By 
Nigeria’s IT clearinghouse, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has assured stakeholders of its readiness to enforce the new executive order by the government on compliance to Local Content in IT Procurement.
In an official statement signed by its Director General/CEO, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami and released in Abuja yesterday, NITDA which had championed the local content policy said it would be implementing measures to ensure compliance by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Faced by dwindling FOREX and a strong need to grow the local IT industry, government has signed an executive order to promote local content encourage patronage for indigenous entrepreneurs.
NITDA’s statement reads:
“The management of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) would like to bring to the attention of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that the Agency has put measures in place to facilitate compliance with the Executive Order on Support for Local Content in IT Procurement.
“In compliance with the recent Executive Order no 003 “Support for Local Content in Procurement by Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Federal Government of Nigeria” signed by the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday 18th May, 2017, NITDA has embarked on strengthening its strategy to foster patronage of indigenous IT products and services. The strategy focuses on two tracks:
- Make Nigerian IT products viable; and
- Promote local content first policy in IT procurement by MDAs.
“In its effort to make Nigerian IT products viable and competitive, NITDA has invested in:
- Building IT hubs, incubation and acceleration centers in the country;
- Partnering with private IT hubs to identify and accelerate innovative IT solutions;
- Crafting policies and guidelines that make Nigerian environment conducive for IT business;
- Building hardware and software testing labs to certify IT products before going to market; and
- Empowering the two subsidiaries of the Agency, the Office for Nigerian Content in IT (ONC) and the Office for IT Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIIE), to synergize the IT ecosystem as well as develop a vibrant and world class indigenous IT industry Nigeria.
“Furthermore, in compliance with the Federal Government’s directive that MDAs and all other institutions of the Federal Government planning to embark on IT projects must obtain clearance from NITDA, the Agency has assembled a team of experts charged with supporting MDAs with advice and guidance throughout the IT procurement process. This is aimed at mitigating waste and mismanagement of government funds as well as ensuring that procurement of goods and services are in line with the national development goals.
“The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is an Agency under the Federal Ministry of Communications. The Agency was established in April 2001 to implement the Nigerian Information Technology Policy and co-ordinate general IT development and regulation in the country. Specifically, Section 6(l) of the Act mandates NITDA to render advisory services in all information technology matters to the public and private sectors.
“We therefore call on MDAs and other stakeholders in the IT sector to support the Agency in this strategy so as to help boost the local IT industry, create new markets as well as deepen existing ones, and accelerate information technology penetration and adoption in all Government services in Nigeria for better service delivery.
