The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has intensified efforts to reform how federal government IT projects are planned and executed. As part of its push, the agency visited the Office of the Accountant General, the Auditor General, and the Bureau of Public Procurement to present its revised IT Project Clearance Guidance Document.
This updated framework, an overhaul of the 2018 guidelines is intended to bring standardisation, cost-efficiency, and transparency to IT projects across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). It aligns with the broader national digital economy agenda and positions NITDA as the central clearing house for all federal IT projects under the 2007 National Information Technology Development Act.
During the visits, NITDA’s Director-General, Inuwa Kashifu, warned that a lack of coordination and poor project planning are major causes of failure in over half of government IT projects. He stressed that blindly adopting contractor-driven proposals without considering business value or ensuring project accountability often leads to underperformance.
He noted that for Nigeria to achieve President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope digital transformation vision, government agencies must stop operating in silos and embrace interoperability, shared services, and collective planning.
Kashifu said the revised guideline aims to shift focus from mere technology acquisition to a more strategic approach that prioritises people, processes, and long-term sustainability.
Also speaking, Dr Adebowale Adedokun, Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, backed the move, highlighting the rampant abuse of IT contracts to divert public funds. He stressed the need for standardised project bidding processes to prevent waste and ensure IT investments genuinely benefit the country.
