Nigerian CommunicationWeek

NIALS Reveals Cloud Computing Inhibitive Factors in Nigeria

L-R  Prof Lanre Fagbohun, director, Research, NIALS, Mrs. Helen Anatogu, corporate counsel, Microsoft Nigeria, Gbenga Arolasafe, coordinator, Information & Communications, TETFUND, Prof. Deji Adekunle, director-general, NIALS, Mrs. Ijeoma Abazie, head, Corporate Affairs, Microsoft Nigeria, Ms. Heba Ramzy, Director, Corporate Affairs, Microsoft, MEA.

 

An in-depth independent research by the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) , research focused on the Gaps in Data Privacy and Security in cloud services, has revealed challenges before cloud computing in Nigeria.

The four months intensive independent research with the participation from the academia, policy makers, legislature, government, media and so on. indicated that government must not downplay issues related to the provisioning of the enabling legal, policy and regulatory environment and create incentives for SMEs to leverage technology, skills development and ensure secure and safe environment while also protecting data, to drive cloud computing.

Presenting the report, Professor Lanre Fagbohun, director of Research, NIALS and head of the Research Team, explained that the research was undertaken with the primary goal of understanding how data privacy, security of data, data sovereignty/ localization and management should be approached and to better access the impact of fundamental apprehensions like entrusting the safety of vital and in some cases confidential data to a 3rd party, liability for loss.

Explaining the rationale for the choice of the states the study focused on from the six (6) geopolitical zones of Nigeria namely Lagos and Oyo (South West), Anambra (South East), Rivers (South South), Kwara (North Central), Kaduna (North West) and Abuja, Professor Fagbohun explained that these states have a good representation of the educational institutions and SMEs and their regulatory institutions.

Ijeoma Abazie, corporate affairs lead, Microsoft Nigeria said, “Government should enable practicable PPP models that will accelerate increased ubiquitous affordable cloud computing-based broadband availability leveraging technologies that allow for maximisation spectrum usage such as TV White Spaces (TVWS) spectrum  amongst others”.

Professor Adedeji Adekunle, director-general, NIALS, added “that cloud computing has been revealed to be the future model of information technology.  One of the key objectives of the study is to see how adoption of cloud services can be promoted in Nigeria in order for the country to also amortise its benefits. 

He noted that the study involved three months of rigorous work by research professors and fellows of NIALS who examined not only the existing policy and regulatory framework, but, also went to the field to collect credible data to substantiate the desk research outcomes. 

He expressed the view that the recommendations would help to address concerns with data governance while also maximising socio-economic and environmental benefits of cloud computing.

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