LAGOS: Chris Uwaje, Chairman of the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria, (ISPON) has disclosed that Nigeria can earn $100 billion annually if its software local content is properly harnessed. ISPON represents the interests of the national software engineering and services developers' community in Nigeria and in the Diaspora. The ISPON boss said that they are focused on contributing to the improvement of the nation's computer literacy index while promoting and spreading the use of “Nigerian developed” application software and services at all levels. He expressed fear that if local content is not given priority attention for foreign earning, Nigeria may be digitally colonized in the 21st century knowledge society. Uwaje noted that Nigeria's wealth and international competitiveness would be significantly influenced by its ability to develop and exploit intellectual capital and to reap the power of information technology (IT). He said Nigeria is currently responding to software-related challenges by establishing a National Software Policy Framework. “The nation's ICT mission and strategy should be the strategic positioning of Software Local Content. Government ICT policy should therefore be entirely focused on software incubation and development and indeed product patronage and the provision grant facilities to the software developer community,” he stressed.
