agency with the mandate to register and license IT professionals and contractors in Nigeria,” NCS insisted.

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NITDA commences registration, licensing of IT contractors

ITREALMS:

The National Information TechnologyDevelopment Agency (NITDA) has commenced the registration and licensing of what it called all indigenous information technology (IT) contractors, reports ITRealms.

Director General and chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NITDA, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, confirmed this to ITRealms saying that this exercise involves all IT contractors, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) among other governments establishments, the organised private sector and the general public.

NITDA, he said, has put measures in place to “register and license all Information Technology (IT) Contractors and Service Providers for the purposes of procurements, Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) and other forms of engagement with Government establishments and Private Sector.”

He noted in a public statement made available to ITRealms that the agency is dismayed at the raising number of failing IT projects within Federal MDAs and other government establishments.

NITDA’s investigations, he said, revealed that over 90 per cent of IT projects in MDAs and other government establishments failed and more than 95 per cent of their security is compromised.

“In order to curtail this and in line with the agency’s mandate and the recent Presidential Executive Order 005 for Planning and Execution of Projects, Promotion of Nigerian Content in Contracts and Science, Engineering and Technology, as mandated by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, the registration and licensing of IT Contractors and Service providers has become expedient,” Pantami said.

The process, he also said, aims at ensuring the emergence of robust indigenous IT Service Providers and Contractors, guaranteeing the delivery of sustainable IT projects as well as engendering professionalism in the IT service industry.  The process will also ensure that IT projects in MDAs will only be executed by indigenous companies where in-country capacity exists.

“As part of the process, NITDA will monitor and ensure the capacity development of Nigerians employed by IT Contractors and other Service providers.  Furthermore, the Agency will, in conjunction with relevant agencies, investigate any project that has failed to determine the root cause of the failure and apply sanctions where necessary or to refer such cases to other relevant authorities,” he said.

Further, he warned that all firms desirous of providing IT services and contracts to Federal MDAs and other government establishments are advised to initiate the registration process with immediate effect. Guidelines on the registration process can be accessed by visiting NITDA’s website.

“Alternatively, an applicantion can be written to the agency in order to initiate the process. Interested entities should note that only NITDA registered firms and companies will be recognised as having capabilities for the provision of IT services to Federal MDAs and other government establishments. All MDAs and other government establishments are advised to consult NITDA before any IT firm is engaged for the purposed of providing IT related services,” he said.

Pantami insisted that NITDA is an agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria, created in April 2001 to implement the Nigerian Information Technology Policy and co-ordinate general IT development and regulation in the country. Specifically, Section 6(a & c) of the Act mandates NITDA to create a framework for the planning, research, development, standardization, application, coordination, monitoring, evaluation and regulation of Information Technology practices, activities and systems in Nigeria; and render advisory services in all information technology matters to the public and private sectors.

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NITDA, EFCC partner on enforcement of IT project clearance

ITRealms:

 

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to partner on enforcement of the Information Technology (IT) project clearance law, reports ITRealms.

This was the outcome of a working visit by the acting chairman, EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu to NITDA corporate headquarters in Abuja, reaffirming inter-agency commitment in the fight against corruption.

Speaking during the visit, the Director General of NITDA, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, said that the visit is key to the growth and development of the country, channeled towards the fight against corruption to save funds for the country.

“Anything you do in the aspect of anti-corruption will surely lead to retaliation by perpetrators, as long as legal is made illegal and legitimate is made illegitimate, it is corruption, more effort is needed to fight such crimes” he said.

According to a slogan by the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari which says “If you fight corruption, corruption will fight you back” which EFCC is working all round to curb the menace of such act.

Pantami stated that the effort of EFCC in the fight against corruption is for the country at large, any nation that fights corruption is doing it for the develop and better the living standards of citizens living within.

NITDA is the IT regulatory body and also a clearing house for all IT projects and infrastructural development in the country. The Agency solicits EFCC's support to enforce the IT clearance law which the Federal Government mandated NITDA to handle the clearance of all IT procurement by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDA).

Some MDAs repeatedly engage in IT projects, which there is no provision for its sustainability afterward. Information Technology (IT) is one of the areas which has been used to siphon government funds simply because of its complexity, he said.

Many MDAs come to NITDA to seek IT clearance for their projects and services, which the Agency has professionals and experts that will analyse the project critically to know its authenticity before embarking on such project so as to save funds for the government, he added.

The Acting Chairman of EFCC in his remarks stated that the two government organizations have a lot in common, and more need to be learned from each other.

EFCC need the support of every Nigerian in the fight against corruption for the betterment of our future generation because the Commission cannot do it alone. “Corruption is the biggest problem in the country” things need to be done the right way, which will curb the menace it has brought upon our country, he said.

Magu appreciates the effort of NITDA in the fight against corruption, and has the support of his office in delivering its goals and objectives for the growth and development of the country.

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FG votes N42.5bn on IT project - Pantami

ITRealms:

The Federal Government (FG) has voted the sum of N42,560,945,191.00, billion on Information Technology (IT) projects for the year 2017, reports ITRealms.

Disclosing this to ITRealms, Director General and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), NITDA, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, said that based on assessment of the 2017 Appropriation Bill by his agency, revealed that Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) proposed to spend approximately N42,560,945,191.00 on IT projects.

This, he said, represents 2.1 per cent of the total capital budget of N2,048,989,578,222.00 trillion.

