NCS Holds NITMA Awards, Focuses on IT Professionalism 

The Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) will be holding its annual award programme called the Nigeria Information Technology Merit Award (NITMA) on Thursday November 23 at the MUSON Centre, Lagos..

Announcing the 2023 NITMA award at a hybrid press conferencr yesterday, NCS President, Dr. Muhammad Aliyu Sirajo, said NCS remained the foremost IT professional association in Nigeria and African largest IT Society, having been the voice of Information Technology professionals for the past four decades now. 

Deputy President of NCS, Dr. Charles Onyeukwu, who stressed on IT professionalism, said  NCS would continue to support professionalism in the Information Technology (IT) sector and called on industry stakeholders to register and participate actively in voting and in attendance. 

According to Sirajo, NCS) annually recognizes, celebrates, and rewards outstanding excellence and contributions of individuals, state governments and institutions, in the acceleration of IT development in Nigeria and the Diaspora through a unique national platform -National Information Technology Merit Awards (NITMA).

The highlights of the awards to be presented at the 2023 National Information Technology Merit Awards are: Digital Governor of the Year Award; IT Personality of the Year Award; IT Gold Merit of the Year Award; IT Company of the Year Award; Technology Innovation Award and  Youth Innovation of the Year Award. 

According to Sirajo, with the IT Governor Award,, NCS wishes to recognize outstanding governors that are making enormous investments in Information Technology. 

“Many nominations were received for this category, after review by the screening committee following some laid down guidelines, the following governors were selected to compete for the award.

His Excellency, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, Executive Governor of Edo State

His Excellency, Senator Uba Sani, Executive Governor of Kaduna State. 

“The IT Personality award is for distinguished personalities, who have been adjudged to be champions in the field of Information Technology. 

The award has the following as nominees:

Mr. Tunji Gafaar, MD/CEO, Digital Communications Konsult (DCK)

Dr. Markie Idowu, GMD/CEO, Xpress Payment Solutions Ltd

Dr. Robinson Sibe, Co-Founder, Digital Footprints Nig. Ltd.”

He said the IT Gold Merit Awrd was introduced in 2021. 

” The award is known as the President’s award. It is a special award to a particular individual that deploys IT in economic strategy, workforce development, technology transfer, entrepreneurship, talent attraction & retention and advancement of Information Technology for the development Nigeria and its citizenry,” Sirajo said. 

He stated that as advocacy group, NCS 

allows the selection process to be IT driven by opinion poll through online voting. The Planning Committee would only collate polls and put forth the order of scores and announce the winners in each category.

“The NITMA will also witness the conferment of the most prestigious Professional Fellowship on deserving members of NCS who are recognized as authorities and have distinguished themselves through significant contributions to the growth of Information Technology. Honourary Fellowship will also be conferred on some individuals who have distinguished themselves through extraordinary service and commitment to IT growth in Nigeria” Sirajo further said.