General News
As many organisations head to the cloud, the first stop might be ‘hybrid’
By Wale Olokodana, Business Group Lead for Cloud and Enterprise at Microsoft Middle East Africa,
Moving to the cloud is not unlike relocating your business to a primepiece of real estate. The benefits are many, but the transition can be tricky. As governments and businesses race to take advantage of cloud computing, they are navigating current and future data regulations, as well ashow to make the most of existing IT infrastructure.
Across the Middle East and Africa (MEA), businesses are prioritising cloud adoption. Research shows most organisations in the Middle East are either using cloud computing services or plan to do so in the next two years. African businesses are following closely, with cloud adoption becoming near pervasive.
With its improved security and cost savings, cloud has become key for businesses looking tocompete in the digital era. But there are sometimes obstacleson the road to digitisation, and this is where hybrid cloud is playing an invaluable role in helping businesses digitally transform.
Hybrid cloud enables businesses to store and process data in their on-premises private clouds and take advantage of a public cloud provider. Hybrid cloud computing is a “best of all possible worlds” platform, delivering all the benefits of cloud computing—flexibility, scalability, and cost efficiencies.
Data regulations and the cloud
One particularly important consideration when it comes to cloud adoption is regulatory compliance, and many of these policies are still being created across MEA.
Countries in the Gulf Cooperation Councilhave begun addressing issues around data privacy at a national level, but as it stands there is no overarching law that deals with data protection in the region. TheAfrican Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protectionhas also recently made an appeal for countries to start adopting stricter legal frameworks for data protection purposes.
In Kenya, for example,The Data Protection Bill, 2019, was recentlyenacted and will regulate the processing of personal data and information governed by General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Those violating this lawface a penalty notice of up to five million shillings, or in the case of an undertaking, up to two per centum of an organization’sannual turnover of the preceding financial year, whichever is higher.
Future-proofing your IT strategy
Hybrid cloud is helping organisations future-proof their digital strategies, allowing them to explore the benefits of the cloud for data storage and applications, while using their existing on-premises servers forinformation,other applications and data with data residency implications.
It was for this exact reason that Oman Data Park (ODP), a leading IT managed services provider, deployed Microsoft Azure Stack, a hybrid cloud solution. ODP offers hosting, security and cloud services as well as virtual data centre services, leveraging its own data centres in Oman. But when it came to delivering on its digital transformation promises to clients through the provision of Azure services, ODP needed to navigate the Sultanate’s regulatory requirement to store data locally.
So ODP looked to Microsoft to build and deploy hybrid applications, while still meeting local data sovereignty and regulatory requirements.ODP now serves as a digital enabler for other organisations in Oman.
Utilising existing technology investments
Hybrid cloud is particularly important for companies like banks, which have significant existing IT infrastructure investments. With hybrid cloud computing, banks can maintain their mainframe systems while simultaneously adopting new cloud technologies.Banks are usingAzure Stack to link their current systems, while building an intelligent layer of digital services on top. The Microsoft Azure cloud platform then supports scalable hybrid environments for moving between on-premises and cloud computing environments seamlessly.
Sterling Bank is aimed at improving the time-to-market and improving the service quality to its customers. The bank prioritized cloud services, the cloud-first approach was the rationale behind the selection of Microsoft Azure – for building, testing, deploying, and managing applications and services through a global network of Microsoft-managed data centers. So far, the bank has already deployed several products including Fare Pay which is addressing transportation; Specta – a community lending solution which gives out loans in 5 minutes; i-invest which is now a popular product in the market that allows anybody to buy or trade a treasury bill. Another consumer propositions that the bank introduced is OnePay – all which were deployed via Microsoft Cloud.
Is the future hybrid?
Innovations tocloud computing are also making it easier to manage hybrid cloud environments. Microsoft recently launched Azure Arc, enabling businesses to use Azure cloud tools across different cloud and computing services. As most organisations have IT infrastructure spread across multiple datacentres, clouds and edge locations, the ability to run on-premise and multi-cloud environments from one central space is a game-changer.
Not surprisingly,hybrid cloud adoption is expected to accelerate at a rapid pace – confirming that the future of cloud computing may well be hybrid. This is particularly the case in the Middle East which is already outpacing the average global adoption rate.
When deploying from the hybrid cloud, businesses have more control over their IT, improving the latency and reliability of their services. This would makehybrid cloud a particularly attractive option for businesses operating in the Middle East and North Africa, which is one of the most under-represented areas in the world when it comes to per capita Internet connectivity.
As businesses set out on their hybrid cloud journeys, it is important they begin with specific business objectives in mind, considering company needs and priorities. This will help them determine which workloads should be shifted to the cloud.Achieving the right balance between public and private cloud usage involvesseveral different considerations, such as IT budget, regulatory requirements,as well as the nature of different applications and where they are best deployed.
Partnering with a service provider that can manage and integrate your company’s different IT environments canhelp ensure your business optimises its hybrid cloud investment and that,ultimately,the move to becoming a digitally empowered business is much smoother.
General News
Pawnith Appoints Martina Ogbebor as Managing Director to Lead Strategic Launch into Nigeria’s Fintech Ecosystem
The Board of Directors of Pawnith Limited has announced the appointment of Martina Ogbebor as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. The appointment coincides with the official launch of Pawnith as a sophisticated new entrant in Nigeria’s financial services and alternative investment landscape.
