Digital infrastructure is no longer a luxury. It is a strategic asset, a national security issue, and an economic necessity.

Back in 2001, Nigeria adopted its first National Information Technology Policy. That document signalled intent, but the digital era has since evolved with breath-taking speed. What once seemed futuristic is now foundational.

Nations must choose whether to be passive consumers of foreign technology or strategic producers of indigenous innovation. At stake is not just economic potential, but sovereignty itself.

The global economy is moving toward artificial intelligence, cloud governance, digital currencies, and decentralised systems.

Without a deliberate strategy to build and protect local digital capacity, we risk exclusion from critical value chains, and we would continue to depend on external systems we neither control nor fully understand to our detriment.

Technology is more than hardware and code, it is a nation’s capacity to define its future. Local tech innovations have the potential to transform Nigeria’s economy by creating jobs, opening new markets, and enabling digital self-reliance.

From payment infrastructure to education platforms and digital identity systems, indigenous technologies are becoming essential tools for economic resilience and inclusive development.

Consider India, which implemented a deliberate national strategy that helped build a software export industry worth over 200 billion dollars. Nigeria has comparable human capital and an equally vibrant entrepreneurial spirit.

With the right mix of strategic investment, policy alignment, and institutional support, our software ecosystem has the potential not only to replicate that success but to surpass it, shaping Africa’s digital future and influencing the global tech landscape.

Indigenous software also plays a vital role in inclusion. Designed with contextual awareness, it helps bridge rural access gaps, address gender inequities, and navigate infrastructural constraints.

It ensures that technology serves the needs of all Nigerians – not just the connected elite – while preserving cultural relevance and economic value within our borders.

This has long been my advocacy. At a keynote address delivered seven years ago at the NITRA Quarterly Forum, I called for a national software development strategy and the creation of a technology innovation park to nurture talent and boost productivity.

I also urged the allocation of at least 10 percent of the national budget to ICT, noting that Nigeria’s technology ecosystem was, and remains, underfunded and insufficiently protected. True indigenous content must involve products developed by Nigerians that do not require foreign remittance. That principle is more critical today than ever.

Few examples illustrate the power of indigenous innovation more clearly than the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

Once plagued by fiscal inefficiencies, Nigeria now has in place a robust public finance mechanism made possible by a local software solution, Remita.

The TSA was created to address the longstanding problem of fragmented government banking.

Before its introduction in 2011, thousands of government accounts scattered across commercial banks facilitated financial leakages and institutional opacity.

The TSA’s goal was to consolidate government revenues into a single account at the Central Bank of Nigeria, enforce financial discipline, and eliminate waste.

Since its full implementation in 2015, the results have been near-extraordinary. The TSA helped recover over ₦3 trillion from previously untracked accounts, led to the closure of more than 17,000 redundant accounts, and has saved the country over ₦45 billion in monthly interest payments. Annual overheads from bank charges also dropped by over ₦24 billion, according to reports.

This success story was enabled by Remita, a world-class solution developed by Nigerian software company SystemSpecs.

Originally a product of SystemSpecs, Remita has since evolved into an independent company, Remita Payment Services Limited (RPSL).

Contracted through a competitive process involving the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, and international consultants, Remita outperformed foreign options.

Its performance over the years has demonstrated unequivocally that Nigerian software can deliver significant national impact.

The TSA’s achievements have drawn global attention. Countries such as The Gambia and Kenya have sought to replicate the initiative, seeing in Nigeria a model of digital fiscal reform.

TSA is a powerful validation of Nigeria’s indigenous technological capacity and a testament to what is possible when local innovation is aligned with national strategy.

Now, a new and transformative policy frontier is emerging in the form of the National Revenue Service (NRS) and its accompanying Revenue Assurance initiative.

This reform aims to harmonise revenue collection across all levels of government, reduce tax evasion, and strengthen Nigeria’s capacity for sustainable revenue mobilisation.

At the heart of this reform is a coordinated framework that will rely heavily on the foundational digital infrastructure already laid by the TSA.

The TSA would remain the critical bedrock on which the NRS must stand. The centralisation and accountability the TSA brought to public finance are the same principles the NRS must uphold and expand.

If Nigeria is to build a credible, secure, and efficient national revenue system, then it must be deliberate about embedding indigenous technology such as Remita, which is tested and trusted, into the very fabric of its evolving.

