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The News (Lagos)

By Augustine Ilenre
May 20, 2002 
Posted to the web May 22, 2002 

Nigerian Software developers showcase their products but the challenges before the software industry are daunting

The 6th edition of the Nigerian Software Exhibition, NISE 2002, held in Lagos last month. The event organised yearly by the Computer Association of Nigeria, COAN, showcases the best software Nigerian developers have to offer. One conclusion unanimously drawn at the exhibition was that irrespective of the successes attained, Nigeria and indeed Africa, once left behind in the industrial and printing revolution might just miss out again in the new age revolution, Information Technology, IT. This fear has nothing to do with the capability of the nation's IT professionals among which are world class materials. The concern centre on lack of institutional framework, an enabling environment, disadvantageous competition of foreign packages and the continuing bickering among the various IT bodies resulting in much dissipation of energy on controversies instead of on the industry.

Software in particular and IT in general is today seen as the major driving force of global economic developments fetching billions of dollars for nations like India, the United States, Germany, etc. India alone, is said be make about 40 billion dollars annually from software.

The IT revolution, is one revolution developing countries dare not miss out or else they will be left out in the scheme of things. Experts say it is the last hope of developing countries.

According to Ladi Ogunneye, president, Computer Association of Nigeria, COAN, having missed out in the industrial and printing revolutions, care must be taken by developing countries like Nigeria not to cast away another active opportunity being offered to them by the IT revolution - on a platter of gold via software. Nigeria, experts counsel, should focus on software development as well as the development of microprocessors, two areas of the IT industry in which Nigeria is believed to have comparative advantage.

To Professor Olakunle Kehinde, a fellow of COAN, "rather than duplicate the technological efforts of big manufacturers like Intel and Motorola which are comparatively more expensive to produce, Nigerian researchers and the private sector should venture into the software industry. According to him, "Nigeria is blessed with brilliant heads who can, and have made their marks in the Information and Communication Technology, ICT, dormain." Professor Kehinde believes that if individual efforts are harnessed and coordinated, researches well-funded and the environment right, Nigeria might just as well develop a globally operational and acceptable operating system in no time. Going by Ogunneye's view, Nigeria should have even done this long ago. According to Ogunneye, for a nation that boasts of one of the most virile brains in all fields of human endeavour, whose daughters and sons for many years now have been contributing to the growth of IT in the developed countries, our relevance globally and achievement locally should be much more respectable than what we now have. In fact, to Ogunneye, also Chief Executive of Data Sciences Nigeria Limited: "If Nigeria does not meet or even surpass India in software activities, translating to revenue generation, in the next ten years, it will not be for lack of brain power but for lack of the will power of our leaders and their failure to set our priorities right." While this is majorly so, not a few believe that the problem partially lies with the practitioners themselves.

Meanwhile, Tunde Yusuf, Fellow of the Computer Professionals of Nigeria, CPN, and Chief Executive, Future Technology Systems has linked the nation's poor global relevance and low achievement rating in the industry to insufficiency of well trained software professionals as well as prejudice against made-in-Nigeria software which even though in some cases perform better than the foreign ones, are less preferred by both government and the private sector. According to Yusuf, the present graduates from our universities are half-baked not being trained in the latest technologies and thereby, not readily usable to the industry. They have to be retrained for another one to two years. Essentially, Ogunneye defined the problem as the lack of a marshal-like plan upon which to build the industry without which the nation's catch-up efforts will be stillborn. The absence of this is particularly dangerous since according to Mr. Ogunneye, we are coming from behind to compete with those on daily vigil to improve themselves and by inference, increase their advantage. Chuma Ofoche, Managing Director, Allied Soft Consulting Limited, identified lack of infrastructure including the absence of a computer village as a major impediment to the growth of the software industry.

Meekam Mgbenwelu, Microsoft Nigeria's Marketing Manager, when asked what was hindering the software giant establishing a software laboratory in Nigeria simply fired back: "Where is the infrastructure? Where is the power? Where is the enabling environment?" According to Mgbenwelu, electricity is very crucial to the industry. But Tunde Yusuf, said these need not deter Microsoft Corporation since her extra expenses on infrastructure will be made up for by the very low cost of labour in the country. And Nigeria offers a very large market, at that.

Indeed making Nigeria, said to be one of the last frontiers of technology, a software giant, has become imperative. Experts have however identified challenges before the industry which must necessarily be surmounted. According to Yusuf, the entire university programmes on Computer Science have to be radically overhauled and latest training tools procured. Also, the training of IT artisans by the various IT professional training schools should be highly encouraged as they are readily usable unlike their university counterparts. This, Mr. Yusuf said, is the experience of India which has taken the IT world by storm. In like manner, Ofoche advocated the need for urgent establishment of software villages, provision of stable electricity as well as ready internet access by the government.

Dr. G. M.M. Obi, Registrar, Computer Professionals (Registration Council) of Nigeria, CPN says the present IT policy is defective, lacking in essential indicators, and as such should be reformulated to reflect the national vision and strategy. Experts have also advocated the need for constant flow of ideas as well as maintenance of standards among developers. The present lack of local patronage by government and the private sector is another challenge to be overcome. Chairman, NISE 2002 Planning Committee, Tokunbo Onabanjo, adovcated for the establishment of single centre that houses all the major IT players in Lagos and Abuja which will make possible the much needed interaction, networking and cohesion among software developers as against the present dispersion which have made their activities difficult to coordinate.