Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has launched a comprehensive National Software Quality Assurance (SQA) Framework aimed at eliminating costly IT failures, strengthening cybersecurity, and enhancing public confidence in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and e-governance systems.
The new regulatory framework, signed by the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, under the provisions of the NITDA Act 2007, establishes national standards for the design, development, testing, certification, and deployment of software across Federal Government institutions, regulated sectors, and Nigeria’s broader digital ecosystem.
According to a statement signed by the Director, Corporate Communications and Media Relations Department, NITDA, Mrs. Hadiza Umar, the framework represents a major milestone in Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda by ensuring that software solutions deployed across critical sectors meet globally accepted standards of security, reliability, accessibility, and interoperability.
The framework consolidates three key regulatory instruments into a unified quality assurance system. They include the National Software Development Guideline, which mandates structured software development lifecycles, secure coding practices based on OWASP standards, standardized documentation, and compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards for citizen-facing services.
It also introduces the National Software Testing Guideline, which establishes mandatory benchmarks for functionality, cybersecurity resilience, system performance under peak loads, and interoperability before any software is deployed.
In addition, the framework creates the Software Testing Organisations Licensing (STOL) Guideline, which provides for the accreditation and regulation of independent Licensed Software Testing Organisations (LSTOs) responsible for evaluating and certifying software before deployment.
Under the new policy, all government software projects will be required to undergo independent third-party testing and obtain official certification before going live. Compliance with the framework will become a mandatory condition for securing IT Project Clearance for public sector digital projects.
To ensure regulatory oversight is proportionate to risk, NITDA has introduced a three-tier software classification model. High-risk Class A systems, including national identity platforms, core banking infrastructure, defence applications, and power grid control systems, will be subjected to the highest levels of security assessment, penetration testing, and specialised audits conducted by top-tier accredited testing organisations.
Moderate-risk enterprise applications will fall under Class B, while lower-risk internal software tools will be classified as Class C, each subject to testing requirements appropriate to their operational impact.
NITDA said the framework is expected to deliver significant national benefits by improving the reliability of digital public services, reducing software failures, protecting government investments from cyber threats, and enhancing service delivery to citizens.
The Agency also noted that the framework will stimulate the growth of Nigeria’s software quality assurance industry by creating opportunities for indigenous technology companies, encouraging international certification, generating high-skilled employment for software engineers, and strengthening Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global digital economy.
Speaking on the significance of the initiative, NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi said software quality remains the foundation of public trust in digital governance.
“Quality is the foundation of digital trust. With this Framework, every software solution serving Nigerians, whether built for government or the private sector, will meet clear national standards for security, reliability, and interoperability. This is how we modernise government technology and position Nigerian software to compete on the global stage,” he said.
The National Software Quality Assurance Framework will take full effect in the second quarter of 2027. Ahead of its implementation, NITDA plans to embark on nationwide stakeholder engagement, capacity-building programmes, and the accreditation of software testing organisations.
The Agency also disclosed that it will soon issue an Expression of Interest (EOI) inviting qualified software testing firms to apply for licensing under the new regulatory regime, giving stakeholders sufficient time to align with the national standards before full implementation
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has launched a comprehensive National Software Quality Assurance (SQA) Framework aimed at eliminating costly IT failures, strengthening cybersecurity, and enhancing public confidence in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and e-governance systems.
The new regulatory framework, signed by the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, under the provisions of the NITDA Act 2007, establishes national standards for the design, development, testing, certification, and deployment of software across Federal Government institutions, regulated sectors, and Nigeria’s broader digital ecosystem.
According to a statement signed by the Director, Corporate Communications and Media Relations Department, NITDA, Mrs. Hadiza Umar, the framework represents a major milestone in Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda by ensuring that software solutions deployed across critical sectors meet globally accepted standards of security, reliability, accessibility, and interoperability.
The framework consolidates three key regulatory instruments into a unified quality assurance system. They include the National Software Development Guideline, which mandates structured software development lifecycles, secure coding practices based on OWASP standards, standardized documentation, and compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards for citizen-facing services.
It also introduces the National Software Testing Guideline, which establishes mandatory benchmarks for functionality, cybersecurity resilience, system performance under peak loads, and interoperability before any software is deployed.
In addition, the framework creates the Software Testing Organisations Licensing (STOL) Guideline, which provides for the accreditation and regulation of independent Licensed Software Testing Organisations (LSTOs) responsible for evaluating and certifying software before deployment.
Under the new policy, all government software projects will be required to undergo independent third-party testing and obtain official certification before going live. Compliance with the framework will become a mandatory condition for securing IT Project Clearance for public sector digital projects.
To ensure regulatory oversight is proportionate to risk, NITDA has introduced a three-tier software classification model. High-risk Class A systems, including national identity platforms, core banking infrastructure, defence applications, and power grid control systems, will be subjected to the highest levels of security assessment, penetration testing, and specialised audits conducted by top-tier accredited testing organisations.
Moderate-risk enterprise applications will fall under Class B, while lower-risk internal software tools will be classified as Class C, each subject to testing requirements appropriate to their operational impact.
NITDA said the framework is expected to deliver significant national benefits by improving the reliability of digital public services, reducing software failures, protecting government investments from cyber threats, and enhancing service delivery to citizens.
The Agency also noted that the framework will stimulate the growth of Nigeria’s software quality assurance industry by creating opportunities for indigenous technology companies, encouraging international certification, generating high-skilled employment for software engineers, and strengthening Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global digital economy.
Speaking on the significance of the initiative, NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi said software quality remains the foundation of public trust in digital governance.
“Quality is the foundation of digital trust. With this Framework, every software solution serving Nigerians, whether built for government or the private sector, will meet clear national standards for security, reliability, and interoperability. This is how we modernise government technology and position Nigerian software to compete on the global stage,” he said.
The National Software Quality Assurance Framework will take full effect in the second quarter of 2027. Ahead of its implementation, NITDA plans to embark on nationwide stakeholder engagement, capacity-building programmes, and the accreditation of software testing organisations.
The Agency also disclosed that it will soon issue an Expression of Interest (EOI) inviting qualified software testing firms to apply for licensing under the new regulatory regime, giving stakeholders sufficient time to align with the national standards before full implementation.
END