Digital sovereignty is a nation’s ability to control its digital infrastructure, data, and technological future. In today’s world, software is at the heart of this control. Without it, we compromise our economy, governance, and national resilience.

The most vulnerable point of a nation’s development and security ecosystem is the financial ecosystem – especially when the Software that powers its processes is owned and controlled by foreign solution providers.

It is important to clarify what we mean by indigenous content. Too often, indigenous content is mistakenly equated with local content. However, the two are not always the same.

Local content may refer to digital platforms or solutions developed within Nigeria, yet owned or controlled by foreign corporate entities. In such cases, while the software may be locally deployed, the underlying intellectual property (IP) remains foreign.

True indigenous content, on the other hand, embodies both local development and indigenous IP ownership. It is Nigerian in conception, in code, and in control.

This distinction is crucial because only indigenous content truly strengthens digital sovereignty, ensures value retention within the local economy, and guarantees long-term control over critical systems.

Nigeria is rich in talent, with over 400,000 developers and indigenous tech firms such as Interswitch, Flutterwave, and Paystack demonstrating global competitiveness.

These success stories are not outliers, they reflect the broader potential of our tech ecosystem and the capacity that exists when innovation is supported and scaled. It is therefore imperative to preserve and protect homegrown solutions.

A recent call by the House of Representatives for penalties of almost two hundred billion Naira to be imposed on the indigenous company, Remita on account of an ongoing and yet to be concluded reconciliation process in respect of transactions processed over the past 12 years is puzzling and bizarre, to say the least.

If there are legitimate concerns about aspects of the TSA implementation, then any investigation must be seen to be impartial, transparent, and rooted in verifiable evidence, with findings made available to the public. No individual or organisation is exempt from accountability.

However, targeted actions that appear politically motivated risk eroding the very trust that public finance reforms such as the NRS seek to build.

These practices not only destabilise confidence in Nigeria’s software ecosystem, but also reveal a tendency to sacrifice long-term digital independence for short-term expediency.

Despite the notable successes, institutional inertia continues to undermine Nigeria’s software potential.

Many government agencies at the national and sub-national level still default to foreign software, often driven by outdated preferences and procurement biases. The procurement process remains fragmented, with no clear national standard for evaluating software solutions based on performance, security, and adaptability.

Executive Orders EO003 and EO005, which mandate the use of local goods and services, are yet to be implemented with the consistency and seriousness they require.

The proposed National Revenue Service law offers an unprecedented opportunity to correct these structural flaws. It must not only harmonise revenue collection but also institutionalise indigenous technology as the default infrastructure for digital public finance.

Much like the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Local Content Development Act of 2010 transformed local participation in energy, a national digital content policy is needed to protect our fintech and govtech industries.

While legislation is key to driving compliance in the public sector, the private sector must be encouraged to voluntarily adopt local technologies as part of broader ESG and national development strategies. Corporate Nigeria can play a crucial role in normalising trust in indigenous platforms, forming innovation partnerships, and integrating Nigerian solutions into their value chains.

The shift from import dependence to domestic innovation must be a collective national movement, not a government-alone endeavour.

Equally important is the creation of an Indigenous Software Sovereignty Fund, a dedicated mechanism to support research and development, incubate startups, and scale local platforms that will power the NRS and future national systems.

Years ago, I remarked that SystemSpecs deserved a national merit award for the monumental role it played in harmonising government accounts into a single, technology-driven platform through the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

This was not just a technical achievement — it was a profound act of patriotism. At a time when few believed local solutions could drive national-scale reform, SystemSpecs stood firm, offering its homegrown innovation to serve the nation’s fiscal transformation.

For over a decade, the company has supported the TSA’s implementation with uncommon dedication, professionalism, and resilience. That contribution should not fade into the background — it deserves formal recognition as a benchmark of what becomes possible when Nigeria believes in Nigeria, and when private enterprise rises to meet the public interest.

The success of the TSA is a demonstration that local technology can solve national challenges. Now, as Nigeria embarks on a broader revenue transformation through the NRS and Revenue Assurance initiative, we must ensure that the lessons of the TSA are not only remembered but also enshrined in the next chapter of reform.

This is our chance to cement digital sovereignty as a pillar of national policy. The sovereign code has already been written by Nigerian hands, on Nigerian soil. What remains is the political will to protect it, scale it, and embed it in the future we are building.

