National Software Competition Holds in Nigeria
The Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON) in a press release made available to us today, has finalized arrangements to stage the First National Software Competition billed to take place in Calabar, Cross River State – in what perhaps, can be classified as the greatest IT-Quest and knowledge encounter of the year.
For the past one year, ISPON National Executive Council had been busy laying the ground work for the Big-Event. Following extensive interactions with university students and the leadership of National Association of Computer Students (NACCOS), ISPON rolled out strategies for the establishment of Software Development Clubs in Nigerian Universities as a foundation for building the collaborative communities and connections to the larger stakeholder ecosystem that are pivotal to the emergence of a sustainable knowledge culture and capability for software development. At the last count, more than 32 Universities have either been registered or applied for registration.
The National Software Competition is informed by the strategic imperative to anchor Nigeria’s aspirations for global competitiveness in the Knowledge Economy on building capacity in knowledge industries such as software. With 60% of Nigeria’s population under 30 years of age, ISPON believes that the dream of Vision 20:2020 is realizable only by accelerated efforts to build and unlock the innovation capabilities of our youth, who have propelled Nigeria over just 4 years to becoming the 10th largest internet user base in the world (Internet World Stats at http://www.internetworldstats.com/top20.htm, August 2011). In order to harness the breadth and depth of the youth population,
ISPON has declared the Competition open and released guidelines for the high profile National Software Competition for all Tertiary Institutions scheduled for October 18th, 2011. The competition will be held at the Tinapa Business Resort, Calabar, with the Cross River State Government as the Chief Host. The Competition is expected to attract an audience of over 1000 youths and will be supported by very formidable sponsorship endorsements from MTN, UBA, NITDA, VISAFONE, Samsung, CPN, NCS, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and other corporate and institutional top Brands.
The National Software Competition aims to harness the potential skills of young and intelligent minds in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions. The program is established to uncover Indigenous Software Development Talents and make them ready for entrepreneurship and global competitiveness in ICT. Entries to the competition are based on completed applications at official website online application forms processing. Apart from the fabulous prizes and awards already put in place for the winners of the competition, ISPON will facilitate their future participations in various Technology competitions for International Youth Awards at the United Nations level.
In a special message to the established Software Development Clubs, the President of ISPON said “I am convinced of the visionary fact that one day (and very soon), this 21st Century, Nigerian Developed Software will break the world record in form, content and quality! By merit, you are one of the few the chosen ones to supersonically volt Nigeria into the 21st Century Information Society (IS). Your contribution to our Knowledge Society through Software will definitely make Nigeria Great! I absolutely believe in your innovative potential, creative ability, confidence, capability and Intellectual risk management adventure to achieve the above challenges, objectives and interfacing goals. Remember you are one of the new chosen ones – by merit – drafted for the Nigeria Digital Knowledge Quest.”
Institutions that do not already have Software Development Clubs (SDC), are advised to contact the coordinator at [email protected] and 08030528111 for more information. Software Development Club seeks to develop and empower Nigerian Youths with Global Software Knowledge as strategic instrument for facilitating and building skilled capacities for self-reliance, wealth creation and National Security – applying Global Information, Communications Technology Best Practices. ISPON Challenges you – Nigerian Youths! Dream software.