The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has revealed that 56% of IT projects executed by Federal Public Institutions (FPIs) have failed, citing poor compliance with the agency’s IT Project Clearance Guidelines as a major reason.
According to a statement signed by NITDA’s Director of Corporate Communications and Media Relations, Mrs. Hadiza Umar, the Agency’s Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, made the comments during his visits to the Accountant General of the Federation, the Auditor General of the Federation, and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).
“These projects fail because they are not cleared to ensure alignment with national standards and priorities. We must stop wasting public funds on fragmented, uncoordinated IT systems that don’t deliver value,” Inuwa stated.
BPP, AGF raise red flags on IT procurement abuse
Speaking during the engagements, Director-General of the BPP, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, acknowledged widespread abuse in IT procurement processes.
“Most IT projects are intangible, and some MDAs use them as a cover to siphon public funds,” Adedokun said.
“We’ve seen projects presented without standardisation, which leads to inefficiencies and corruption,” he added.
- To address this, he said BPP has introduced standard bidding documents for IT procurement and pledged to work closely with NITDA to ensure transparency, avoid duplication of efforts, and eliminate waste in IT spending.
- Adedokun also recommended that NITDA explore service-wide procurement of software licenses, particularly for global vendors like Microsoft and Oracle, to cut costs and prevent contract inflation. He further urged the development of a national IT price intelligence template to help benchmark costs.
“We have a responsibility to stop the misuse of resources that could be better deployed to meet other national needs. With proper coordination and standardisation, we can turn IT from a liability into a powerful asset for national development,” said Adedokun.
- On his part, Auditor General of the Federation, Mr. Shaakaa Kanyitor, said his office would soon conduct a performance assessment to measure how the IT clearance process has impacted government efficiency and the broader economy.
- Similarly, the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, commended NITDA’s reform efforts and pledged to integrate the IT clearance framework into government financial processes.
What you should know
NITDA first introduced its Guideline for IT Project Clearance in 2018 as a tool to ensure federal IT projects deliver value and support Nigeria’s digital transformation goals.
The revised guidance document now aims to further tighten loopholes and strengthen institutional accountability.
According to the Agency, the visits to the BPP and AGF were part of a broader campaign to sensitise key government agencies on the need to comply with the newly revised IT Project Clearance Guidance Document, an updated framework designed to standardise planning, budgeting, and implementation of IT projects across the public sector.
