ISPON Intensifies Efforts in Local Content, Software Development

Emma Okonji

The recently elected executive members of the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON) have promised to sustain the drive for local content in software development.

Olorogun James Emadoye, who emerged as the President of ISPON in an election conducted penultimate week in Lagos, promised that the newly elected executives would build on the existing legacy of the past executives in the area of local content development in order to boost job creation in the county.
Emadoye made the disclosure in Lagos, while receiving the handover document from the immediate past President of ISPON, Pius Okigbo Jnr.

“We have a vision to make locally developed software attractive to Nigerians and make Nigerian investors in software to see reasons why they should invest in locally developed software from Nigeria. The essence is to reduce financial waste in the process of buying foreign software to run their businesses in Nigeria.”

He said ISPON would achieve its aim through the pursuit of the necessary policies, making government and Nigerians to understand what local software can do for them.

He is of the view that if government could not patronise locally developed software from Nigeria, then government should not have business in training software practitioners in various tertiary institutions, who will graduate to join the local software developers in developing local software that will address Nigerian needs.

He said the issue of standard as a condition for patronising foreign software at the detriment of locally developed software, would be addressed by the new elected executives.

Responding to the issue of standard, Okigbo called for caution, insisting that standard in software practice varies from country to country and that Nigerians have over time, been able to develop software that meets the standards of organisations and government agencies that depend on software programming.

Emadoye said the issue of software piracy is no longer a serious threat to software business, because software that operates in the cloud, has less vulnerability due to the high security level.

Emadoye, who is a consummate software developer and Managing Director of BSSL Technologies Limited succeeds Okigbo Jnr as President of ISPON following the annual general meeting of ISPON held in Lagos.

He is a member of the Computer Professional Registrations Council, and a Fellow of the Nigeria Computer Society. He is also a professional accountant and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. He has served and still serving the various professions in various capacity.

Other elected executives include: Mr. YeleOkeremi Managing Director, PFS as first vice president while former General Secretary, Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu, who is CEO, Infographics Nigeria Limited, became second vice president. The New General Secretary of the institute is Mr. Titus Olowokere, who is the General Manager, Application Services, IPNX and Mr. Bimbo Abioye, Managing Director of FinTrak Software emerged treasurer.

Others include: the Group Managing Director of Computer Warehouse Group, James Agada, as the new Chair of Education and Capacity Building Committee, while the Managing Director, Mobile Software Solutions Limited PiusEkeh Jnr, is the Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee and Mr. IkennaOnonuju of NITECH Software Limited was elected Chair of Policy and Strategy Committee.