‘NOTAP Committed To Building Capacity For Software Development’

The National Office For Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), yesterday reiterated its commitment to assist the country in building local capacity for software.
Director-General, NOTAP, Dr Dan Azumi Ibrahim, said this in a news conference in Abuja, observing that the office could stimulate the development through the local vendor policy.
Local policy is instituted by NOTAP in partnership with relevant stakeholders, especially National Information Development Agency (NITDA) to build the needed human capacity for software development and reduce our dependence on imported software.
He decried the situation whereby most of the country’s operations depend largely on foreign software with resultant huge capital flight.
Ibrahim, therefore, said that the local vendor policy initiated by NOTAP would build the needed human capacity for software development in the country.
He noted that NOTAP registered technology transfer agreement coming into the country as part of its mandate.
“For any software agreement, the agency insists that its deployment must involve a local vendor who will get 40 per cent of the yearly service or maintenance fee.
“Before any software agreement between the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and Nigerian company is registered by NOTAP, a Nigerian IT company must be involved in the deployment and maintenance of that software.
“This strategy gives the necessary exposure and experience to Nigerian IT professionals on software application and development,” Ibrahim said.
He said: “40 per cent of annual technical support fee which is between 12 and 13 per cent of the licensing fee of the software must be given to the Nigerian IT firm while the OEM takes 60 per cent.