Nigeria, a large English speaking country in West Africa and one of the powerhouse economies in Africa, has failed to make inroads into global outsourcing business for a number of reasons. There are massive endemic corruption, lack of a proper legal framework, poor security networks and inadequate electricity infrastructure.

According to The Director-General for National Information Technology Development Agency, Prof. Cleopas Angaye, overtures made by the Federal Government to Nigerians failed to get traction because of different issues the nation has to contend with.

Prof. Angaye said, “We have a problem why they (outsourcing companies) have not come. If they come here and they are duped, who will pay? We need a proper framework for outsourcing to take root here. We don’t have a cyber security law in the country. Nigeria is among the top six countries with network security problems, which have to be addressed. We need a framework for cyber security. We have a lot of problems, which we are solving.”

He went on to say, “Another problem militating against outsourcing in the country is security. Then there is the power problem. I went to Singapore in 2007. I visited D-Link. They were interested in investing in the country, but were scared by our power problem. I am happy that practical steps are being taken to solve the nation’s power problem.”

Angaye also disclosed that the IT development agency was in the process of establishing two software development centers in the country.