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Government, Lack of Trust Killing Local Software
Nigerians do not trust local software, leaving the industry with potentials to generate some $100 billion annually to operate in fits and starts, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek can now report.
Also, the government supposed to support the industry with political willpower look elsewhere, unbridled importation of software into the country contibutes to killing what is left of the indigenous developers.
As a result, Nigeria is the prime destination of all manners of offshore software companies which export billions of dollars annually in the name of deployment and payment for licensing fees.
As if the problems of the local software industry are not enough, lack of continuity in policy formulation, strategic plans, and implementation procedure as well as high interest rate on loans and the absence of venture capital have also conspired to hobble the growth of the industry.
Local practitioners warn that unless government moves to check the organized chaos and the unregulated importation of software products and service by public and private sectors, the industry will collapse.
They said with quality of human capital in the country, Nigeria can emerge as a global competitor in the software market with profound effect on wealth and job creations.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that the global software industry has grown purely on the strong political willpower of government of various countries not only to export their local knowledge solutions but also to ensure the local usage and patronage of such solutions.
In Nigeria, government’s lip service to promoting local content and indigenous has manifested in its lack of vision and commitment.
James Agada, managing director of ExpertEdge Software Limited noted that it is wrong to reason that the software sector could develop in isolation of other sectors of the Nigerian economy.
“What is working in Nigeria? The software industry will only grow at parity with every other thing in the country. Take a look at education, infrastructure, security, and power, what is working at optimal level? Software industry will grow when every-thing-else begins to experience growth,” said Agada.
He noted that “nobody trusts Nigerians and anything from Nigeria. Trust is a critical element of the development equation. When our politicians behave the way they do, and the youth take a cue from them to go on the internet and transact unwholesome businesses, it impacts negatively on the national psyche.”
Nodding in agreement, Akeem Aponmade, an intellectual property law expert, noted that Nigerians must first appreciate the work of a software developer as owner of “intellectual property.”
Getting Nigerians to appreciate the work of a software developer means that government must lead the way by purchasing and encouraging Nigerians to purchase locally made software.
Chris Uwaje, president, Institute of Software Developers of Nigeria (Ispon) and an avid campaigner of local software said that government must act fast in boosting local software development in the country, in order to save the situation.
In one of his campaigns for local software, he said that: “A simple National Software Development policy and conscious IT legislations (Acts of the National Assembly) can turn the Nation’s Software fortune around. The time to act is now! Our universities need software strategic plans and a robust Campus Intranet Infrastructure Backbone to engage in the knowledge economy. New knowledge must precede new technological products and the supercomputer of today will become the everyday nano-computer of tomorrow”.
But Agada said there are urgent things to do.
“Our number one priority as a nation should be development of the power sector, and other things will grow along. The mistake of comparing Nigerian software industry to that of India should not arise,” he stated.
Concurring, Aponmade said, “You must appreciate the fact that this intellectual property adds value to the turnover of a given industry. We have to appreciate the fact that intellectual property has the propensity of adding value to the GDP of the nation.”
He challenged the government to come up with workable policy aimed at creating an enabling environment for software developers to strive in the country.
“The government can start by asking all its ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to consume local programmes developed by Nigerians. The armed forces and other security agencies should also be compelled to not only use Nigerian programmes, but be made to pay good value for the properties,” he enthused.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek also gathered that the judicial system needs to be strengthened for the protection of intellectual property owners.
India, one of the countries globally acclaimed as having done well in ICT development over the last two decades is said to have done well because it has put in place world class infrastructure for the sector to grow.
The Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) and the Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB) have enjoined banks to further deepen and prioritize financial inclusion, women’s empowerment and sustained growth through strategic mandates and frameworks, aimed at closing the financial gap and empowering more small, and medium enterprise (MSME) owners.
Both organisations made this call during a courtesy visit to the newly invested 24th President and Chairman of Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dr. Dele Alabi, Ph.D, FCIB, as part of plans to congratulate him on his investiture as well as seek a stronger alliance between both bodies.
The visit followed Alabi’s investiture where he unveiled his “IMPACT” Vision, themed “Consolidating Our Local Impact, Enhancing Our Global Relevance.”
The vision rests on six pillars: Inclusion across geographic, gender, and generational lines; Membership growth and quality; Professionalism and ethics; Accountability; Competencies and skills development; Technology, automation, and innovation. Other areas of shared interest, include women empowerment, financial inclusion and literacy, as well as MSME clinics, all of which are top on his agenda.
