NITDA engages stakeholders on Service Level Agreement Guidelines  

In order to boost the gains of Nigeria’s digital economy, National Information Technology Development Agency, (NITDA) has engaged consumers and vendors in the public and private sector  on the guidelines of Service Level Agreement in Information and Technology (IT) contracts.

The Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa in his remarks at a two-day consumer protection forum organised by the Agency in Abuja disclosed that the forum is important to address barriers hindering service delivery.

Inuwa, represented by the Director, Standard Guidelines and Framework, Mr. Dejo Olawumi, noted that NITDA is keen to familiarizing stakeholders on the guideline for the Introduction of Service Level Agreements (SLA) in Government Information Technology Contracts.

He said it is also an avenue to create awareness of consumer rights on IT products and services.

“NITDA, under its mandate of regulation of the IT sector in Nigeria and in furtherance of its Developmental Regulation pillar, which is one of its seven strategic pillars is always seeking to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of IT products and services.”

The NITDA Boss emphasised that with the significant role IT has played in the Nigerian economy in recent years, there is critical need for the Digital Economy to provide the much needed succor from the prevailing global economic downturn.

“These times are therefore when we need to ensure that there is a viable enabling environment for the Digital Economy to thrive, not just by having innovations in emerging technologies, but ensuring players in the industry thrive under a mutually cohesive environment. Hence the need for Service Level Agreements” Inwa noted

Inuwa recalled that the agency had a very successful international conference, the Digital Nigeria International Conference where the need to pull down barriers which stifle innovation in the Digital Economy was highly recommended.

“Today, we are addressing a critical issue which emanated from our past consumer protection forum and subsequent complaints within the industry as a result of which NITDA has developed a Guideline for the Introduction of Service Level Agreements (SLA) in Government Information Technology Contracts. We intend to familiarize you with the Guidelines today through our experienced resource persons and we believe this will mark the beginning of compliance to better service delivery in the sector”, he assured.

While stressing the importance of the SLA, Inuwa said “we previously identified that the lack of warranty and after sales service agreements on our IT products and service purchases have cost us so much, and agreed that IT contracts in MDAs should henceforth have an SLA to make provisions for downtime, warranty and after sales support.

“We have here today officers in charge of procurement and finance from various MDAs and also companies registered as IT companies by NITDA and together, we intend to commence to develop the culture of the use and compliance to SLAs when implementing government IT contracts” the NITDA boss said.

The Coordinator, Babatunde Bamigboye highlighted some objectives of the SLA guides and said they will save cost for government as well as boost Nigeria’s digital economy.