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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is set to introduce licensing for independent software testing companies as part of a new framework designed to improve the quality, security and reliability of technology projects deployed across Nigeria.
The agency said the National Software Quality Assurance (SQA) Framework will require Federal Government software projects to undergo independent third-party testing and certification before deployment.
The framework, signed by NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi under the provisions of the NITDA Act 2007, is expected to become a mandatory requirement for obtaining IT Project Clearance for government software projects from the second quarter of 2027.
NITDA Begins Accreditation of Testing Firms
As part of the implementation process, NITDA said it will commence the accreditation of Licensed Software Testing Organisations (LSTOs).
The agency is expected to issue an Expression of Interest (EOI) for technology companies interested in obtaining licences to provide independent software testing services.
NITDA will also undertake nationwide stakeholder engagement and capacity-building programmes ahead of the framework’s full implementation.
The agency said the regulated testing market could create new opportunities for indigenous technology companies and software professionals while encouraging local firms to pursue internationally recognised certifications.
Three Guidelines Form New Standard
The SQA Framework brings together three regulatory instruments into a single national standard.
The first, the National Software Development Guideline, establishes expectations around structured software development processes, secure coding practices based on OWASP standards, standardised documentation and compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards for citizen-facing digital services.
The second is the National Software Testing Guideline, which establishes testing benchmarks covering functionality, cybersecurity, performance under peak workloads and interoperability.
The third, the Software Testing Organisations Licensing (STOL) Guideline, provides the regulatory structure for licensing independent testing organisations that will assess and certify software before it is deployed.
Under the new system, government software projects will require certification from an accredited third-party testing organisation before going live.
Risk-Based Testing Model Introduced
NITDA’s framework will not subject every software application to the same level of scrutiny.
Instead, software will be classified according to its potential operational and cybersecurity risk.
The three categories are:
- Class A: High-risk and critical infrastructure systems.
- Class B: Moderate-risk enterprise platforms.
- Class C: Lower-risk internal applications.
Critical systems, including core banking switches, national identity management platforms and electricity-grid control systems, will face the most stringent requirements.
These systems will be subjected to extensive penetration testing and specialised security audits by top-tier accredited testing organisations.
Push to Reduce Costly IT Failures
The new framework comes against the backdrop of concerns about the performance of government technology projects.
NITDA said 56% of IT projects executed by Federal Public Institutions have failed, attributing the failures to poor compliance with its IT Project Clearance Guidelines.
The scale of government spending on software also underscores the financial implications of failed or poorly implemented projects. About ₦24 billion was budgeted for software-related projects by 10 federal ministries, departments and agencies in 2026, according to figures previously reported by Nairametrics.
By requiring independent testing before deployment, NITDA is seeking to identify software defects, security vulnerabilities and performance problems before systems are introduced to users.
NITDA Targets Stronger Digital Trust
According to NITDA, the framework is intended not only to improve government technology projects but also to strengthen confidence in software developed in Nigeria.
The agency said consistent national standards could help local technology companies compete more effectively in international markets, attract foreign investment and create high-skilled jobs within the software ecosystem.
Abdullahi described software quality as a foundation for digital trust, saying the framework is designed to ensure that technology solutions serving Nigerians meet defined standards for security, reliability and interoperability.
The initiative therefore represents a shift towards a more structured quality-assurance regime in Nigeria’s technology industry, with independent testing becoming an increasingly important part of the software development and deployment process.
With the licensing process for testing organisations expected to begin shortly and mandatory compliance for government IT Project Clearance scheduled for Q2 2027, technology companies and government agencies now have a transition period to align their development and testing processes with the new national standards.
