Nigeria has officially launched the local chapter of the Information Technology Service Management Forum (itSMF), bringing the country into a global network dedicated to promoting best practices in IT service management.
The inauguration of itSMF Nigeria took place on Thursday and connects Nigerian professionals to a worldwide community that spans more than 50 countries, representing over 6,000 companies and about 40,000 IT service management practitioners.
Speaking during the virtual launch, the convener of the Nigerian chapter, Nesta Komolafe, said the forum would provide a collaborative platform for IT professionals, organisations and government institutions to exchange ideas, adopt international standards and enhance technology service delivery across sectors.
Komolafe explained that the forum is committed to advancing excellence in IT service management by encouraging knowledge sharing and collaboration among practitioners while promoting the adoption of global best practices across Nigeria.
He noted that the chapter will initially be overseen by a steering committee made up of industry professionals including Dagogo Buowari-Brown, Ayo Adeniran, and Kenneth Ojeke, who will work with him to shape the organisation’s direction and support the rollout of its activities.
The Information Technology Service Management Forum is an independent, international non-profit organisation that focuses on advancing IT service management — the discipline that involves designing, delivering and improving IT services to support business operations and customer needs.
As organisations increasingly rely on technology to drive operations, innovation and customer engagement, effective IT service management has become critical to ensuring efficiency, reliability and improved service outcomes.
A key framework promoted by the forum is the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), widely recognised as the world’s most adopted set of best practices for IT service management. ITIL helps organisations align IT services with business objectives, cut operational costs and improve efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Globally, more than 82 per cent of Fortune 500 companies use ITIL, with millions of certified professionals applying the framework to manage technology services.
Komolafe said the Nigerian chapter will serve as a professional community where practitioners can share ideas, address industry challenges and drive the adoption of global service management standards.
Founded in the United Kingdom in 1991, the IT Service Management Forum was created to support a growing community of IT professionals seeking structured approaches to service delivery and governance. As the discipline expanded worldwide, itSMF International was formally established in 2004 to coordinate activities across national chapters.
With the launch of the Nigerian chapter, the organisation hopes to support the country’s expanding digital economy by helping organisations improve the way technology services are delivered, managed and supported.
According to the forum, itSMF Nigeria will operate as an independent, non-profit membership organisation run primarily by its members through a management board and committees. Membership will be open to both individual professionals and corporate organisations across industries.
The chapter’s vision is to become Nigeria’s most trusted platform for IT service management excellence by building a professional community that promotes innovation, global best practices and improved service delivery.
Its objectives include encouraging knowledge exchange among IT service professionals, strengthening national expertise in IT service management and promoting the professional recognition of the discipline within Nigeria’s technology ecosystem.
The organisation also plans to host industry events, publish research and thought leadership materials, and collaborate with local and international bodies to promote standards such as ISO/IEC 20000, the international benchmark for IT service management.
