Nigeria: CPN Adopts March 31 as National IT Day

Though it was not clear at the time of filing this report whether the Computer Professionals (Registration Council) of Nigeria (CPN) will push for an Act of the Parliament to cement the date, however, the professionals unanimously approved that March 31 should be set aside for the recognition of the role of Information Technology in the Country.

The 2018 IT Professionals’ Assembly with the theme “Professionalism in Information Technology; Past, Present, and Future” was held at the Abuja International Conference Centre.

The annual CPN Information Technology Professionals’ Assembly is a yearly gathering of Information Technology Professionals and Practitioners in Nigeria and Diaspora with the objective of discussing and strategizing on emerging issues in Information Technology and generating recommendations and decisions that impact positively on the industry and the nation.

…290 inducted into CPN membership

As it was with past editions of the programme, the 2018 IT Professionals’ Assembly was preceded with the induction of Two Hundred & Ninety (290) members into the profession.

Seasoned speakers from the academia and Industry presented papers on a wide range of topics considered germane to the development of IT practice in Nigeria.

…CPN role in achieving goals of government cannot be over-emphasized- Boss Mustapha

In his remarks at the opening ceremony, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha who was represented by the Acting Director, Procurement, Research and Statistics, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (Ag. DPRS, OSGF), Mr. Emmanuel Ogunmefun, congratulated CPN on the occasion of its 25^th Anniversary celebrations.

He said Governments all over the world are increasingly becoming smart, efficient with the adoption of appropriate technologies to drive governance and create the requisite enabling environment for national change and the much-needed transformation.

He said that as the Agency of Government established to control and regulate the practice of Information Technology profession in Nigeria, the role of CPN in the scheme of developmental goals of government cannot be over-emphasized.

The SGF said that Information Technology is a critical sector and the flagship of other professions, and one that is viewed seriously in the course of the nation’s drive for sustainable national developments.

Boss Mustapha added that the establishment of CPN is Government’s way of demonstrating its commitment to the development and deployment of Information Technology in Nigeria.

He expressed the confidence that the Council would keep aligning itself to the Federal Government developmental goals, especially in Science, technology and innovations.

…FG recognizes the place of IT in governance- Mallam Adamu Adamu

Also, the Honourable Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu in his remarks delivered by the Director, ICT, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. I. K. Oji, said that the Federal Government recognized the critical role of IT in its developmental agenda, and has therefore made IT a priority. The Minister lamented the poor state of IT in the country.

He challenged Council to work with government towards the attainment of the National Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He also challenged the participants at the Assembly to discuss how the nation Nigeria can facilitate technology-enabled learning as a way of preparing the youths for the future workplace. Mallam Adamu lauded CPN and assured it of government’s continued support.

…Govt. must realize what IT practice portends for our dear nation, and her future- Prof. Uwadia

In his opening remarks/welcome speech, the President/Chairman-in-Council, Prof. Charles Uwadia said that the year 2018 edition of the IT Professionals’ Assembly was special in many regards.

Firstly, it was the first since his election into office at the 23^rd AGM.

Secondly, he said the Assembly coincided with the 25^th Anniversary of the establishment of the Council.

The President/Chairman-in-Council said that the choice of the theme for this Assembly, therefore involved an assessment of the progress that IT practice has made in the past twenty-five years in our country, where the country presently is regarding bridging the digital divide and deploring IT for our common good as a people, and also foraying and projecting into the future, regarding the boundless opportunities that our profession, IT practice portends for our dear nation, and her future.

…We repositioning CPN- Achumba

The Registrar, Mr. Allwell C. Achumba in his 2018 AGM Annual Report pointed out that the Council – CPN is getting deserved attention and recognition from the public and private sectors of the economy as well as within the country and abroad.

He said, “We are therefore repositioning CPN for increased relevance, visibility, profitability, and sustainability“.

He further said, “We live in a world driven and powered by intellect and technology, a world where we see nations rise and fall as a result of its embrace or neglect of Information Technology.

“Therefore, we need to intensify our efforts at developing the IT profession in Nigeria. We should not pay lip service to our efforts at building a solid and highly respected IT profession in Nigeria. It is for the good of the profession, the nation as well as the professionals and practitioners who will be reaping the dividends of their sacrifice.

“Information Technology profession has lots of prospects in Nigeria. Therefore, we should not be tired of masking more efforts and sacrifices especially in terms of effective regulation of the IT Profession as well as discharging our financial obligations to the profession in order to make it what it should be in the country.

The other Seasoned Speakers at the 2018 IT Professionals’ Assembly included the Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami (who was unavoidably absent, but was represented by a high powered delegation led by the Director of IT, Dr. Usman Abdullahi), Mr. Ejovi Aror, Group Managing Director, ipNX Nigeria and Mr. Joseph Odo, Head, IT TETFUND.

The Keynote Address “Professionalism in Information Technology: Past, Present and Future ”was delivered by Engr. Aliyu Aziz Abubakar, DG, National Identity Management Commission who was represented by Mr. Chuks Onyepunuka, General Manager, IT/Identity Database, NIMC.

For the first time in the history of the twelve-year-old event, the 2018 edition of the CPN IT Assembly was paperless.

Brochures and Programmes of Events were not printed. Instead, participants got Tablets already pre-loaded with the Programmes of Events and other necessary information. The introduction of Tablets added colour and glamour to the 2018 IT Professionals Assembly.

The highpoint of this year’s IT Professionals’ Assembly was the setting aside of March 31^st every year as the National IT Day in Nigeria.