Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has introduced a National Software Quality Assurance Framework that will require all federal government software systems to undergo independent third-party testing before deployment, creating a national licensing regime for software testing organisations.
Signed by NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi under the NITDA Act 2007, the framework establishes national standards for software development, testing and deployment across government institutions, regulated industries and the broader digital ecosystem. The initiative is designed to reduce software failures, strengthen cybersecurity and improve trust in public digital services.
From the second quarter of 2027, compliance with the framework will become mandatory for obtaining IT Project Clearance. Federal government software projects will be required to undergo testing and certification by Licensed Software Testing Organisations (LSTOs) before they can be approved for deployment.
The framework combines three regulatory instruments: the National Software Development Guideline, the National Software Testing Guideline and the Software Testing Organisations Licensing (STOL) Guideline. Together, they introduce secure software development practices, mandatory testing requirements and a licensing framework for independent software testing organisations.
Software systems will also be classified according to operational risk. Critical systems such as banking platforms, identity management systems and power grid infrastructure will undergo the highest level of security assessments, penetration testing and independent audits, while medium- and low-risk applications will follow proportionate compliance requirements.
NITDA said the framework is expected to improve the reliability of public digital services, reduce cybersecurity risks, strengthen Nigeria’s software ecosystem and enhance the global competitiveness of locally developed software. The agency will begin accrediting Licensed Software Testing Organisations ahead of the framework’s mandatory implementation in 2027.