In the era of e-Knowledge, time is still running out.

*Chris Uwaje, known as the “Oracle of the Nigerian IT Industry,” is a renowned pioneer of Nigeria’s National IT Policy, which led to the creation of NITDA and the country’s National Software Strategy. With over four decades of global IT experience, he has held key roles including Past President of ITAN and ISPON. He is the Founder of Mobile Software Solutions, Chairman of Connect Technologies, and the architect behind major initiatives like the Akwa Ibom State IT Policy and SIT Park. Uwaje is also the author of e-Knowledge – Time is Running Out.

In the address, he spotlighted the transformative potential of Nigeria’s National Payment System Vision (NPSV).

With deep industry insight, he highlighted the remarkable milestones of the two iterations of the vision (PSV 2020 and PSV 2025) and addressed critical challenges confronting its implementation.

His address left an indelible impression, inspiring stakeholders to reimagine the future of payments in Africa.

During the keynote, Mr. Atanda called for a renewed focus on collaboration, legislative support, and the standardization of payment infrastructure to unlock economic opportunities.

He stated Nigeria’s Payment System Vision, as articulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria:

“To facilitate economic activities by providing safe and efficient mechanisms for making and receiving payments with minimum risks to the central bank, payment service providers and end users, extending the availability and usage to all sectors and geographies, banked and unbanked, and conforming to internationally accepted regulatory, technical and operational standards”.

He also noted:

“The National Payment System Vision is not just a document; it is a call to action, a shared goal for facilitating economic activities through safe and efficient payment mechanisms. If we cannot domesticate this vision within our businesses, we leave critical gaps.”

Highlighting the remarkable progress since the inception of the National Payment System Vision 2025 in 2020, Mr. Deremi Atanda emphasized key achievements in Nigeria’s digital payments ecosystem under NPSV 2025.

These include the significant growth in active bank accounts from 114.8 million in 2020 to 231.1 million by 2024, representing a 101% growth, the 365% growth in real-time payment volumes from 2 billion in 2020 to 9.3 billion by 2023, and the expansion of POS transaction volumes by 110%, from 655 million in 2020 to 1.4 billion by 2023.

Additionally, Mr. Atanda highlighted that the Nigerian fintech sector attracted over $2 billion in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and has birthed four fintech unicorns between 2020 and 2025.

These achievements, he noted, signify not just progress but the immense potential of a strategically aligned payments ecosystem.

However, Mr. Atanda emphasized that sustaining and expanding this momentum requires a concerted focus on global standards.

“Payments are a critical pillar of the global financial market infrastructure, governed by 24 principles spanning nine dimensions. Without a deep understanding and alignment with these principles, we risk isolation from the global payment ecosystem. Building locally with a global outlook isn’t just a strategy; it’s a necessity for relevance and resilience,” he asserted.

Mr. Atanda also urged for greater cooperation within the payment ecosystem, emphasizing the importance of foundational infrastructure.

“We are often trapped in competition when we should be cooperating to build the foundational infrastructure. The opportunities at the top are immense, but the real work lies beneath, in building the standards, technology, and systems that enable growth,” he said.

Reflecting on the legislative challenges, Mr. Atanda noted the prolonged delay in passing the Payment System Management Bill, which he identified as critical to realizing the full potential of the NPSV.

He observed:

“The Payment System Management Bill has been in the National Assembly for over a decade. Without its passage, much of what we aspire to achieve will remain suboptimal. This calls for urgent, collaborative advocacy among stakeholders.”

Speaking on the future of Nigeria’s payment ecosystem, Mr. Atanda laid out some goals all stakeholders should explore for the actualization of NPSV 2030, emphasizing ambitious financial inclusion targets and transformative policies to enhance cross-border payment systems.

He stated,

“By 2030, we must achieve 90% financial inclusion. Economic inclusion fuels financial inclusion and vice versa. Establishing clear standards and driving cross-border payments will position Nigeria as a global leader in the payment ecosystem.”

Mr. Atanda underscored the critical role of stakeholder awareness in realizing this vision, highlighting the importance of aligning all players in the industry with a shared understanding of their roles.

