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Cloud Services Take Nigeria and Africa by Storm
By Stephen Okoye
I recently sat on a panel to discuss the adoption of cloud computing in Nigeria and Africa and seeing the overwhelming optimism about cloud services among the panel and audience, I could not help but take a trip down memory lane to a time when cloud computing was considered a matter for banter in Nigerian and African business circles.
I remember working all night to prepare a detailed cloud service pitch to a Nigerian company many years ago and delivering what I thought, at the time, to be a persuasive pitch to the management of the company the next day, only for the CEO to ask me, with a serious face, “…data in the cloud, what happens when it rains?”. While this was probably light-hearted, I knew at that point that the deal would not be closed.
It is, therefore, gratifying to observe the accelerated adoption of cloud services in Nigeria and Africa, driven by Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) looking for more efficient ways to transform their businesses and increase operational efficiencies and processes.
An EY study released in 2021, showed that of 89 companies surveyed in Africa, 75% confirmed that they use cloud services.
What are the drivers of the accelerated adoption of cloud services in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)? While COVID-19 ultimately catalysed the rapid growth currently being experienced in the SSA cloud services space, other important factors are highlighted below:
An important contributor to the growth of cloud computing in Africa is the rapid improvement in broadband availability, speed and resilience across Africa. Data provided by Xalam Analytics to the African Data Centres Association (ADCA), shows that bandwidth capacity more than doubled between 2017 and 2020.
In Nigeria, broadband penetration grew by an unprecedented 92% between 2017 and 2021 alone. As broadband infrastructure has improved across Africa, cloud services have become more accessible and reliable, leading to increased adoption by individuals and businesses.
Another key driver of cloud services growth is the cost management imperative for most businesses on the continent. Many African economies struggled prior to and post-COVID, meaning that SMBs are being forced to reduce/eliminate avoidable costs, including expensive software, hardware and manpower expenditure.
Strategic shifts in business operations from on-premises to colocation and managed services and the adoption of Software as a Service (SaaS) have positioned businesses on the continent for growth and profitability by helping to reduce cost and increase efficiency.
With cloud services, savings from the avoided cost of purchasing software and hardware can be channelled by African SMBs to funding growth initiatives.
Time to market is a critical competitive differentiator for SMBs as the ability to reduce turnaround time from idea to product/service can be the difference between success and failure for an SMB.
The inherent advantages conferred by cloud services, such as the ability to work collaboratively anywhere and anytime, dynamic scalability and access to the latest and most efficient software have substantially shortened SMBs’ time to market. With cloud services, processes that would, for example, previously be completed over 3-6 months are now being achieved in 3-14 days.
Notwithstanding the success of cloud services in SSA, considerable challenges continue to threaten the growth of cloud computing on the continent.
A major deficit in supporting infrastructure across the continent has resulted in over 80% of the continent’s data being stored outside of Africa, despite the increasing number of data centres being built on the continent.
Broadband availability, cost and quality remain suboptimal thus limiting the ability of SMBs across the continent to use cloud services.
Unclear regulations and laws around data management also pose a risk to cloud services as many governments on the continent are insisting that their citizens’ data be stored locally and, in some cases, insisting on the use of physical servers for data storage.
Nevertheless, the prospects for cloud services in Nigeria and on the African continent are, indeed, pleasing. The substantial investments in cloud services within the region, are a pointer to the growth expected within the cloud computing space over the next few years. In Nigeria alone, there were over $1billion in cloud services investments between 2019 and 2022.
These include direct investments in building datacentres and cloud services. inq. continues to invest massively in its cloud-based service offerings including its Edge AI and IoT, Fabric, SDN/NFV for Edge Cloud and Edge Baremetal solutions. British fund, Actis, recently acquired a controlling stake in Nigerian data center provider, Rack Centre, in a $250million deal with Rack Center subsequently announcing a $100m expansion plan by 2022.
