NCS recognises Uwaje’s efforts on NITMA

The Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), has finally recognised Chris Uwaje, as the originator and concept framework designer of the National Information Technology Merit Award (NITMA).

The recognition is in line with NCS recent move to collaborate with all image makers that have set the pace for the growth of the computer association.

Today, NITMA remains the most distinguished brand of the Nigeria Computer Society – towering above all other initiatives of NCS.

From the narrative of the Nigerian Information Technology Development Ecosystem, Uwaje, who is the former President of the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON) stands out as perhaps one of the greatest icons of IT-Nigeria.

Some members, who commended NCS for the recognition, said Uwaje remained blessed with the inalienable foresight and knack to see the Future-of-Things (FoT) in IT and drive it’s conceptual objectives and values to fruition, hence he is known and called “The Oracle” of IT Nigeria.

“He conceptualises it, presents the architecture, proof of concept and processes which ultimately becomes the standard. For example, Uwaje pioneered the National IT Policy that led to the establishment of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in 2001. The NITDA nomenclature was defined and written by him and remains unchanged till today,” some members of the information technology profession said.

In 1999 he transformed Computer Vendors’ Association of Nigeria (COVAN) into the Information Technology Association of Nigeria (ITAN) which equally remains unchanged to date.

“Uwaje went on to deliver the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON 1999-2019) as co-founder and past president. The ISPON brand of the Nigeria Software Ecosystem remains a distinguished brand. Uwaje’s passion to promote IT Nigeria into the world space is limitless and knows no bounds,” they said.

According to them, his architectural framework for the establishment of the National IT Merit Award and National IT Policy respectively, would always speak volumes and constitute an immense Intellectual Property (IP) that had propelled the development of the Nigeria IT ecosystem – and by extension, Africa beyond superlative imagination.

Against all odds, Uwaje is also acclaimed as having crafted the original document that established the Nigerian Women in Information Technology Group under NCS.

Uwaje, it was gathered, single-handedly designed and structured NITMA to life in 2003 but it took another five years (2008) before NCS approved the vision and commenced implementation in 2010.

Today, after 16 years into the history of NITMA, NCS has finally recognised the valuable work of Uwaje and bestowed him with a distinguished award at the recently concluded NCS International Conference in Gombe.

Uwaje was recently nominated as Africa Chair for IEEE Global Internet of Things (GIoT). He is Chair to many IT missions in Nigeria, Africa, and the world.