Pawnith Limited is a technology-enabled financial services platform established to address critical gaps in access to capital by delivering transparent, dignified, and scalable financing solutions.
The Board confirmed that Ms. Ogbebor’s appointment is central to a long-term strategy that combines the operational rigor of traditional finance with the speed, efficiency, and innovation of modern fintech.
Ms. Ogbebor brings over 15 years of senior leadership experience across the telecommunications and digital infrastructure sectors, where she has led brand transformations and nationwide revenue growth initiatives.
Her appointment signals Pawnith’s intent to build a high-trust financial institution anchored on strong governance, regulatory discipline, and long-term value creation.
“The Board is confident that Martina’s experience in building high-trust, regulated brands positions her uniquely to lead Pawnith at this critical stage,” said the Chairman of the Board.
“Her mandate is clear: to establish a disciplined capital platform that delivers rapid access to funding while upholding the highest standards of ethics, risk management, and corporate governance.”
Under Ms. Ogbebor’s leadership, Pawnith is launching a multi-segment capital model designed to evolve into a comprehensive financial services and alternative investment ecosystem.
The company’s initial portfolio spans personal credit solutions, offering short- to medium-term loans for salaried professionals with transparent pricing and rapid disbursement, alongside SME and business lending focused on working capital and growth financing to help entrepreneurs stabilise cash flow and scale operations.
The portfolio also includes asset-backed lending, providing secure, collateralised facilities that support fair valuations and flexible liquidity, as well as structured lending through a forthcoming private credit arm aimed at delivering institutional-grade financing to growing enterprises.
In addition, Pawnith offers private equity investment solutions, providing strategic growth capital to select businesses and partnering with founders to drive long-term value creation, stronger governance, and operational scale.
Pawnith’s digital infrastructure prioritises speed, security, and control. The platform features secure onboarding, automated Know Your Customer (KYC) verification, and structured repayment tracking to ensure a seamless and compliant experience for both individual and corporate clients.
“Pawnith is being built as a disciplined financial platform—one that customers, partners, and regulators can trust,” the Board added. “We are not a quick-win lender; we are building a cornerstone institution for Nigeria’s evolving credit and investment market.”
PalmPay has opened a new office at 33 Old Yaba Road, Lagos, reinforcing its commitment to innovation, customer service, and operational growth in Nigeria.
The new office represents a continued investment in PalmPay’s people, operations, and infrastructure, supporting the company’s ability to deliver reliable financial services at scale. Designed to accommodate PalmPay’s growing team, the workspace enables closer cross-functional collaboration while strengthening service delivery nationwide. Located in Yaba, one of Lagos’s most established commercial and technology corridors, the office further anchors PalmPay within Nigeria’s innovation and financial ecosystem.
Speaking at the office launch, Managing Director Chika Nwosu highlighted that the new workspace reflects PalmPay’s long-term vision and dedication to excellence. “This new office represents an important step in our growth journey and our commitment to building secure, reliable, and inclusive financial solutions for our users,” he said.
The launch event was attended by PalmPay’s leadership team, employees and customers, who toured the facility and marked the company’s continued growth and progress.
With the opening of its office at 33 Old Yaba Road, PalmPay continues to strengthen its presence in Nigeria and reaffirm its mission to drive financial inclusion through innovative digital solutions.
PalmPay is a leading digital banking platform driving financial inclusion and economic empowerment in underserved emerging markets. Through its secure, user-friendly, and inclusive suite of financial services, PalmPay empowers individuals and businesses with tools to manage and grow their money.
PalmPay offers a comprehensive range of products, including mobile payments, savings, and micro-insurance via its app and mobile money agent network.
Since launching in Nigeria in 2019 under a Mobile Money Operator license, the platform has grown to over 35 million app users and processes up to 15 million transactions daily. PalmPay has operations in Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, and Bangladesh.
The Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc has announced the signing of a chain of contracts with major airlines for the provision of total handling solutions.
In a statement on Tuesday, the company announced the signing of contract renewals with Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic, as well as the African operator, RwandAir.
NAHCO also signed fresh contracts with United Nigeria – Regional, Bellagio and Malaikair.
According to the statement, the contracts with Air France and KLM are for three years and will run till 2028, respectively. The duration of the contract with Virgin Atlantic was also put at three years.
The duration for the RwandAir contract is for three years, effective 1 October 2025.
The statement read, “The new contract with United – Regional would be for a period of five years, effective from 1 August 2025. For Bellagio and Malaikair, the contracts are for three and five years, respectively.
“Bellagio Air, Nigeria’s rising star in aviation, is redefining air travel with a blend of luxury, efficiency, and reliability. Headquartered in the vibrant city of Ikeja, Lagos, Bellagio Air is committed to providing world-class service across key domestic and regional routes.”
The Group Executive Director, Commercial and Business Development, NAHCO Plc, Saheed Lasisi, who expressed his delight with the new contracts, said NAHCO is already ready to exceed customers’ expectations.
According to Lasisi, NAHCO’s more than 46 years of unblemished excellent service delivery puts it heads and shoulders above any other service provider in the industry.
“This is what we have been doing for almost half of a century. We will continue to delight our customers and make our stakeholders happy by exceeding expectations in all aspects of our service offerings. We are always willing and ready to do more,” Lasisi added.
The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, NAHCO Plc, Olumuyiwa Olumekun, added that with the new fleet of equipment the company is deploying, service delivery will only be better.
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