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Expert tasks FG on National Software Policy

The Chairman, Nigeria Computer Society, Abuja Chapter, Mr Ayodeji Abitogun, has called for full implementation of the National Software Policy, to address current challenges in the country.

The Chairman, Nigeria Computer Society, Abuja Chapter, Mr Ayodeji Abitogun, has called for full implementation of the National Software Policy, to address current challenges in the country.

Abitogun said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja that the policy, which was rolled out years ago, has not been implemented.

“Government had developed the software policy under the Ministry of Communications, in conjunction with National Information Technology Development Agency, and that policy document has been there, and government need to start looking at it.”

He noted that over 90 per cent of the software in the country still comes from abroad, stressing that strict implementation of the policy would reduce the gap and save foreign exchange.

The chairman also urged the Federal Government to work closely with the computer society to develop local software.

“Implementing is one thing; another thing is for the government to work with Nigeria Computer Society or the industry generally to have something like software testing centres.”

Abitogun said that the centres would help in developing marketable and usable software in the country.

The chairman also said that the computer society is collaborating with Nigeria Association of Computer Science Students, in the area of learning.

“It is good when you go into the tertiary institutions and start grooming them such that they can have the industry in mind, so what we are doing is to encourage the young ones.

“Some Fellows and organisation sponsor some of the students to our events, and we equally have a software competition for tertiary institutions and secondary schools.”

Abitogun added that the society plans to introduce an annual competition on preventing cybercrime.

He said that the society, in partnership with Cisco System, would train about 100 students of the University of Abuja on ICT.

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