Nigeria’s NOTAP to launch NOVA to drive tech innovation, outsourcing
ABUJA, NIGERIA — The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) is set to launch the Nigeria Outsourcing Value Acceleration (NOVA) initiative, a strategic program designed to strengthen the nation’s technology innovation ecosystem, promote local content, and reduce foreign dependency through research, development, and technology localization, according to a report from The Fact Nigeria.
Strengthening Nigeria’s local tech ecosystem
Speaking at a pre-event press conference in Abuja ahead of the Nigerian Technology Innovation Summit (NTIS) scheduled for November 6–7 in Lagos, NOTAP Director General Obiageli Amadiobi said NOVA represents a major step toward transforming Nigeria from a technology consumer into a technology creator.
“We have what we call the local content policy. We have done it in ICT. And the good news is that Nigerians are now exporting written applications. They now have their own applications, banking applications. So, we want the same for all other sectors,” Amadiobi said.
Amadiobi emphasized that NOVA will support innovation-driven growth by ensuring that foreign companies operating in Nigeria adhere to local research and technology development standards. This includes enforcing compliance with NOTAP certification for technology transfers and promoting the establishment of research laboratories within Nigeria.
“If you have a technology imported into this country, and you are operating in this country, the raw materials are here, but you don’t have a laboratory in Nigeria. For such people, we make them to establish laboratories in Nigeria,” she explained.
NOTAP has also partnered with an independent audit firm to identify unregistered technologies operating in the country. According to Amadiobi, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been instrumental in ensuring compliance, mandating banks to verify NOTAP certification for all technology-related foreign remittances. “CBN is doing a wonderful job for us in that line,” she noted.
Positioning Nigeria in the global outsourcing landscape
The NOVA initiative arrives at a critical moment for Nigeria’s digital economy, as global outsourcing continues to evolve toward high-value, knowledge-based services.
By empowering local firms to develop proprietary technologies, Nigeria aims to capture a greater share of the international outsourcing market, a sector increasingly driven by innovation and intellectual property rather than low-cost labor.
If successfully implemented, NOVA could reposition Nigeria as a competitive outsourcing destination rooted in indigenous innovation.
As outsourcing models worldwide shift toward research-driven, AI-enabled value creation, initiatives like NOVA demonstrate how developing economies can localize global opportunities, turning technological dependence into a platform for sustainable growth.
