What is the hope of locally made software in Nigeria?

You have to really beat pirated foreign software packages and free open software.

@Binary
The hope for locally made softwares is meeting the right people.

@Seun
Pirated foreign packages or "open source" can not stop local softwares because most of this softwares can not be adapted to meet 100% needs of some organizations. e.g I have replaced Peach-Tree accounting packages in 2 organizations. (because it is either doing too much or not addressing their particular need)

The key is : "Meet the right people". It will be noteworthy to note that banks still prefer local software firms for building applications they integrate with their core platforms. and all these deals are millions worth. I laugh when i hear so much noise about local softwares dieing.


- MY Opinion

Wow. :-)

dammytosh:


@Seun
Pirated foreign packages or "open source" can not stop local softwares because most of this softwares can not be adapted to meet 100% needs of some organizations. e.g I have replaced Peach-Tree accounting packages in 2 organizations. (because it is either doing too much or not addressing their particular need)

The content in bold refers, even though many people do not know this a lot of companies are desperate to lay their hands on software that are best or well suited for their business processes as against the many off the shelf solutions they find in the market.

The market is huge for locally developed software but again there is a problem - some Nigerian developers have disappointed companies in the past and stories like these spread fast and these companies are just naturally being scared to lose more money.

Nigerian developers should acquire relevant skills and apply them without shattering their credibilities in the process of making money.

I was asked to develop a software for an oil servicing firm that has already bought and/or tested some foreign software solutions for the business need and the company was happy with the solution as every single requirement we agreed upon was met as against unlimited tweaking and rewriting of developed software that usually takes time and in the end may not do what the owner wants it to do.

This issue is one where perception is farthest from reality because even though people think locally developed software are not making money some are doing so. Unless of course, you are looking at seeing the software at Otigba.

Afam:

The market is huge for locally developed software but again there is a problem - some Nigerian developers have disappointed companies in the past and stories like these spread fast and these companies are just naturally being scared to lose more money.

Nigerian developers should acquire relevant skills and apply them without shattering their credibilities in the process of making money.

@Afam,
  i strongly agree with you on those points. MOST Nigerian programmers are half baked and they rely "100%" on the strength and power of the internet to get work done. their motto is "Any How, Any How, as long as it is working".

I once reviewed an existing system that a company relied actively on for 4 years to discover that the "programmer" used just 2 Tables in the database for the whole project and the access file used is not passworded and can be modified outside the application's domain.
"Can u imagine 2 tables for an application with over 13 entities with authentication and authorization modules ."

  "A good skill set" + "meeting the right people" will make local softwares relevant for life as long as it is not an OPERATING SYSTEM 

THE strength of LOCAL SOFTWARES lie in the fact that you can sit down with the stake holders and the intended users of your proposed software and build something not too strange from their normal manual process which MIGHT BE very difficult to achieve using "Open Source" or "PIRATED Software"

- My Opinion

I really dont have much to add to this conversation, which at best would have meant I should shut up. lol.

But still at that I cant help saying yes to the writings of Afam and dammytosh. You two hit the nail in the head.

Espacially the "any how, any how" attitude. You must be grouded at what you do, so that your words match your creations.

Opps I found something to say afterall.

@merit tool,

I believe that with all the skill set you have posted it should be expected for you to have a website (personal or business) where you can properly showcase your work or skills.

By the way, for the IVR what gateway have you used to interface and how many ports have you developed for?

Seun:

You have to really beat pirated foreign software packages and free open software.

YES SEUN, I THINK THAT IS MAJOR PROBLEM FACING LOCALLY MADE SOFTWARES. BUT ALL THE SAME, I THINK WHERE SOMEONE CAN REALLY MAKE IT IS WHEN BUILDING A CUSTOMIZED SOFTWARES FOR ORGANIZATION.
FOR THAT REASON THERE IS HOPE.

enohj2ee:

YES WE HAVE INDIANS WORKING WITH US, WE EVEN HAVE DEVELOPMENT CENTER THERE TOO, BUT THE BRAIN IS THE NIGERIANS GUYS WITH ME. WE HAVE ALOT OF SOLUTIONS
Partial List of our Softwares

If you don't mind my asking , what role do the Indians play ?

Why are they placed so highly in your organization, if the brains are elsewhere ?
We have to give credit to where its due,we can't plant corn and expect to reap wheat.
If you go to India, the educational and recreational system is far different from Naija.
They have created an enabling environment for the youths, they have as much potential like any ordinary Nigerian but they have tapped into this potential and are giving the whole world(US and Europe) a run for their money, so lets not compare Nigerian software to Indian ones
(There are a very few exceptions)


The fundamental problem with Nigerian solution developers is poverty ; the Chairman/MD/CEO is ready to bailout after the one big project that was preceded by 7years of nothing. He forgets that a stable structure is necessary to support software infrastructure ,

Although i'm a developer I'd be hard put to buy Nigerian software it a business has a need. Though my mind would remain open , most local software vendors cannot really survive an unbiased RFP selection process.

Investors expect profit in business, and purchase of software cannot be a good way to contribute to charity ,
(Just my humble opinion)

enohj2ee:

YES WE HAVE INDIANS WORKING WITH US, WE EVEN HAVE DEVELOPMENT CENTER THERE TOO, BUT THE BRAIN IS THE NIGERIANS GUYS WITH ME. WE HAVE ALOT OF SOLUTIONS

I have a problem with the statement above too.

Software is either locally developed or foreign. Are these software solutions locally developed by Nigerians?

The answer to this question will help clear the issue.

Afam


Yes all our solutions are locally make here

I have say this before, I have blast the Nigeria Govt and Banks for even using foreign software, now, that was last week in the Banking & Payment Technologies West Africa, 2009 4-6 May 2009 Muson Centre Lagos, Nigeria, Where I Spoke on Indigenous software for the mobile phone: A tool for financial inclusion and digital payments,
for more than 35 minutes

http://www.aitecafrica.com/uploads/event/19ac982cfd99e1ab26de2062c8237b89.pdf

Locally Made Operating System is about to launch.

Dont bring that now, I know a lot goes into OS development, I sense it may be worse than microsoft.
bettter still it is worrk the trial. we need to start somewhere

Why cant we have Nigerians doing of-the-shelf softwares? All wat's being mentioned here are custom or organisation-tailored software. Whats happening to the likes of corel draw, office suites, media players, browsers e.t.c?

Dont we have seasoned standalone (none web-based or database oriented) softwares? Y cant we buy a new laptop and install nigerian softwares throughout for business or personal use except for the developers to come and install/customise some db apps?

i developed 2 editions of Redeemed Biblica (Bible software) for a coy here in 9ja and it did very well. i believe we need some more software for the retail market.