Zimbabwean-owned Africa Data Centres recently raised more than $300m from institutional investors such as the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the United Kingdom’s CDC.
In addition to these acquisitions, the entry of the hyperscalers (AWS, Azure, Huawei Cloud) into the SSA market indicate the faith of the global ICT community in the future growth of the cloud services space in Africa.
At inq, we believe that despite the challenges highlighted above, the African cloud services market is an exciting place at the moment. As the continent’s leading-Edge solutions provider, we will continue to power the exponential growth of cloud services across Africa well into the future.
Stephen Okoye is CTO, inq. Digital Nigeria
MENXTT TECH NG, a Lagos-based technology company, has launched an initiative to make quality Dell laptops more affordable for Nigerians through flexible payment plans and extended warranty support.
The company said the initiative was aimed at helping students, entrepreneurs, professionals and small businesses acquire reliable computing devices despite rising technology costs.
According to the company, customers can now purchase premium pre-owned Dell Latitude, Dell Precision and Dell Inspiron laptops at competitive prices, with selected models available under staggered payment arrangements.
The laptops, it said, are designed to meet the needs of users ranging from students and office workers to architects, engineers, software developers, graphic designers and video editors.
Speaking on the initiative, the Co-Founder of MENXTT TECH NG, Mr Anthony Emeka Nwosu, said access to quality technology should not be limited by financial constraints.
“A laptop is no longer a luxury; it is an essential tool for education, business and career development.
“Unfortunately, many people are forced to settle for unreliable devices because of the high cost of new laptops.
“At MENXTT TECH NG, we want to bridge that gap by providing durable Dell business laptops at affordable prices, backed by a full one-year warranty and flexible payment plans.
“We want every student, entrepreneur, freelancer and business owner to have access to technology that helps them succeed,” he said.
Nwosu explained that every laptop undergoes comprehensive testing before delivery and comes with a one-year warranty, an original charger, a complimentary laptop bag, Windows 11 operating system and Microsoft Office Suite pre-installed.
He added that the company, an authorised Bitdefender Antivirus reseller in Nigeria, also installs genuine Bitdefender security software on every system to protect customers against cyber threats.
According to him, customers requiring additional productivity tools can also have licensed Foxit PDF software installed on their devices.
Nwosu said the flexible payment option was introduced in response to prevailing economic realities, enabling customers to spread payments over an agreed period.
He noted that the arrangement would make it easier for students, startups and growing businesses to acquire quality computers without placing excessive pressure on their finances.
Beyond laptop sales, the company provides information technology consultancy, computer repairs, software licensing, cybersecurity solutions and digital transformation services to organisations across Nigeria.
He reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s digital economy by making dependable computing devices and enterprise technology solutions more accessible to individuals and businesses.
According to him, the initiative reflects MENXTT TECH NG’s vision of combining affordability, quality products and professional after-sales support to help more Nigerians participate in the country’s expanding digital ecosystem. (NAN)
National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has called for stronger collaboration among government, industry, academia and technology professionals to accelerate digital innovation and drive inclusive economic growth in Nigeria.
Dr. Aristotle Onumo, Director, Stakeholder Management and Partnerships, representing the Director General of NITDA, delivers a goodwill message at the 20th International Conference on Technology and Computing (RISE 2026) in Jos, reaffirming the Agency’s commitment to fostering digital innovation, strategic collaboration, and a technology-driven future for Nigeria.
The agency made the call at the 20th Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) International Conference 2026, held in Jos, Plateau State, where stakeholders examined strategies for leveraging emerging technologies to strengthen national development.
Speaking on behalf of the Director-General of NITDA, Mr Kashifu Inuwa, the agency’s Director of Stakeholders Management and Partnerships, Dr Aristotle Onumo, said Nigeria’s digital transformation would depend on sustained investment in innovation, digital skills, research and strategic partnerships.
According to him, collaboration across the public and private sectors is essential to translate emerging technologies into practical solutions capable of improving governance, creating jobs and enhancing the country’s global competitiveness.
