Indigenous Coy Launch New Software Programmes
By Reuben Buhari in Kaduna, 03.21.2007

source: Thisday Newspaper  

A Kaduna based indigenous Software Service provider, Afim Open Source, said it has concluded arrangements to launch 15 new customised software programmes worth N500 billion into the Nigeria market. Describing the 15 programmes as a final product of research on the specific and peculiar IT needs of the country, the Managing Director, Abdulkarim Hussein at the launching of two of the software, Afim Sturm and Afim Royale, said the two software programmes aims at resolving school record management and hotel management problems. Hussein told newsmen in Kaduna at the weekend that the two software launched have undergone several tests and found to be reliable. However, according to him, the other programmes are undergoing test-run processes while young graduates are already being trained on how to render maintenance services on the software. "We have developed 15 software programmes which are currently undergoing test to ensure that they are reliable and effective, but two of them are ready; The AFIM Sturm which is a student record management software and AFIM Royale, an hotel management software; have been thoroughly tested and analysed. "The other programmes include AFIM Pharmacy for pharmaceutical records, AFIM Payroll for employers, AFIM Humera, a human resources management software, AFIM Final account, AFIM Inventory and AFIM Content Management System Website Portal. The packages are customisable to our clients specifications, integrated with biometric scanners, bar code readers, thumbprint, eye care scanning, backward reading and internet enabled." Speaking on the mode of payment and maintenance system available, Hussein who called on Nigerians to encourage the youth to expose the abundant potentials hidden in them in order to develop the country and move it forward said: "There are different payment options meant to assist Nigerians own the software instead of seeking for them abroad. "We have trained 48 university youth on Firebird and Reportman for free. The two are other programmes that we have developed at the beginning of the company. 22 other students are currently undergoing training on the maintenance of the software programmes." He noted that being youth themselves they want to create job opportunities for youth in the country and be tools for motivating other young talents. He said they have also set up AFIM Foundation to give back a little of what they have gained from the society. He added that they intend to increase the number of programmers in the company from 22 to 100 before the end of the year and then to 1000 at the end of 2008.