General News
Small Business Storage Solutions for Growing Productivity Needs
By Ghassan Azzi
Around the world, Small and Medium Entreprises (SME) have proved to be the backbone of economies. In Nigeria, the case is not different with data1 revealing that SMEs contribute about 49% to the national GDP.
In addition, SMEs account for about 96% of the total number of businesses in the country and employ approximately 84% of the local workforce in Nigeria. For this sector and the economy, the lockdown necessitated by the Coronavirus pandemic meant a new level of economic depression. This added to the many challenges facing SMEs in Nigeria.
One factor which indicates the improvement of the competitiveness of many enterprises is the usage of Information Technology in managing their business. In Nigeria, the impact of IT on SMEs operation performance has not been greatly explored.
In this information age manual operations is beginning to be inefficient with time and labour. Likewise, the new way of work necessitated by the Coronavirus pandemic has forced many SMEs in Nigeria to imbibe the use of information technology in order to survive.
The way we work and learn changed significantly in 2020 and it’s still evolving. In a flash, remote work has become the new norm. This massive shift means productivity and efficiency are changing everywhere and for everyone.
However, working from home does not take away the requirements for data and files to be efficiently managed and for workers to stay productive – from work documents to family photos to music and movie archives and more.
Doing so goes beyond simply storing data, to backing up data. One of the main ways to accomplish this goal is with network-attached storage (NAS). In a NAS system, data is centrally stored on a handful of bays, typically filled with hard disk drives (HDDs) or solid-state drives (SSDs).
Creating a robust NAS infrastructure is a necessity for backup, data protection, remote access and digital collaboration. There is now a spotlight on the need for storage solutions that offer high capacity, throughput, and reliability.
The increase in storage capacity also means that some users can take advantage of NAS systems with fewer bays, while others won’t have to upgrade to a higher-bay system when they run out of space.
Western Digital has designed and tested certain HDDs for NAS environments, keeping the productivity requirements of content creators and businesses at the core.
Since the range of use cases for NAS has become increasingly diverse, we are now making it easier for users to match the right drive with their applications and workloads – from moderate small office/home office (SOHO) workloads to intensive small- and medium-business (SMB) use, as well as more demanding environments.
Demands to store, share, and access personal data are increasing. As a result, NAS devices are tasked with balancing scalable performance and affordable cost. Now, NAS applications for small office and home office (SOHO) can get a huge performance boost from SATA SSDs that are robust enough for most users, yet significantly faster than any HDD. Our WD Red™ SA500 is one example.
The Right Drive for SOHO Users
From our experience, many SOHO users rely on their systems for office file sharing, home backup or content archiving.
Throughput and capacity are key considerations in these types of SOHO environments and WD Red Plus drives are built and tested for SOHO NAS systems. These drives give you the flexibility, versatility, and confidence in storing and sharing your personal home and work files.
For the Demands of Big Business
WD Red Pro drives, including the latest 16TB and 18TB capacities, are designed specifically with medium to large-scale business customers in mind and are available for up to 24-bay NAS systems.
Engineered with CMR recording technology at 7200RPM to handle high-intensity workloads in 24×7 environments, WD Red Pro drives are ideal for archiving and sharing, as well as RAID array rebuilding on extended operating systems such as ZFS or other file systems.
These drives add value by enabling employees to quickly sync and share their files, including backup folders, reliably in their NAS solution, thereby increasing productivity and efficiency.
Built for Optimum NAS Compatibility and Larger NAS Bay Shock Protection
WD Red Pro drives with NASware technology take the guesswork out of selecting a drive. Optimized for NAS systems, the unique algorithm balances performance and reliability in NAS and RAID environments. Simply put, a WD Red Pro drive is one of the most compatible drives available for NAS enclosures.
WD Red Pro drives are equipped with a multi-axis shock sensor that automatically detects subtle shock events and dynamic fly height technology, which adjusts each read-write function to compensate and protect the data.
