Some ministries will be spending a significant part of their budget on the importation of foreign software, according to Newtelegraph.
This is amidst concerns over wastage and penchant for technology importation of locally available technologies.
Ten federal ministries will spend N1 billion (1,004,571,056) on computer software acquisition this year and have reportedly made provisions for the acquisitions in the approved 2018 budget.
This is coming amidst serious concerns by Nigeria’s ICT stakeholders that that billions of naira are being wasted yearly by government’s ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) on acquisition of foreign software.
Although the budget analysis did not reveal the type of software being budgeted for and whether it is local or foreign, most ministries currently rely and operate on foreign software, even while same can be sourced locally, according to the institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON).
The provisions, which come under the ‘acquisition of non-tangible asset’ line item, show that the Ministry of Finance will spend the largest amount on software, as it budgeted N330 million for the year. The Ministry of Defense, which is to spend N148 million on software acquisitions tailed.
Further analysis of the budget document shows that the Ministry of Justice is to spend N133 million this year, while Ministry of Education will acquire software worth N131 million.
The Ministry of Budget and National Planning is to acquire computer software valued at N87.6 million, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs earmarked N65.8 million for the same purpose.
The budget highlight also shows that the Ministry of Interior is to spend N47.5 million on software while the Ministry of Communications budgeted N33.6 million for the same item.
Ministry of Labour and Employment is to spend N27.4 million, followed by Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development, which is to spend the least amount, as it budgeted only N10 million for software.