The National Coordinator, Office for Nigerian Content Development in ICT (ONC), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kasim Sodangi has reiterated the ever-readiness of the department to deepen compliance on local content development in ICT.
Business Hilights recalls that the Strategic implementation Plan for Nigerian Content Development established the Office for Nigerian Content Development in ICT (ONC) as Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to coordinate the implementation of the program and supervise compliance with the Guidelines.
Besides, in line with the mandate of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to promote the development of IT in Nigeria and Executive Orders 003 and 005 of the Federal Government of Nigeria for the promotion of local content, NITDA is vigorously implementing and enforcing the Nigerian Content Development Plan in ICT as a sustainable framework for the strategic development of ICT in Nigeria.
Pointer to this effort was the issuance of Guidelines for Nigerian Content Development in ICT as a coherent framework for the development of ICT in Nigeria in December 2013.
Sondagi recalled that his department had issued hundreds of notices and has intervened numerous times to ensure the Guidelines are enforced and that indigenously developed IT content is given priority in the procurements of MDAs.
The ONC under the supervision of NITDA has ensured that data hosted by MDAs outside Nigeria is repatriated to Nigerian Data Centres in line with the provisions of the Guidelines as the agency is also utilizing various instruments within its operations to ensure implementation of its Guidelines.
Part of the build up to agency wide compliance to the guidelines include the consummation of functional partnerships with National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Computer Professional (Registration Council) of Nigeria (CPN) and other regulatory MDAs to ensure implementation of the local content policy of the Federal Government and its Guidelines on Nigerian Content.
According to the Director General of NITDA, Dr. Isa Pantami, the agency will continue to deliver statutory services that will encourage massive in-country investment in ICT so as to provide leverage for the nation’s drive towards knowledge economy.
