The federal government has been enjoined to grant pioneer status to the software industry as soon as possible in order to encourage homegrown software practitioners to do more for the country.
Managing Director/CEO of Systemspecs, owners of Remita electronic payment platform that runs federal government’s Treasury Single Account [TSA], John Obaro, made this request recently in a meeting with the acting Director General of National Information Technology Development Agency [NITDA], Dr. Vincent Olatunji, when NITDA team paid a working visit to Systemspecs’ headquarters in Lagos.
“The software industry needs a push. The federal government should grant the software industry pioneer status as soon as possible. This will encourage homegrown software practitioners to do more for the country, as software holds the panacea to catalyze Nigeria’s economy”, he said.
In response, Dr. Olatunji expressed the need by government to encourage homegrown software solutions, adding that the agency have plans to help develop IT startups.
Government has a number of investment incentives for the stimulation of private sector investment from within and outside the country. While some of these incentives cover all sectors, other are limited to some specific sectors. There is a list of 71 approved industries declared pioneer industries. Software is on the list.