Onumo said NITDA remained committed to implementing its Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan through initiatives that promote digital literacy, research and development, innovation ecosystems, cyber sovereignty and emerging technologies.
He added that the agency was expanding opportunities for innovators, entrepreneurs and startups through platforms designed to encourage collaboration, investment and technology-driven enterprise.
“We are transforming Digital Nigeria into the nation’s foremost innovation platform where policymakers, investors, startups, researchers and technology companies can collaborate to accelerate economic growth and digital transformation,” he said.
He urged innovators, startup founders and technology professionals to participate actively in the forthcoming Builders Summit by showcasing indigenous solutions capable of addressing Nigeria’s development challenges.
Declaring the conference open, the Governor of Plateau State, Mr Caleb Mutfwang, described digital technology as a critical driver of governance and economic development.
Mutfwang said his administration had adopted digital solutions to improve public service delivery, modernise government operations and enhance internally generated revenue.
He also identified technology as a key enabler for agricultural transformation, increased productivity and improved food security, urging participants to ensure that deliberations at the conference translate into practical outcomes for national development.
Earlier, the President of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Prof. Muhammad Sirajo, said the conference was organised to strengthen collaboration among policymakers, researchers, regulators, technology professionals and industry leaders.
Sirajo said the conference, with the theme “Harnessing Digital Innovation and Emerging Technologies for Inclusive Growth and Economic Renaissance (RISE 2026),” focused on exploring how innovation could accelerate Nigeria’s socio-economic development.
He identified artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, cybersecurity and robotics as among the technologies shaping the future of economies across the world.
According to him, Nigeria’s youthful population and expanding digital ecosystem provide a strong foundation for building a globally competitive economy through sustained investment in digital infrastructure, innovation and skills development.
The conference attracted government officials, regulators, academics, development partners, technology professionals and private-sector stakeholders to deliberate on policies and innovations aimed at accelerating Nigeria’s digital transformation and inclusive economic renaissance.
Telecom
Hon. Minister Dr. Kingsley T. Udeh and ASUS To Unveil First of a Kind Flagship Store in West Africa
In a landmark moment for Nigeria’s technology retail sector, the Honourable Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh SAN, will on Monday, August 3rd, commission a landmark ASUS Flagship Store in partnership with Nigeria’s leading e-commerce group Konga. The state-of-the-art facility is widely regarded as the first initiative of its kind in West Africa.
The commissioning will witness the visit of senior executives from the world-renowned technology brand to Nigeria, including EMEA General Manager, Mr. Aaron Tsai, alongside other. One of the purposes of their visit is to reinforce the strategic partnership with Konga and solidify the collaboration between both organisations, further demonstrating ASUS’ commitment to the Nigerian market.
The event is expected to also bring together key stakeholders from government, the technology industry, business community, and the media for what promises to be a defining moment in the evolution of technology retail in the region.
The development comes as Konga continues to accelerate its strategic partnerships with some of the world’s leading technology brands.
For years, Nigerian consumers have demanded more than just access to genuine technology products. They have increasingly sought immersive experiences, expert guidance, after-sales support, and greater confidence when making technology investments. The next chapter in this journey appears to address many of these expectations in a bold and innovative way.
The forthcoming announcement is expected to bring together global innovation in a manner that reflects the changing realities of today’s technology consumer. It also reinforces the growing confidence that leading international technology companies continue to place in Nigeria as one of Africa’s most strategic digital markets.
Industry analysts note that partnerships of this nature are becoming increasingly important as consumers place greater emphasis on authenticity, hands-on product experiences, technical support, and trusted purchase channels. Beyond selling devices, the future of technology retail lies in building complete customer experiences.
As anticipation builds for Monday, one thing is certain: the ASUS-Konga partnership promises to set new standards for tech retail in West Africa, elevating customer experience and reinforcing Nigeria’s digital transformation narrative.
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