The Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON) has introduced a Prize for Excellence that is dedicated to software startups.
Chris Uwaje, President of ISPON, said the introduction of the excellence prize would make Nigerian young software developers empowered with digital entrepreneurship and prepare them for the peculiar job challenges of the 21st century.
The institute created the prize in response to increasing calls for it to bridge the gap that is threatening Nigeria’s knowledge capacity. According to him, the prize will unleash proactive strategy that will bring software startups in Nigeria to the forefront in the country’s enormous ICT sector.
Uwaje said: “Software is a key enabling technology in business, industry, government, and defense, and permeates products and services of all kinds. It is no exaggeration to state that the progress of modern society is now totally and irrevocably dependent on software, as clearly exemplified by the year 2000 bug (“Y2K”) crisis.
“The critical infrastructure of the nation is largely controlled and managed by software. In short, software has become a prime critical national resource, vital to national well being, sustainable development, creation of wealth and global competitiveness.”
On how the prize winners will be rewarded, Uwaje said the winner of “Best Software Start-up of the Year” will be recognised and mentored.
With the maiden edition of the prize for software excellence scheduled to be held at ISPON President’s 2013 Dinner, Uwaje said it will cause a redefinition of current digital knowledge development and empowerment models.
“This ensures refinement of the model informally or formally with a justification tool. The advocacy will also focus on Domain analysis involving a broad study of the relevant domain, its intrinsic aspects, its particular technologies, and roles of the people involved, perhaps its role in a wider socio-economic context,” Uwaje said.
Stressing the need for software development in Nigeria, the ISPON head described software development as an integral tool that has become a necessity in various sectors.
