A staggering 56 percent of Information Technology (IT) projects in Nigeria have failed to deliver on their promises, largely due to an overemphasis on acquiring the latest technology, insufficient design before implementation, and a neglect of the core business value proposition.
The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, disclosed this alarming statistic during recent engagements with key federal institutions.
The key institutions include the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation, and the Bureau of Public Procurement. The Director General decried the trend of pursuing cutting-edge technology without adequate foundational planning and a clear understanding of the project’s ultimate benefit.
A central focus of these visits has been the presentation of NITDA’s Reviewed IT Project Clearance Guidance Document. This updated framework, a revision of the 2018 Guidelines for Clearance of IT Projects, is designed to standardize the planning, funding, and execution of IT projects, ensuring alignment with national digital economy goals. The document champions cost-effectiveness, regulatory compliance, and transparency, reinforcing NITDA’s pivotal role in overseeing all government IT initiatives under the National Information Technology Development Act (2007).
During these crucial discussions, NITDA’s Director General stressed that the agency cannot achieve the Renewed Hope Agenda of digital economic transformation in isolation. “We need to explore how we can strengthen our partnerships and collaborations in line with the President’s agenda,” he stated.
He further informed his hosts that the revised IT Clearance Guideline was a direct response to past experiences where many Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) developed IT projects based solely on proposals from contractors. These contractors often designed, implemented, and operated the projects, leading to a lack of accountability and transparency, and ultimately, the failure of numerous IT ventures.
“We are building a digitized government service; and government is one. We need to work together, work harmoniously, the same way IT system works to deliver these services,” he warned. “For us to achieve this, we need to be more intentional in the way we design, and implement. And if we continue to design and implement in silos, they will never work together.”
The reviewed guideline aims to ensure that IT projects are designed with interoperability in mind, encouraging MDAs to explore shared services and adhere to best practices and standards. It will guide MDAs on how to design, operate, and maintain systems, emphasizing that successful IT projects go beyond mere technology to encompass people, processes, and key components.
The proposed guideline outlines a three-step implementation process for IT projects: Solution Design, Implementation, and Quality Assurance. Going forward, contractors will be required to hold licenses and employ certified personnel in these three areas before being awarded government IT projects.
“These measures are designed to eliminate corruption, prevent duplication, and ensure that government IT initiatives are structured to create meaningful change—fostering efficiency, equity, and fairness in public service,” the Director General asserted.
At the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, the Director General, underscored the importance of standardizing IT Project Bidding Documents. He lamented the misuse of IT projects to siphon public funds, resources that could otherwise be channeled into impactful initiatives. Dr. Adedokun acknowledged that MDAs often presented IT projects adopted without standardization or clear guidelines, but expressed optimism that the new guideline would pave the way for significant development in the country’s IT sector.
He described the meeting as crucial for eradicating corruption in IT project implementation, noting that the intangible nature of many IT project components made them susceptible to misuse. The BPP, he added, has already developed a standard bidding document for IT procurement.
“We have huge responsibility with NITDA to avoid corruption, duplication of IT projects and ensure transparency and accountability in the award of IT projects for the Federal Public Institutions,” Dr. Adedokun stated. “It is disheartening that we are consuming resources that can be deployed to meet other needs of the country and we need to stop this and say no to wastage.”
He tasked NITDA with reconsidering service-wide procurement of licenses from organizations like Microsoft and Oracle, and urged the agency to develop a template for IT Price Intelligence that the BPP could use as a benchmark for costing. Dr. Adedokun also advocated for capacity building for government IT staff to equip them against being outsmarted by contractors. Both NITDA and BPP agreed to form a working committee to finalize modalities and sign a Memorandum of Understanding on the implementation of these plans.
At the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation, Auditor General Shaakaa Kanyitor Chira commended NITDA’s foresight in developing the guideline, assuring that once operational, his office would conduct performance audits to assess its effectiveness in improving the country.
Similarly, the Accountant General, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, praised NITDA’s efforts to standardize IT project implementation and expressed readiness to integrate the clearance guidelines into financial processes. This collaboration is expected to enhance service delivery, curb inefficiencies, and position Nigeria as a leader in technology-driven governance.
It is worth noting that since NITDA unveiled its initial Guideline for IT Project Clearance in 2018, the agency has successfully saved the country over N300 billion through its oversight of IT projects.