Alabi explained that under him, the institute will be prioritising financial inclusion and women empowerment, because of its realisation that women are often the primary financial managers and caregivers in families. Access to savings, micro-credit, and insurance acts as a safety net during crisis and allows them to significantly improve living conditions.
He added that CIBN would be happy to drive joint knowledge sharing and exchange sessions with CBN and ACAMB across various platforms. “Educating the public through public awareness programmes, with ACAMB as the rallying point, is central to what we do,” he noted.
ACAMB President, Jide Sipe, who led the delegation, spoke in unison with the CIBN president, as he noted that, closing the inbalances in financial access help economies grow faster, reduces inequality, and encourages greater civic participation by all.
Lagos State has become the first sub-national government in Nigeria to establish a comprehensive Greenhouse Gas Registry, a move aimed at strengthening climate governance, improving emissions accountability and accelerating the state’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
The Lagos State Greenhouse Gas Registry (LGHGR) was unveiled at the Central Business District, Alausa, Ikeja, at a ceremony attended by Prof. Akin Abayomi, commissioner for Health, members of the State Executive Council, representatives of the Federal Ministry of Environment, development partners, TPHG Technologies, the diplomatic and business communities, academics, civil society organisations and the media.
Describing the initiative as a landmark achievement in the state’s environmental sustainability drive, Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, general manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), said the Registry marks a defining moment in Lagos’ climate action journey and reflects Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to building a resilient, climate-smart and environmentally sustainable economy.
According to Ajayi, the digital platform will enable the state to accurately measure, monitor, report and verify greenhouse gas emissions across key sectors, providing credible data to guide environmental policies and climate interventions.
He said the Registry would strengthen evidence-based decision-making, improve transparency and accountability, support national and international climate reporting obligations, unlock carbon market opportunities and boost investor confidence in Lagos’ environmental initiatives.
Ajayi also commended TPHG Technologies for providing the technical expertise that made the pioneering project possible.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Abayomi described the Registry as a major milestone that positions Lagos at the forefront of climate governance and emissions accountability in both Nigeria and Africa.
He noted that climate change has evolved into a significant public health and governance challenge, stressing that access to reliable emissions data would enable the state to formulate evidence-based policies, attract climate financing, strengthen resilience and accelerate its transition to a low-carbon economy.
Providing insights into the technical framework of the project, Dr. Mofoluso Fagbeja, lead consultant and chief executive officer, TPHG Technologies, explained that the Registry was developed from the greenhouse gas inventory jointly undertaken by LASEPA and TPHG Technologies in 2022, using 2019 as the baseline year for emissions assessment.
He said the platform is designed to close critical emissions data gaps, particularly within the industrial sector, while supporting effective climate policy implementation, emissions management and sustainable development.
Fagbeja also disclosed that the greenhouse gas inventory estimated that poor air quality contributes to about 35,000 premature deaths annually in Lagos, underscoring the urgent need for stronger emissions control measures and cleaner environmental practices.
In a goodwill message, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, minister of Environment, represented by Mrs. Adenaike Olunimpe Oludunni, federal controller of Environment in Lagos, commended Lagos State for pioneering the initiative, describing it as a significant contribution to Nigeria’s climate commitments.
He said the Registry aligns with the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement and supports the Federal Government’s Energy Transition Plan, while reaffirming the ministry’s commitment to deeper collaboration with Lagos State on climate governance and environmental sustainability.
A recently released Henley Passport Index 2026, showed that Nigerian citizens can travel to at least 20 destinations outside the African continent where entry is allowed either visa-free, with a visa on arrival (VOA) at no extra cost, or via an e-visa.
This expanded access opens doors for Nigerian travellers to experience countries in the Caribbean, Asia, and beyond with greater ease.
Below is a comprehensive guide to countries outside Africa which Nigerian passport holders can visit without a traditional visa.
Visa-Free Countries outside Africa for Nigerian Passport Holders:
Barbados
Cambodia – Visa on arrival
Comoros Islands – Visa on arrival
Cook Islands
Dominica
Fiji
Haiti
Iran – Visa on arrival
Kiribati
Lebanon
Maldives – Visa on arrival
Micronesia
Montserrat
Niue – Visa on arrival
Palau Islands – Visa on arrival
Samoa – Visa on arrival
St. Kitts and Nevis
Timor-Leste – Visa on arrival
Tuvalu
Vanuatuul
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