Reflecting on the early days of Nigeria’s payments industry, he noted the significant strides made in building awareness and traction but cautioned against repeating past missteps where insufficient advocacy, awareness and limited policy and legislative reforms hindered progress.

He called for a renewed focus on revisiting outdated laws and strengthening legislative advocacy to create an enabling environment for sustainable growth.

“To shape the future of payments in Nigeria, we must champion robust legislative reforms and advocacy to address emerging challenges and position the industry as a model for innovation and inclusion,” he said.

He concluded with a rallying call for active stakeholder participation: “Everyone in this room is a stakeholder in the National Payment System Vision.

From policy formulation to infrastructure development, collaboration is the big factor that will drive progress. There is no room for idle spectators.”

Following Mr. Atanda’s presentation, a panel session comprising industry experts, including Paul MosiMabale, Director, Upperlink Technologies; Ashley Immanuel, Chief Executive Officer, Semicolon; Adedeji Olowe, Founder, Lendsqr Inc.; Solape Hammond, Co-Founder, Impact Hub Lagos; and Destiny Agbanimu, Head of Growth, Autogon AI, convened to examine the topic: Digital Payment and the National Digital Economy Framework. The session was moderated by Tunde Kuponiyi, Chief Executive Officer, SmartCash Payment Service Bank, and provided deeper insights into the interplay between digital payments and the evolving digital economy framework in Nigeria.

The CeBIH 2024 Annual Conference provided a vital platform to discuss the evolving dynamics of payment systems and their role in fostering economic growth.

Mr. Atanda’s address reinforced the critical need for collective action to actualize the vision of a robust, inclusive, and globally integrated payment system for Nigeria.

This esteemed recognition underscores the company’s unwavering commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and its pivotal role in driving national development through cutting-edge technology.

The award, organized by the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) was officially announced during the NECA Excellence Awards ceremony on November 22, 2024, with the formal presentation held on December 7, 2024, at the NECA Head Office in Lagos.

Mr. Thompson Akpabio, Director of Legal, Regulatory & Taxation at NECA, presented the award, which was received by Mrs. Bukola Adeboye, Executive Director of SystemSpecs Holdings Limited.

Commenting on the rigorous selection process, Mr. Akpabio noted:

“Organizations undergo comprehensive evaluations, including documentation reviews, compliance checks, and interviews by an independent jury. SystemSpecs stood out by meeting and exceeding all benchmarks, showcasing substantial contributions to its sector.”

He further lauded the resilience required to thrive in Nigeria’s challenging economic environment, emphasizing that the NECA Excellence Awards honour organizations demonstrating innovation, excellence, and perseverance.

Now in its fourth edition, the NECA Excellence Awards is a flagship initiative promoting best practices in corporate performance, people management, and industrial relations among Nigerian employers.

The 2024 ceremony attracted key government officials, directors, and industry stakeholders and spotlighted the importance of sustaining operational excellence and innovation amidst economic challenges.

SystemSpecs’ recognition in the Information Technology category reinforces its position as a transformative leader in the sector.

The company’s subsidiaries – Remita Payment Services Limited, HumanManager Limited, SystemSpecs Technology Services Limited, and Deelaa Limited – continue to revolutionize payment systems, human capital management, e-commerce, and other technology-driven solutions across Nigeria and beyond.

While receiving the award, Mrs. Bukola Adeboye expressed her gratitude: “This honour from NECA is a testament to our dedication to driving innovation and empowering businesses across Africa. At SystemSpecs, we foster an environment where ideas thrive, talent is nurtured, and progress is inevitable. Our subsidiaries play pivotal roles in delivering impactful, value-driven solutions that enable individuals and organizations to thrive”

SystemSpecs’ commitment to employer excellence remains a cornerstone of its success. The company prioritizes the well-being and development of its employees, creating a collaborative, innovative workplace where creativity and growth are encouraged.

With robust training programs, equitable rewards, and an inclusive culture, SystemSpecs empowers its workforce to deliver exceptional results, staying ahead in a competitive industry.

As an employer of choice, SystemSpecs remains steadfast in its mission to provide a meaningful and inspiring work environment.

Its people-centered approach fuels business growth and innovation, enabling the company to make a lasting impact on Nigeria’s socio-economic development.

This latest recognition reaffirms SystemSpecs’ leadership in IT and its enduring commitment to excellence as it continues to shape the future of technology in Africa.