Bolanle Adisa, country managing director, International Data Corporation (IDC), West Africa, has worked at SAP Africa (Pty) Limited; Computer Warehouse Group (ExpertEdge Software); Digital Communication Konsult Nig. Ltd and KPS Limited.
He is responsible for the general management of the West African office and overseeing global projects and developing new business opportunities in West African Region.
In this interview with peter ugwu, the IDC boss explained IDC CIOs Summit and other issues.
Overview Of International Data Corporation (IDC)
International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications and consumer technology markets.
We help IT professionals, business executives, and the investment communities make fact-based decisions on technology purchases and business strategy.
Plans for IDC in West African Market
Our plan is to increase the awareness of what IDC has to offer in this market and enable ICT professionals, business executives, and investors to make informed decisions that enhance their business prospects.
To fully capitalize on opportunities in the market you must have intelligence, and providing that all-important commodity to our customers is what IDC is all about.
As such, we are focused on increasing our coverage and extending our reach to prospective customers in order to help achieve this goal.
Data Analytics and Adoption in the Nigeria IT Environment?
Getting data and analyzing data in Nigeria can be challenging. Getting the data is the first hurdle that has to be overcome.
Unfortunately, a lot of organizations find it difficult to lay their hands on the data they require, either because it simply isn’t available or because there are concerns around its authenticity/reliability.
The adoption level is high among multinationals, but more work must be done among the indigenous companies to help them realize that their businesses can take a turn for the better when they utilize reliable research data and insights to inform their decision-making processes.
IDC’S CIO Summit
Having been successful in providing fact-based reports on evolving trends and the use of ICT globally, IDC believes it is important to facilitate ongoing discussions between key ICT stakeholders, especially those that are tasked with managing technology within the enterprise landscape.
The goal of the CIO Summit is to drive high-level interactions on the effective use of ICT in modern businesses, the latest trends and critical issues shaping the market, and the changing economic, social, and regulatory environments impacting both the sale and use of ICT.
What Are the Significances of this Year’s Summit?
IDC’s CIO Summits have been successfully bringing technology leaders together from across Africa for five years now.
However, following valued feedback from previous participants, IDC decided to split the annual event into three sub-regions. So, for the first time this year we have CIO Summits that have been tailored specifically to address the individual needs of East, West, and Southern Africa.
As a result of this approach, the discussions between the invited stakeholders will not only focus on emerging global technology trends, but also on the impact they are expected to have on the unique business environment of West Africa.
Presenting a local perspective on global issues, the event will delve deep into the specific challenges and realities of technology use within the parameters of the region.
Nigeria’s Market in Terms of Implementation of Market Intelligence Reports
Nigeria’s positioning in the global market space is becoming increasingly important. When the world thinks of emerging markets, Nigeria always features toward the top of the list, and for that singular reason, market intelligence report are becoming very important for investors and business owners.
The goal of any emerging business should be to identify their niche market and maximize it.
We see multinationals taking advantage of these market intelligence reports more than local organizations; they plan their businesses around these reports as the analysis within them provides all the information they require to know where to play, to assess the competition, and to make decisions on what business areas to focus on. It is undoubtedly becoming increasingly important for local organizations to embrace this idea of planning their businesses around reliable market intelligence as well.
Required Skills to Harness the Big Data for Usage
We possibly are not having a ‘big issue’ yet in Nigeria in regards to Big Data, but we need to start planning around it so this remains the case.
As businesses grow, so grows the business data. Banks, manufacturing companies, etc. are all embracing mobile and social technologies, and the increasing use of such solutions drives a simultaneous explosion in the amount of data generated.
Online retail is also on the rise, mobile transactions are increasing, organizations are interacting more with customers via social media platforms — the resultant effects of all of this is Big Data and it is important that CIOs put proper plans in place to accommodate these changes.
In terms of skills, I believe the relevant skill sets are readily available here. And if they’re not, it shouldn’t be too much of a challenge to upskill people to manage the relevant technology as Nigerian organizations have smart resources to call upon.
I am more concerned about the planning and strategy aspects, as these must be implemented properly in order to ensure smooth management of the process.
Research and Development in Nigeria
No, we are not there yet in terms of investment in research and development.
There is still a lot of work to be done by both the government and the private sector when it comes to investing in research.
Local Firms Yet to Leverage on Big-Data-Adisa
