To boost local software development in Nigeria, the federal government says it will establish local software development centres at two locations in the country.
Cleopas Angaye, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, said the project will provide expertise and employment for Nigerian youths, adding that it will also impact on the economy, similar to the experience of India when it established nine software development centres.
Mr. Angaye said, “We have been doing a lot under software development. This year, we are coming out with full scale establishment of Software Centres in the country.
“It is similar to what they have in India where they have nine software development centres. It provides a lot of employment and expertise in this area.”
Software for different sectors
The centre will be a training hub for Nigerians who will design the software needed to run several sectors of the economy, Mr. Angaye said.
He also said Nigerian information technology experts will serve as resource persons at the centre.
On the modalities for admission and participation in the programme, the official said, “We will advertise and do aptitude test to select the best, seeking all possible due process to get the candidates which will be based on competence. The programme will last for one or one and half years depending on the course applied for - either web designing or writing personal software.”
He also noted that the admission will be open to both secondary and tertiary students and even post graduate participants who are interested in all levels of research. The youths will then be equipped with knowledge to set up their own small businesses after graduating from the centre.
Mr. Angaye further said, “We use software testing to encourage local developers because most of our software in this country are not tested. Other communities will not see or hear what you are producing unless it is internationally accepted. Software testing will help authenticate our products.”
He said the country will need to develop its software infrastructure for IT-based programmes to work.
“By that we take one piece at a time to see how IT affects the sector. For instance, ePayment has been a success. We have eRegisteration, eHealth, eLearning etc but evolving these require improved infrastructure before we can do them.”
Poor infrastructure stalls eGovernance
Experts say inadequate infrastructure has negatively affected the government’s eGovernance project.
Olu Agunloye, the Executive Vice Chairman of the National eGovernment Strategies, said eGovernance in Nigeria has recorded a modest success, but that more can be achieved if a national drive for the project is provided and an institutional framework for implementation is put in place.
“eGovernance is a tool needed to get what is called increased productivity and efficiency within government and that what leads to national competitiveness.
“It is national competitiveness that will lead to overall productivity growth for the country as well as economic growth for the country. That is what can translate into our being among the top economy by 2020.
“For that purpose, eGovernment is critical for the survival of the country. As we are trying to get in line the rest of the world is not waiting for us. All other countries have also shifted their position.”
He added that systemic failures such as inadequate power supply and requisite human capital stall eGovernance and the use of information communication technologies in the various sectors of the economy.
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