Computer Warehouse Group (CWG Plc), leading pan African information and communication technology conglomerate, has  launched a Tier 3 Ultra-Modern Data Center, in line with improving Africa’s economy with Information Technology.

The state-of -the art Data Center, situated at Lekki phase 1, Lagos  is specifically built to provide a platform for CWG’s cloud computing business as well as offer excess capacity to enterprise, especially banks for use as a Disaster Recovery Data centre on a co-location basis.

It is also expected that budding online companies such as Jumia and Konga with immense technology requirements shall also avail themselves of the facility.

CWG’s Data Center is equipped with state of the art N+1 power and environmental management infrastructure, which provides a combined generating capacity of 0.7MVA.

To ensure incoming mains power is conditioned and available at all times, there are redundant and Modular 250KVA Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems.

The UPS also function as bull-mark against power surges and blowout.

Addressing the guests, Mr. Austin Okere, chief executive officer, CWG Plc unveiled the future direction of the company, tagged CWG 2.0.

According to Okere “having majorly completed the pillars for our IT as a Service (ITaaS) strategy, namely creating a platform for rapid Pan African growth and repositioning our service model to cater to the new cloud computing mind-set, we are on target to achieve our objective of being the the number 1 IT Utility enabler in Africa by launching three cloud services in Nigeria; the MTN SaaS for Microfinance banks in conjunction with MTN Nigeria, the Diamond Yello Account bringing Financial inclusion to the 55 million MTN Mobile subscribers in partnership with MTN and Diamond Bank, and the CWG SMERP (a vertically modular Enterprise Resource Planning application for Micro, Small and Medium scale enterprises (MSME), which can be used on a subscription basis by hotels, hospitals, spare-parts dealers Farmers etc.”

“We consider the refocusing of our business into a subscription based model as a dual advantage play. In addition to being a more sustaining strategy, it maximizes our social impact investing on the economy of Africa, and helps to create jobs by empowering entrepreneurs. This in essence defines the new CWG PLC, which we have christened CWG 2.0” he continued.

“MSMEs are regarded as the engine of economic growth. Statistics show that there are 17m+ MSMEs in Nigeria. This compares overwhelmingly with the 260 listed companies on the stock exchange. Without accurate business records, they are unable to generate the accounting reports that banks and financial organizations can depend on to provide financing. Without credit, they are unable to grow their business aggressively.

CWG SMERP can provide these organizations with a strong foundation for growth and sustainability and also provide these firms the opportunity to exploit the internet to access a bigger market. The substantial cost of utilizing ICT is a big barrier for these firms to take advantage of ICT to grow their business” Okere remarked.

Describing the explosive impact that MSME’s can have on the economy if properly supported, Okere remarked rhetorically ‘do you know that by just employing only one additional staff each, the 17m MSME would have created 17million jobs?’

On payments, he explained “We require payment only on a subscription basis which completely removes the CAPEX requirements of ICT usage.

 For effective nationwide coverage, we will use a franchise model to enable smaller IT firms and consultancies to assist the MSMEs as business support organizations, and by so doing spur a secondary growth in IT MSMEs which will create thousands of additional jobs”, he concluded.

Speaking at the Data Center Launching, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, former executive vice chairman, Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) stated that CWG’s Ultra-modern Data Centre in Lagos is timely, and a leap frog that will aid customers, especially the small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

He also stated that CWG is known for integrity and consistency, and over the years has maintained a strong leadership position in the IT industry which has culminated in several awards by industry watchers.

The recent listing on the Nigerian stock exchange is a testimony of the maturity of the company and shall be a beacon for other companies to follow.

He reminisced coming to launch the CWG VSAT hub in early 2000, before the celebrated boom in the telecoms industry. He remarked that CWG has remained relevant as a result of her innovativeness and subscription to global best practices.

 “They have demonstrated the capabilities of leadership through their various achievements in the recent times, especially with their listing on the NSE and now the commissioning of this ultra-modern Data Center facility.” He said.

He further stated that; Data Centre is relevant in the today’s IT world and CWG’s state of art Data Center will benefit, not just the current customers, but the SMEs for whom CWG has developed  a special package to support their businesses with ICT.

“These are heartwarming developments.  CWG should look beyond Nigeria and Africa; they can go places, especially now that connectivity binds us together,” Ndukwe said.

Engineer Lanre Ajayi, president of Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), said that, CWG has proven its competence as an indigenous company in Nigeria, adding that it has become a pace-setter in the industry.

“Due to their pragmatic efforts, CWG has motivated many other local firms. The launching of this data center is a big step in the right direction. Connectivity is the life wire of any such Data Center. Therefore, CWG should incorporate other stakeholders like NiRA that hosts the .ng to ensure that the expected customers make use of this important infrastructure,” he said.

Ajayi added that with such Data Centers coming up in the country, the rate of capital flight, connectivity, routing and other issues that have bedeviled the industry are been minimized.