The demand and support for enterprise applications integration (EAI) in Nigeria was investigated. The findings show that the demand and support for EAI are driven by a number of factors, including concern for data/information integration, a common interface for all enterprise applications, improved communication and faster data transfer, real-time data capture and access to information across various networks, as well as data and information integrity across various systems. The IT companies in Nigeria are following the progress of technology and are poised to respond to it in their approaches to EAI solutions. Their future approaches will be influenced to the greatest extent by progress in Graphical User Interface (GUI) and then by developments in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Operating Systems, Software as a Service (SaaS), Parameterization of applications for easy customization, Applications Service Provision, and Open Source Systems in that order. They believe that Nigeria has the greatest capacity in Software as a Service (SaaS) and Software as Secured Service (SaSS). A growing number of companies are using open source tools in developing and implementing EAI solutions, and this is an indication of a market that is taking on its own character but also a subscription to the democratization of software access. The popularity of SQL Server and its varieties, closely followed by Oracle and Java/Javascript, as EAI tools in Nigeria is probably a reflection of their prominence on the international scene.
BahliBJiF (2007) An assessment of facilitators and inhibitors for the adoption of enterprise application integration technology: An empirical study. Business Process Management Journal13(1): 108–120.
3.
ChenM (2009) Research and implementation on enterprise application integration platform. in: Information Technology and Applications 2009. IFITA '09. International Forum15–17 May 2009, Volume 2 pp. 93–96.
4.
ChiemekaEG (1988) Computer installation problems: The Nigerian situation. Paper delivered at a computer workshop/exhibition in Owerri, Nigeria.
CurtissEEustissS (2006). Enterprise application (EAI) market opportunities, strategies, and forecasts, 2006–2012. Available at: www.wintergreenresearch.com/reports/eai.html(accessed 19 June 2011)
8.
EhikhamenorFABamitaleAA (2000). Demand and support for applications integration: observations in Nigeria. Africa Regional Centre for Information Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
JonesMG (1995) Visuals for information access: A new philosophy for screen and interface design. InImagery and visual literacy: Selected Readings from the Annual Conference of the International Visual Literacy Association, Tempe, Arizona: pp. 264–272.
KhoumbatiK. (2006) Evaluating the adoption of enterprise application integration in health-care organizations. Journal of Management Information Systems22(4): 69–108.
16.
KhoumbatiK. (2007) Evaluation of investment for enterprise application integration technology in healthcare organisations: a cost-benefit approach. International Journal of Electronic Healthcare3(4): 453–467.
17.
LamW (2005) Investigating success factors in enterprise application integration: a case-driven analysis. European Journal of Information Systems14: 175–187.
18.
LamW (2007) Information systems integration and Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) adoption: a case from financial services. Journal of Information Systems Education18(2): 149–157.
19.
LongeO (1980) Computer education in Nigeria. Computerscope (1) March: 38.
20.
Microsoft (2003). Guidelines for applications integration. In: MicrosoftPatterns and practices: proven practices for predictable results. Microsoft Corporation. Available at: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms978640.aspx. (accessed 21 March 2011)
NwachukuMA (1994) Development of information technology in Nigeria. In DrewEPGordonFF (ed), Information technology in selected countries: Reports from Ireland, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Tanzania. The United Nations University, Tokyo, Japan.
24.
Ogis and Ododo Assoc. Ltd. (1988) The Nigerian Computer Users' Directory, 3rd edition.
25.
OluwatolaniBOPhilipA (2010) Lack of integration in software systems for health practitioners in Nigeria: The way forward. Health Informatics in Developing Countries4(1): 47–51.
PryceJD (1988) Computer manufacturing in Nigeria. Report on a symposium held as part of the Third International Conference on Computational Mathematics, University of Benin, Benin City.
SterlingT (2007) Netherlands to promote open-source software. The Associated Press. Available at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22245923/(accessed 25 May 2011)
