Software testers in Nigeria are advocating for enhanced standards and stricter quality controls to strengthen digital trust as the nation’s technology sector expands. This call to action was a central theme during the 8th Annual Conference of the Association of Nigerian Software Testers (ANST), held recently in Lagos.
The conference, themed “TESTING NIGERIA FORWARD: Building Trust. Powering Progress. Shaping the Future,” underscored the vital role of high-quality software in providing reliable digital platforms for businesses, government services, and consumers alike.
The Imperative of Digital Reliability
As Nigeria accelerates its efforts to digitize banking, government operations, and commerce, the dependability of digital platforms has evolved into a matter of national importance. Discussions at the forum encompassed the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in software testing, post-deployment system maintenance strategies, and the establishment of robust industry standards to ensure consistent quality.
The keynote session highlighted the absolute necessity of software quality for Nigerian organizations and government entities. ANST President Demola Adesina asserted that quality forms the bedrock of trust, safety, innovation, and national competitiveness.
Quality as a Foundation: Adesina emphasized that quality is no longer merely a function but the very foundation upon which trust, safety, innovation, and national competitiveness are built. He stated, “If Nigeria is going to move forward, we must build what I call digital trust, the assurance that anything delivered through technology works as intended.”
ANST’s Mission: He further explained that ANST is dedicated to eradicating substandard software by championing world-class standards, nurturing a highly skilled software testing community in Africa, and collaborating with organizations to integrate robust testing practices into their workflows. The association envisions a future where Nigerian citizens can confidently rely on every digital platform they use and where the country is globally recognized for its high-quality digital innovation and technology investments.
Beyond Deployment: The Importance of Post-Deployment Maintenance
President Adesina emphasized that the pursuit of quality should not conclude upon deployment. He stressed the importance of maintaining products through rigorous post-deployment processes, continuous monitoring, and a commitment to long-term excellence.
He noted that Nigeria currently has hundreds of locally developed applications, with many more in the pipeline, making quality a paramount national priority.
- Sustaining System Quality: “To maintain a system, you must focus relentlessly on quality. Our work protects users, strengthens businesses, ensures resilience in public systems, and elevates Nigeria’s global reputation,” he stated.
The Role of AI in Software Testing
A significant highlight of the conference was a virtual presentation by Director Soji Ononuga of Testing Academy Nigeria, focusing on “The Intersection of AI and Software Testing.” He explored the question of whether AI will replace software testers or revolutionize the profession, encouraging attendees to embrace emerging technologies while simultaneously developing new competencies.
- Guardians of Trust: “Software testing professionals have always been the guardians of trust, the gatekeepers of quality, and the quiet custodians ensuring that systems in government, hospitals, banks, and small enterprises behave exactly as intended. But today, the world is changing faster than ever,” Ononuga observed.
He urged professionals to master AI-assisted testing, test data engineering, model evaluation and AI risk assurance, front-end engineering, domain expertise, and ethical and regulatory governance. He noted that young testers in Africa are already learning automation and Python and contributing to open-source AI initiatives.
- Embrace Change: “Do not fear AI. Do not shrink from disruption. Learn, adapt, innovate, and lead. The tools of yesterday will not build the systems of tomorrow,” Ononuga advised.
He also encouraged organizations to invest in upskilling rather than downsizing, empower testers to act as AI supervisors and risk analysts, embed AI into the entire testing pipeline, and treat data as a strategic asset. He explained that AI-driven testing is not merely a cost-saving measure but a strategy that accelerates innovation, reduces defects, improves time-to-market, and drives long-term profitability.
Building Sustainable, High-Quality Software
Another keynote address was delivered by Executive Director Olayinka Oni of Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc, who focused on building sustainable, high-quality software. He shared lessons learned from Sterling’s digital transformation journey, emphasizing the importance of disciplined governance, a culture of quality, and strong architectural foundations to ensure system reliability and resilience.
- Quality and Integrity: “Any field that will stand the test of time must be built on quality and integrity. On our own journey, we went through seasons where some things had to change. We disciplined our governance structures and focused on delivering quality solutions,” Oni remarked.
He explained that Sterling has invested heavily in testing, ensuring that every product meets clear, measurable standards from the initial requirements through deployment. Testing, he said, has evolved from a process to an integral part of the company’s culture. According to Oni, achieving quality requires the right mindset, embedded governance, disciplined measurement, strong architecture, and leadership that never compromises on standards.
- Leadership and Trust: “Leadership plays a critical role. Quality must not be bypassed. When trust is broken, rebuilding it is almost impossible,” he said.
He underscored the importance of secure design, modularity, incremental delivery, redundancy, failover systems, usability, and customer-centric architecture. Oni noted that quality assurance is an essential component of broader quality management, enabling innovation while ensuring privacy, compliance, design integrity, and system resilience.
- Disciplined Speed: “We believe in speed, but not speed without discipline. Speed without discipline becomes reckless. True momentum is speed governed by caution, structure, and accountability. Quality is a lifelong commitment. Every change must be questioned: what impact will it have? Will it break something? What are the risks?” Oni revealed.
The conference also included panel sessions where experts shared insights, debated current trends, and explored emerging challenges in the fields of software testing and digital transformation.
