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C-Suite Executives Declare One Vendor Approach to Cloud is Dead – IBM Study
According to the results of IBM’s new global study on cloud transformation that surveyed almost 7,200 C-suite executives across 28 industries in 47 countries – including more than 140 in Nigeria – there has been a drastic shift in business needs.
The study, conducted by IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) in cooperation with Oxford Economics, revealed thatno respondents in Nigeria reported using a single private or public cloud in 2021, down from 38 percent in 2019 – establishing hybrid cloud as the dominant IT architecture.
The findings indicate that the cloud market has entered the hybrid, multicloud era and concerns around vendor lock-in, security, compliance and interoperability remain paramount.
The study also revealed that 59 percent of respondents noted the lack of interoperability among clouds was an obstacle to improving business performance in some or most parts of their cloud estate.
“Organisations across Nigeria have shown increased confidence in hybrid cloud models to deliver greater innovation while reducing costs, driving efficiency and ensuring security and compliance. This will drive the next wave of digital transformation for organisations here as they set out to deliver superior customer experiences,” says Dipo Faulkner, General Manager IBM West Africa.
The study found that a majority of respondents recognised that comprehensive to advanced cloud capabilities were required for the successful execution of digital initiatives – with 77 percent stating that this was crucial to building ecosystem platforms and 86 percent revealing this was required to improve customer experiences.
While the hybrid cloud approach has taken hold, respondents in Nigeria revealed that technology debt or legacy brownfields were the biggest obstacles to improving business performance – with 68 percent revealing that this was an obstacle in some or most parts of their cloud estate.
Cyber threats are at an all-time high 1
Infrastructure complexity is creating cracked doors that cybercriminals are exploiting. The study revealed the importance of data security, as 87 percent of respondents said data security being embedded throughout the cloud architecture is important or extremely important, in most cases, to successful digital initiatives.
Companies are denouncing vendor lock-in
According to the study, nearly 83 percent of respondents said workloads being completely portable with no vendor lock-in is important to the success of their digital initiatives. Only 50 percent of respondents reported battling with vendor lock-in, stating this is an obstacle to improving business performance in some or most parts of their cloud estate.
Public cloud adoption is evolving towards industry clouds
The study found that nearly 56 percent of respondents cited industry-related regulatory compliance as an obstacle to the business performance of their cloud estate.
The study revealed that enterprises need to assess how they use the cloud in terms of adoption, velocity, migration, speed, and cost savings opportunity. Other recommendations include:
- Focus on security and privacy – determine where your critical workloads reside and scrutinize who and what has access to them. Regularly test that security controls and privacy policies are being adhered to, but also that improperly configured assets and software vulnerabilities are being promptly addressed.
- Ask which workloads should move to the cloud – take inventory of the IT environment to successfully determine which workloads and applications will yield the most value in the cloud and which are better suited to stay on-premises.
- Make data work for you – analyze workloads using AI driven tools and best practices to determine where and how to put them in the right place for the right reason.
- Set a tactical approach – address the technology trade-offs, such as selecting the best approach to modernize specific applications and manage important issues like security, governance, and disaster recovery.
- Determine the right team – put a cross-disciplinary team of people to work rethinking how your enterprise creates value for its customers.
MultiChoice Nigeria has slashed the price of its DStv decoder from N20,000 to N10,000, representing a 50 percent drop, in a aim at attracting attract more customers and curb declining subscriptions.
The campaign, titled “We’ve Got You,” was launched on June 16 and will continue until July 31.
Also, as part of its efforts to ease economic pressure on households and improve access to digital TV services, the campaign offers a free upgrade for both active and returning customers.
Speaking on the campaign, John Ugbe, chief executive officer (CEO) of MultiChoice Nigeria, said the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to rewarding loyalty and enhancing daily viewing experiences.
“We want to ensure our customers feel appreciated and have access to the best entertainment every day,” Ugbe said.
“The ‘We’veGot You’ campaign is about making premium content more accessible and showing that DStv offers something for everyone, not just football fans.
“By repositioning itself as a platform for daily value, DStv aims to encourage content discovery across a wider array of genres, including movies, drama, kids’ programming, and news.
