NCS Restates Commitment, Holds NITMA Conference, Awards

Nosa Alekhuogie

The Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), the umbrella body of all Information Technology (IT) professionals, has promised to make NCS the only platform for promoting IT development and enhancing corporate relevance.

The computer professional body also promised to move the Information Technology profession to desirable heights in Nigeria.

President of NCS, Prof. Adesina Sodiya, gave the assurance in Lagos, while announcing this year’s National Information Technology Merit Awards (NITMA) and conference, an annual event organised by NCS to recognise and celebrate excellence and commitment to the Information Technology profession.

As an advocacy group, Sodiya said the Nigeria Computer Society, would continue to work towards achieving sustainable development in Nigeria, and recognising excellence and exceptional individuals, professionals and corporate organisations who have made significant impact in the industry.

“It is imperative and gratifying to regularly celebrate core IT professionals who are using technology to enhance national development. We shall be celebrating inventors, achievers and those that have broken barriers in Computer Science / Information Technology,” Sodiya said.

The most prestigious Professional Fellowships will be conferred on deserving members of NCS who are recognised as authorities and have distinguished themselves through significant contributions to the growth of Information Technology.

Honourary Fellowships will also be conferred on some individuals who have distinguished themselves through extraordinary service and commitment to IT growth in Nigeria, Sodiya further said.

According to him, “Last year, we introduced another award – Digital Governor Award. With this award, NCS wishes to recognise outstanding governors that are making enormous investments in IT. This year, eight nominations were received and reviewed by the screening committee. The nominations were further pruned down to three based on commitment to full adoption and deployment of IT in their various states.” Sodiya listed the three governors that were eventually considered for the 2021 Digital Governor Award to include the Executive Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; the Executive Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed and the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi A. Sule. One of them will emerge winner, based on number of online votes attained, Sodiya said.

The IT Personality of the Year 2021, also known as the NCS President’s Award, which recognises and celebrates grand individuals who have been adjudged to be champions in the field of IT, will also be announced at the award forum, scheduled to hold next week in Lagos.

The third major category of award is the IT Company of the Year 2021. This is a brand new award for indigenous IT company for outstanding performance and significance contributions to national development.

Sodiya said the Chairman of Zenith Bank, Mr Jim Ovia has again funded this year scholarship awards to support 35 students studying Computer Science and IT-related courses in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions. Jim Ovia has been funding NCS scholarship programme since 2015. The scholarship recipients have additionally been promised automatic employment in any Jim Ovia organisation, provided such beneficiaries graduated with a minimum of second class upper division in their courses of study.

“This year NITMA will surely provide a strong indication of our commitment to celebrating talents and highlighting the creativity, excellence, vision, and dedication of individuals and organizations within the IT industry and community,” Sodiya said.