Nigerian software developers have generated more than $1 million in sales from locally developed applications sold across domestic and regional markets, according to the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion.
The Director-General of NOTAP, Dr. Obiageli Amadiobi, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
She attributed the milestone to targeted government interventions that support innovation, intellectual property protection, and improved market access.
Amadiobi explained that the growth among local developers stemmed from deliberate NOTAP initiatives focused on building technical capacity, safeguarding intellectual property rights, and connecting innovators to viable commercial opportunities.
She pointed out that many Nigerian developers had previously struggled to transform their ideas into impactful products due to delays in securing intellectual property protection.
“Whether it is a literary work, a laboratory invention, or a creative digital product, the process of bringing an idea to life demands immense time, skill, and dedication,” she said.
“An innovator might wake up with a solution to a pressing problem, spend months testing and refining it, and achieve remarkable results. It is their fundamental right to patent that creation and claim ownership.”
Amadiobi warned that failing to protect intellectual property leaves Nigerian innovations vulnerable to exploitation, as unprotected ideas can be copied, patented by others, and legally controlled away from the original creators.
The $1 million milestone came from over 50 locally developed applications, with individual developers earning between $5,000 and $80,000.
Among the standout solutions are a mobile health platform serving about 750,000 users across six states, an agricultural marketplace linking smallholder farmers to buyers, and an educational technology tool adopted by 200 schools to enhance learning outcomes.
Amadiobi noted that about 60 per cent of the total sales recorded last year originated from other African countries, demonstrating strong regional demand for Nigerian-built software solutions.
She announced that NOTAP aims to double local software sales by 2027, prioritising high-growth sectors such as financial technology, renewable energy management, and climate adaptation tools.
However, she identified digital piracy and counterfeiting as significant barriers to progress in the ICT sector, emphasising that unauthorised duplication continues to erode innovation gains.
“From copied software applications to replicated content on social platforms like TikTok, unauthorised duplication has become a major barrier to growth,” she said.
“We see talented young creators develop unique digital content or tools, only to watch others rebrand and profit from their work within weeks.”
Amadiobi observed that many online creators with distinctive styles are unaware that their work qualifies for protection through intellectual property registration.
These issues shaped NOTAP’s comprehensive intervention approach, with the Local Vendor Policy as a key component.
The policy mandates foreign technology firms operating in Nigeria to partner with local companies and direct a portion of their technical service fees to domestic vendors.
She stated that this policy has enabled local developers to shift from supportive roles with foreign firms to creating competitive homegrown products that thrive in regional and global markets.
NOTAP remains dedicated to advancing local technology development and intellectual property protection, having issued over 340 patent certificates to researchers, institutions, and innovators since its establishment.
Recently, the agency awarded patent certificates to 21 Nigerian innovators for solutions tackling societal challenges and promoting economic growth, covering areas such as renewable energy, power equipment, and electrical development.