“This means more channels, more shows, and more reasons to tune in every day.”
The development comes amid MultiChoice Nigeria’s legal battle with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) over price hike.
Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) will, on Oct. 7, arraigned the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Qatar Airways, Mr Temi Birdzell, alongside the company and its top officers, over allegations bordering on breach of FCCPC Act, 2018.
The defendants will be arraigned before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Others to be arraigned with Birdzell are Stella Ihediwa, the Account Manager of the airline; Kennedy Chirchir, the Country Manager and Eva Ojeje, who is the Sales Manager of the company.
Although the arraignment was scheduled for Tuesday, the matter could not proceed.
Upon resumed hearing, none of the defendants was in court.
When the matter was called on Tuesday, none of the defendants was in court due to improper service of the court documents, including the hearing notice, on them.
FCCPC.’s lawyer, Chizenum Nsitem, told the court of their inability to serve four of the defendants, although the company was served.
Nsitem then sought an adjournment to enable them do the needful and the judge adjourned the matter until Oct. 7 for the defendants to take their plea.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the commission, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/200/2025, dragged Qatar Airways, Birdzell, Ihediwa, Chirchir and Ojeje to court as 1st to 5th defendants respectively.
FCCPC, in the application dated May 26 but filed May 27, had preferred a two-count charge against the defendants.
The defendants were alleged to have failed to appear before FCCPC in compliance with a lawful summons of the commission dated Sept. 6, 2024, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 33 (3) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection (FCCPC) Act, 2018.
They were also accused to have on Sept. 18, 2024, intentionally withheld the production of documents in compliance wth a lawful summons of the commission, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 111 of FCCP Act, 2018.
In count three, they were alleged to have on Sept. 18, 2024, engaged in the contravention of the consumer rights, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 124(1) and punishable under Section 155 of the same Act.
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Global recognition for African communications agency as Irvine Partners CEO joins UK PR power list
Irvine Partners (IP) is proud to announce that its CEO, Rachel Irvine, has been named to the prestigious Women in PR 40 over 40 power list in the United Kingdom.
Rachel-Irvine-CEO-Irvine-Partners
This recognition celebrates women in leadership who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, driven change, and championed effective staffing strategies within the industry.
“This list celebrates the vision and lasting impact of women who continue to lead with purpose,” says Rachel Irvine.
The honour not only spotlights Rachel Irvine’s achievements but also underscores the strategic advantage of Irvine Partners’ approach to assembling the most effective teams.
This emphasis on broad perspectives and a range of experiences has propelled the agency from its South African roots to international acclaim, with wholly owned offices now thriving in the UK, Germany, Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana.
The proudly woman-owned and led agency gets that securing the right talent, regardless of background, is a direct business advantage. Three in every four of its employees are women, with people of colour comprising 60% of its global staff.
IP cultivates a workplace where varied expertise is valued. Its talent strategy allows its teams to bring unique insights to complex client challenges that can only be navigated with a nuanced understanding of audiences across its six regions.
IP’s emphasis on its people and culture is crucial to how the agency maintains long-term client relationships with global industry giants such as Google, Spotify, Uber, TikTok and Salesforce.
“Good ideas don’t carry passports,” Irvine adds. “Our global success isn’t just about market expansion; it’s a testament to the power of diverse perspectives and a culture where entrepreneurial spirit thrives, consistent excellence is expected, and everyone’s potential is actively grown.
“As we’ve grown from Woodstock in Cape Town to Westminster, London, we’ve built an environment where every team member is actively coached and cultivated to excel. This ethos isn’t just a moral compass; it’s our strategic asset.”
The Women in PR 40 over 40 power list addresses ageism in the PR industry, a bias that research shows disproportionately affects women from the age of 40 onwards. Rachel Irvine’s inclusion is a strong counter to this trend, highlighting the significant value experienced professionals bring to the industry. “Grumbling about a stacked deck seldom yields results,” advises Irvine.
“If you’re in a place that doesn’t serve or support you, leave. Back yourself and find your tribe.”
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