Nigeria may have lost over N400 billion in technical equipment, accessories, trainings and first aid materials procured by the National Population Commission (NPC) for the botched 2023 census, investigations have shown.
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Showing posts with label contractors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label contractors. Show all posts
Thursday, February 05, 2026
Census: Nigeria loses over N400bn as contractors lament non-payment for jobs done by Abdul Suleiman - Commentary@ITREALMS
Commentary@ITREALMS ... making leadership SENSE with digital news!
Nigeria may have lost over N400 billion in technical equipment, accessories, trainings and first aid materials procured by the National Population Commission (NPC) for the botched 2023 census, investigations have shown.
This is even as local contractors who supplied the materials and provided other logistics for the twice postponed census have been lamenting the non-payment of debts owed them by the NPC.
Nigeria may have lost over N400 billion in technical equipment, accessories, trainings and first aid materials procured by the National Population Commission (NPC) for the botched 2023 census, investigations have shown.
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Shell urges contractors on safety, rewards champions - ITREALMS
The Vice President of Shell Companies in Nigeria (SCiN) and Gabon, Peter Costello, has charged contractors working for and with Shell Companies in Nigeria to prioritise safety and be relentless in discussing the challenges and dilemmas, noting that the international oil giant was poised to help improve safety performance throughout the energy industry, reports ITREALMS.
“Safety is our top priority. Everyone who works for us, or with us, has an important part to play in making SCiN a safer place to work. We cannot succeed in isolation and we must share the challenges by building strong partnerships to further improve our safety culture,” Costello said at the 7th edition of annual SPDC JV Contractor CEO Safety Leadership Conference held in Lagos last week.
He added: “We expect our staff and contractors to comply with safety rules and regulations relevant to their work; to intervene to prevent unsafe conditions; and to respect fellow workers and the communities in which we work.”
In his remarks, Managing Director of The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Osagie Okunbor, described the annual event as an opportunity to share learnings and ensure alignment, common ground and shared commitments on Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) in Shell’s joint operations.
“We cannot be too careful with safety issues. Through engagement, we ensure that the right competence is in place and we create opportunities for our staff and contract staff to speak openly about dilemmas. The collaboration must be continually strengthened so as to make Shell a safety model in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.” Okunbor said, adding that SPDC “more than ever before, is committed to delivering energy responsibly and safely, with total prevention of harm to our employees, contractors, local communities and the environment.”
While setting the conference scene, the General Manager Safety and Environment of Shell Companies in Nigeria, Chidube Nnene-Anochie, said the two-day conference was informed by SCiN’s mission to constantly work in partnership with contractors, regulators, industry trade associations and professional bodies to share Shell’s global safety experience, standards and knowledge.
Uboshe Uboshe/GEE
Pix: L-R: General Manager Safety and Environment of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Chidube Nnene-Anochie; Managing Director, Alcon Nigeria Limited, Gerando Della Santa; Managing Director, Daewoo Nigeria Limited, Tea- Wong Jung; Managing Director, SPDC and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Osagie Okunbor; Managing Director, BGP/CNPC International Nigeria Limited, Bai Guangyu; and SPDC General Manager, Projects, Toyin Olagunju, at the 2018 SPDC JV Contractor CEO Safety Leadership Conference Gala Night held in Lagos… on Wednesday
Friday, May 11, 2018
Shell loans Nigerian contractors N472bn
Some 290 Nigerian contractors have received loans worth more than N472 billion under the Shell Contractor Support Fund, which was set up by Shell companies in Nigeria to help vendors and suppliers in the oil and gas industry secure funds at reduced interest rates, relaxed collateral requirements and quicker processing time. Also, Shell Companies in Nigeria awarded contracts worth over N230 billion to Nigerian contractors in 2017, representing 94% of the total contracts in that year.
Thursday, February 15, 2018
CPN, not NITDA has mandate to register, license IT contractors – NCS insists
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.
Related stories:
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
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.
Chuks Egbune/GEE
Related stories:
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
NCS faults NITDA registration, licensing of IT contractors
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 12th
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.
Related Stories:
Monday, February 12, 2018
NITDA commences registration, licensing of IT contractors
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.
Chuks Egbune/GEE
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