The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has launched a National Software Quality Assurance (SQA) Framework aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s digital infrastructure, enhancing cybersecurity, eliminating costly IT failures, and boosting public confidence in digital governance.
The framework, signed by the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, under the authority of the NITDA Act 2007, establishes nationwide standards for the design, testing, and deployment of software across Federal Government institutions, regulated industries, and the broader digital ecosystem.
NITDA said in a statement signed by Mrs. Hadiza Umar, Director, Corporate Communications and Media Relations, that the new regulatory framework provides a unified approach to software quality assurance through three complementary instruments: the National Software Development Guideline, the National Software Testing Guideline, and the Software Testing Organisations Licensing (STOL) Guideline.
Digital TimesNG understands that under the National Software Development Guideline, software developers are required to adopt structured development lifecycles, implement Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) secure coding practices, maintain standardised system documentation, and comply with WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards for citizen-facing digital services.
The National Software Testing Guideline prescribes comprehensive pre-deployment testing covering functionality, cybersecurity, performance under peak loads, and system interoperability, while the STOL Guideline establishes a regulatory framework for licensing and accrediting independent Licensed Software Testing Organisations (LSTOs) responsible for evaluating and certifying software before deployment.
A major feature of the new framework is the requirement that all government software projects undergo independent third-party testing and receive official certification before deployment. Compliance with this requirement will now become a mandatory condition for obtaining IT Project Clearance.
To ensure regulation reflects varying levels of operational risk, the framework introduces a three-tier software classification model. Software applications will be categorised into Class A for high-risk and critical infrastructure systems, Class B for moderate-risk enterprise platforms, and Class C for low-risk internal tools.
Critical Class A systems, including core banking switches, identity management platforms, and power grid control systems, will be subject to the highest security requirements, including advanced penetration testing and specialised audit oversight by top-tier accredited testing organisations.
NITDA said the framework is expected to deliver significant benefits by improving the reliability and security of digital public services, protecting public investments from software failures and cyber threats, and ensuring more dependable digital platforms for citizens.
The Agency also noted that the initiative would stimulate the growth of Nigeria’s software testing industry by creating opportunities for indigenous technology firms, encouraging internationally recognised certifications, and generating high-skilled employment for software engineers and other ICT professionals.
In addition, it said the adoption of rigorous software quality assurance standards would strengthen global confidence in Made-in-Nigeria software solutions, enabling local developers to compete more effectively in international markets while attracting greater foreign direct investment into the country’s digital economy.
Speaking on the significance of the initiative, the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, said quality assurance remains fundamental to building trust in digital services.
“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,” he said.
He added, “This is how we modernise government technology and position Nigerian software to compete on the global stage.”
The National Software Quality Assurance Framework is scheduled to take full effect in the second quarter of 2027.
Ahead of its implementation, NITDA said it would embark on nationwide stakeholder engagement sessions, capacity-building programmes and the formal accreditation of software testing organisations.
The Agency also disclosed that it would soon issue an Expression of Interest (EOI) inviting prospective software testing organisations to apply for licensing, giving technology firms sufficient time to strengthen their technical capacity and align with the new national quality assurance standards.