NITDA, CPN set to resolve overlapping functions

Nigeria Information and Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in collaboration with Computer Professionals  Registration Council of Nigeria, has inaugurated a committee, to resolve overlapping of  licensing,  registration and regulation of information technology  companies.

The NITDA Public Relations Officer, Mrs Hadiza Umar, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

According to Umar, the two establishments would sort out the overlapping for greater efficiency.

She was reacting to an allegation by the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) that NITDA was duplicating the duties of Computer Professionals  Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN).

Umar said that Section 6 of NITDA Act mandated it to regulate Information Technology (IT) practice in Nigeria and provide advisory services to the Federal Government.

She said that it was, therefore, within NITDA’s mandate to register, screen and verify the capacities of IT companies.

“CPN is mandated to regulate professionals in computing; it has responsibility over the personnel and competencies of individuals in the computing space.

“CPN has inaugurated a committee with NITDA to work together to resolve overlapping in licensing,  registration and regulation of IT companies,” she told NAN.

NAN reports that the NCS had kicked against NITDA’s move to register and license IT contractors in the country.

The NCS President, Mr Adesola Aderounmu, said that the registration was not part of NITDA’s mandate.

He said that NITDA’s duties were to plan, promote and develop regulatory framework and guidelines as stated in NITDA Act of 2007.

“The Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) Act 49 of 1993 saddled CPN with the mandate to register, license, supervise and control the profession.

“NCS believes that NITDA’s mandate is to ensure seamless cooperation and interaction toward the use of IT as a development tool for the country,” he said.