Stakeholders Launch itSMF Nigeria to Promote Global Standards in IT Service Management
Oru Leonard
Nigeria has launched the local chapter of the Information Technology Service Management Forum, a global professional body dedicated to promoting best practices in IT service management, as stakeholders seek to strengthen the country’s digital services ecosystem.
The launch of itSMF Nigeria, held on Thursday, brings the country into a global network of IT service management professionals operating in more than 50 countries and representing over 6,000 member companies and about 40,000 professionals worldwide.
Speaking at the virtual event, the Convener of the Nigerian chapter, Nesta Komolafe, said the forum aims to create a collaborative platform where IT professionals, organisations, and government institutions can share knowledge, adopt global standards, and improve the delivery of technology services across industries.
“itSMF Nigeria is dedicated to promoting excellence in IT service management practices. Our forum offers a platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration, ensuring the advancement of IT service management and the adoption of global best practices across Nigeria,” Komolafe said. He said the Nigerian chapter will initially be guided 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 direction of the organisation and support the development of its activities.
The Information Technology Service Management Forum is an independent, international, non-profit organisation focused on advancing the discipline of IT service management, which involves designing, delivering and improving IT services to support business operations and customer needs.
Effective IT service management has become increasingly important as organisations rely more heavily on technology to drive operations, innovation and customer engagement.
Central to the framework promoted by the forum is the Information Technology Infrastructure Library, widely regarded as the world’s most accepted set of best practices for IT service management. ITIL helps organisations align IT services with business objectives, reduce operational costs, and improve service efficiency and customer satisfaction. Globally, ITIL is used by more than 82 per cent of Fortune 500 companies, with millions of certified professionals applying the framework in managing technology services.
Komolafe noted that the Nigerian chapter will serve as a professional community where practitioners can exchange ideas, discuss industry challenges and promote the adoption of global standards in service management.
“The quintessential value of the forum is the same for every member, regardless of location, a place to meet colleagues, share ideas, and learn from both our challenges and successes,” he said. Founded in the United Kingdom in 1991, the IT Service Management Forum was created to support the growing community of IT professionals seeking structured approaches to service delivery and governance. As the discipline evolved globally, itSMF International was formally established in 2004 to coordinate activities across national chapters.
With the launch of the Nigerian chapter, the organisation aims to contribute to the country’s growing digital economy by helping organisations improve how 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 individual professionals as well as corporate organisations across sectors.
The forum’s vision is to become Nigeria’s most trusted platform for IT service management excellence, fostering a professional community that promotes innovation, global best practices, and improved service delivery across industries.
Its objectives include encouraging knowledge exchange among IT service professionals, building a national base of expertise to support organisations managing IT services, and promoting the recognition and professionalisation of IT service management within the Nigerian technology industry. The organisation also plans to organise industry events, publish research and thought leadership materials, and collaborate with local and international bodies to advance standards such as ISO/IEC 20000, the international standard for IT service management.