This combination of technology further protects the drives in larger 24-bay NAS environments and helps increase hard drive reliability. Built specifically for RAID and NAS environments, WD Red™ Pro drives come equipped with error recovery controls as part of NASware™ 3.0 technology to help reduce drive fallout in RAID applications.
As a leader in HDD and flash technologies, we are committed to addressing the evolving needs of our customers and to offering the right technology for each implementation. This philosophy launched WD Red drives years ago, and they have been a leader in their field ever since.
We continue engaging customers and partners and analyzing real-world data to offer a family of WD Red NAS drives – from HDDs to SSDs – that serve a variety of workloads and applications.
Ghassan Azzi is Sales Director, Africa at Western Digital
HM Queen Wa Arian Simone, CEO of the Fearless Fund and founder of Fearless Freedom, joined women leaders at the Women Allying Women (WAW) Conference on Thursday last week in Cape Coast.
The annual gathering, convened by Her Royal Majesty Olori Atuwatse III (Queen Consort, Warri Kingdom, Nigeria), carried the theme “Collective Power, Lasting Impact: Women Leading Ghana’s Sustainable Transformation.”
She participated in a panel session “From the Crown to the Boardroom: Transgenerational Wisdom for Ghana’s Transformation,” alongside eminent women leaders who shared perspectives on how tradition, governance, and intergenerational wisdom can shape the future of Ghana and Africa at large.
“As an African Queen committed to women’s empowerment and fair access to capital, being part of Women Allying Women is not only purposeful, but it is also a divine alignment. This is more than a gathering; it is a diasporic and royal bridge rooted in legacy and destiny. I count it a privilege to do God’s work in the earth, together and in fellowship,” said HM Queen Wa Arian Simone, expressing her delight at being part of the conference
The conference featured an exceptional lineup of women leaders, including Ambassador Elsie Appau-Ku Essi, Technical Adviser at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ghana; Mrs. Maame Efua Houadjeto, CEO of Ehub Ghana; Ms. Hayat Asckhar, lawyer and Managing Partner at Ethereal Limited; Mrs. Baaba Ankrah, CEO of GIBS Café; Petra Aba Asamoah, General Manager at Media General Ghana; Angela Bamford, media personality and entrepreneur; Ms. Arabba Koomson, journalist and life coach; and Stephanie Busari, journalist and CNN Bureau Head, Lagos.
HM Queen Arian Simone’s participation reaffirms Fearless Freedom’s global mission to stop economic inequality and support economic freedom, champion financial inclusion, amplify voices and opportunities for all across the continent and beyond.
Tripoint Travels has taken the bold first step in addressing one of Nigeria’s most pressing challenges: Youth unemployment, unemployability and underemployment. Through its newly launched Tripoint Academy Internship Programme, the organisation is pioneering a model that trains young Nigerians to be truly employable, while also offering them real job opportunities.
The first cohort of the six-month programme graduated this weekend in Lagos. Out of seven interns, three have already been offered jobs at Tripoint Travels, while partner organisations are considering others.
Mrs Shuhda Muhammed, Managing Director of Tripoint Travels and founder of Tripoint Academy, described the programme as a prototype designed to prove that Nigerian Youths, when given the right skills and guidance, can become assets to any industry.
“I came to the realisation, being an entrepreneur myself and running Tripoint Travels, that we need to have good employees. What that means is, we need intrapreneurs in our organisations for us to be able to grow, scale up and thrive in any industry. And one of the challenges we’ve been facing as entrepreneurs is employment, employability, because most of the youths out there are already educated.” She said.
The MD of Tripoint Travels has referred to this programme as more than an internship – but as the start of a movement. Mrs Muhammed hopes to see more organisations adopt this model and has urged them to grow talents to grow a workforce of employable young Nigerians who are ready to stay, work and thrive in Nigeria.
The Tripoint Academy Internship Programme combines hands-on business training with personal development, designed to turn graduates into Intrapreneurs who bring creativity, responsibility and growth mindsets into the workplace.
