Remember Systemspecs? They were in the news last year with regards to the Nigeria Governments’ Treasury Single account (TSA) and an allegation was made that the software owned by Systemspecs, Remita, an e-Payment/e-Collection solution used for the transfer of government funds from commercial banks to the treasury single account (TSA) domiciled with it, was used to illegally obtain some monies which according to further investigation turned out to be charges for remittance of the government funds from other banks into the TSA. Investigations also revealed members on the BoT of Systemspecs which included the names of some well respected people in the Nigerian society.
After the episode last year, the Central Bank of Nigeria reportedly said it would use its own software for payment and funds remittance and this naturally would mean Systemspecs had lost a rather pivotal client. Whether the apex bank has started using its own software at the moment remains unknown.
However, in a recent statement released by Systemspecs, the Chief Executive Officer, Mr John Obaro, linked the dwindling nature of software entrepreneurs in the country to lack of patronage. The statement added that patronizing indigenous software would help retain the 100 per cent annual maintenance fees within the Nigerian economy.
“Let us imagine that at least one Nigerian bank uses indigenous software, rather than the prevailing situation where all the banks use foreign software procured from India, Jordan, Switzerland, etc. Let us imagine what would have happened if Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) and Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) at OAGF are powered by indigenous software and not one from Estonia and USA respectively. If Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS) at FIRS is an indigenous software and not from Canada.”
Nigeria would have benefited had the software installed at the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) are powered by indigenous software companies, the statement said.
