NITDA Earmarks N20m For IT Outsourcing Body

The National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, says it has set aside the sum of N20 million for the upkeep of an umbrella body for IT outsourcing companies in the country.

This arises from the need to effectively facilitate advocacy efforts at advancing the development of outsourcing business in Nigeria, to effectively coordinate the monitoring and evaluation of the outsourcing sector and to have an identity that interfaces with government and the rest of the world.

Services enabled by IT outsourcing include software development, website development/development of e-commerce portals, hosted application development and management as well as disaster recovery services.

It also encompasses network operations and administration, desktop support services, data centre support services and help desk services.

IT outsourcing in Nigeria has been hampered by bad leadership, her negative image abroad especially with regards to cybercrime and online fraud, lack of a robust legal frame work that enables outsourcing, lack of robust Infrastructure and power.

Director General of Nitda, Cleopas Angaye, noted that IT outsourcing in Nigeria is gradually growing and “it is our belief that if the sector is well governed through the umbrella body, it will open doors for enhanced job creation, quick source of revenue for Nigeria and improved performance.”

He explained that outsourcing of IT products and services is a big market and that only partnership between the government and private sector can sustain it.

Angaye assured of Nitda’s continued support at creating an enabling environment for the sector to grow and to achieve the objectives and purposes of the umbrella body.

The proposed umbrella body for IT Outsourcing is patterned after the likes of National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) of India and Ghana Association of Software and IT Service Companies (Gasscom).

—Henry Ojelu