“It is therefore imperative to ensure that maximum value is derived from such huge investment of public funds, especially at a time when the need for accountable, transparent, efficient and effective public spending is high on the current administration’s agenda,” he said.

NITDA, the DG said, therefore called on MDAs and other government establishments to ensure that their IT projects in the 2017 Appropriation Act are put forward for clearance before implementation.

“It should be noted that a breach of the provision of NITDA Act and any other directive pursuant to the Act is an offence under Section 17 and punishable under Section 18 of the Act,” he said.

ITRealms recalls that NITDA is the Federal Ministry of Communications agency, created in April 2001 to implement the Nigerian Information Technology Policy and coordinate general IT development and regulation in the country.

In addition, NITDA specifically under the Section 6(a & c) of the Act mandates NITDA to create a framework for the planning, research, development, standardization, application, coordination, monitoring, evaluation and regulation of Information Technology practices, activities and systems in Nigeria.

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NITDA warns MDAs over IT projects without clearance

ITRealms:

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has warned Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as other government establishments on the need to seek clearance from the agency before embarking on any Information Technology (IT) project, reports ITRealms.

Director General and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), NITDA, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, who gave this warning in Abuja, cited Section 6 of the NITDA Act 2007, as well as Service-wide Circular from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation which makes the agency a clearing house for all IT procurement in the public sector.

He pointed out that the objectives of the clearance exercise include to ensure transparency in IT procurement by MDAs and other government establishments; alignment of IT projects/investments with MDAs and other government establishments’ mandates and functions as well as government IT shared vision and policy; and integration of IT systems and services to save costs, promote shared services, interoperability and improve efficiency.

In addition, he said, the objectives comprised that there is indigenous capacity for after-sales-service to sustain the project beyond the initial deployment; that the project promotes indigenous content and that preference is given to indigenous companies where capacity or the product or service exists; that the technology being implemented is up-to-date; and that the technology and services being procured are suitable for the country from the point of view of security and the environment, among others.

He emphasized that this will see to the realization of IT as a major driver and enabler of policies and national development plans; learning, knowledge and experience sharing on IT projects among MDAs; and the availability of accurate statistics on Federal Government’s IT assets and Investments to help government make informed IT decisions.

“The realization that government’s investments in IT over the years were not commensurate with the value derived from such investments and had also failed to evolve a digitally-enabled public service that will advance the citizens’ yearnings of digital economy made it necessary for strategic re-positioning of IT procurement in the public sector,” Pantami said.

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Corruption in IT procurement: NITDA partners EFCC

ITRealms:

The National Information Technology Development Agency, (NITDA) and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, (EFCC) have agreed to join forces to curb corrupt practices in Information Technology (IT) procurement, mostly in Ministries, Department and Agencies of the Federal Government,  reports ITRealms.

The Director-General of NITDA, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, disclosed this during a courtesy visit to EFCC headquarter in Abuja on Monday.

Pantami said that the alliance has become imperative in the face of the wanton corruption being perpetrated by MDAs especially in the procurement of IT products and services as most of the projects pass through less scrutiny during budget defense at National Assembly because of the expertise required to ascertain the needs and specifications of these IT requirements.

“Many MDAs consider IT projects  as conduit pipes to siphon public funds and I believe partnering with EFCC will bring sanity to the sector and by then the commission will be empowering NITDA in strengthening its regulatory function through which it will also be developing  and promoting the local content in the IT sector,” he said.   

While suggesting the modus operandi of the partnership, Dr Pantami informed that the two organisations could form a working group which would also serve as a desk to deal with sharp practices in the IT procurement, adding that, “EFCC may help in asking MDAs to produce procurement clearance issued by NITDA during their investigations.

He said NITDA as IT regulatory body in the country, the Agency is responsible for subjecting IT product to value-for-money analysis, reduce projects duplication, justify the spending of public funds on IT projects and to advise MDAs on the alternative options of IT products and service with a view of reducing cost especially on sharing of software among themselves. 

   

The DG who believed that the alliance would strengthen the existing relationship between the Agency and the Commission said “supporting NITDA would go a long way in blocking loopholes in IT procurements.”

He commended the EFCC’s Acting chairman for his doggedness, fearlessness and outstanding performance which he has recorded in acting capacity saying the feat  could take some people 20 years to achieve as substantive chairman of the commission.

While assuring him of his prayers and goodwill, Dr Pantami stated that Nigeria needs people like Mr Magu who are fearless and do not think of the consequences of their action to move forward as a nation

  

In his remarks, the Acting Chairman of the Commission, Mr Ibrahim Magu who expressed his   delight over the visit said that  EFCC as Commission “would be complying with NITDA’s request so as to bring some level  of sanity to the procurement of IT products and services among MDAs in Nigeria.

He described the partnership as timely especially now that the Commission is on the process of “completely digitalizing the operation of EFCC” adding that he now has place in NITDA to run to when he gets confuse on  IT projects under investigations.

Describing corruption as a threat to the unity of Nigeria, the EFCC boss maintained that the Commission cannot fight corruption alone without the consensus of all Nigerians,  he pleaded to Nigerians not to  be discouraged on the recent corruption case judgments delivered recently.

Mr Magu stated that the cause of agitations from different quarters in the country today is because of corruptions that has ravaged the nation. “Absolutely there is a political will to fight corruption and this is not in doubt. This is the time to save this country from the shackles of corruption," he added.

The two organisations agreed to nominate three officials each to constitute the working group and the desk with the term of reference of verifying the IT products and services to be procured with public funds.

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE 

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