By Kester Omu
The management of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has started the registration and licensing of Information Technology contractors in Nigeria in a bid to curtail the increasing menace of failing IT projects.
Apart from contractors, service providers for the purposes of procurements, Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) and other forms of engagement with Government establishments and Private Sector, will also be licensed.
The federal government IT clearing house disclosed this in a statement today.
The statement signed by Mrs Hadiza Umar, Head, Corporate Affairs and External Relations, noted that the agency is dismayed at the raising number of failing IT projects within Federal MDAs and other government establishments.
According to the statement, NITDA’s investigations revealed that over 90% of IT projects in MDAs and other government establishments failed and more than 95% 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, GCFR, the registration and licensing of IT Contractors and Service providers has become expedient.
The process 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.
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: www.nitda.gov.ng. Alternatively, an application 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.