Industry stakeholders lauded the initiative. Dr. Olawale Anifowose, Managing Director of the Global Entrepreneurship Network (Nigeria), praised Tripoint’s bold step; he said that “Tripoint Travels has confronted one of the biggest challenges businesses face, which is talent management and finding the right people to work within their company. By equipping young people with practical skills, they are setting an example other organisations should follow”.
One of the graduates, Taiwo Fapohunda, echoed the impact of the programme, and said, “ It has been an eye-opener that has shifted me to become a better person. With the skills and confidence I have gained, I know I can grow and contribute meaningfully in the world of aviation and beyond”
Tripoint Travels is calling on entrepreneurs, organisations and institutions to replicate this model, scale it up and help curb unemployment across the country.
“This is just the beginning”, Mrs Muhammed added. “This is the first trial, and it came out amazing. We’ve shown that it can work, now imagine the impact on the economy if a greater number of organisations across Nigeria can adopt this approach”
General News
Nigerian Entrepreneurs Are the Architects of the Digital Future, Says Lagos Deputy Governor at GITEX Nigeria 2025
The inaugural GITEX NIGERIA concluded in a tremendous fashion this Thursday in Lagos, as West Africa’s largest tech, AI, and startup show cast a spotlight on the influence of emerging local and regional entrepreneurs.
Held under the patronage of H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, GITEX NIGERIA took place across Abuja and Lagos from 1-4 September. Supported by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the event was endorsed by Lagos State Government and organised by KAOUN International, global producer of GITEX events.
Taking place in Nigeria’s commercial and innovation capital, the GITEX NIGERIA Startup Festival showcased the strength and depth of an ecosystem through which talent development pathways and digital infrastructure projects are accelerating Nigeria’s US$1 trillion economy ambition.
Deputy Governor of Lagos State, H.E. Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, hailed its immediate impact at the national level, declaring: “GITEX NIGERIA sends an inspirational message to every Nigerian: that many positive things are transpiring across our country and opportunities are here. For every attendee at the GITEX NIGERIA Startup Festival, this has been immediately apparent.
“We see many young citizens and entrepreneurs, with enormous innovative minds, making a real difference – generating interest, raising capital, and overcoming challenges by bringing their ideas to life and delivering tangible impact. Such outcomes are crucial because they show that, as the world evolves, so too does Nigeria – as a nation of leaders, innovators, and architects of digital future we envisage.”
Central to Nigeria – and Africa’s – digital sovereignty is upskilling and expanding grassroots talent and organisations. As the largest regional showcase of its kind and a convergence point for local and international stakeholders embracing digital transformation, the GITEX NIGERIA Startup Festival was perfectly timed to support this mandate.
Over 650 startups from 27+ countries and 29 different industries participated with a shared vision of co-creating tech architecture across multiple sectors undergoing continent-wide digitisation. Its strategic programme included Nigeria’s most globally diverse investor programme, innovation hub showcases, and curated meetings between startups, investors, corporates, governments, industry leaders, and prospective partners.
Speaking after the recent announcement of funding 75 new research projects for startups, researchers, corporates and Nigerian diaspora for digital innovation, the Hon. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria said: “The opportunity and responsibility lies with all of us to build a resilient, innovative, and globally connected ecosystem, one that ensures that Nigeria not only keeps pace with the digital future but also shapes it. To all enterprises, corporates, startups, academia, and partners, we offer a transparent and accelerated path to collaboration, investment, and cooperation with Nigeria. Let us accelerate the development of the digital economy not only for Nigeria, but for Africa and the world.”
Supporting the multi-sector disruption ranging from education and agriculture through manufacturing and energy, startup participation was bolstered by hundreds of organisations brought by local engagement and international innovation hub partnerships.
Within Nigeria, NITDA, Lagos State, FATE Foundation, Co-creation Hub Africa (CcHUB), and Orange Corners were among the partners, while internationally, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), American Business Council (ABC) contributed.
Mr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director General/CEO, NITDA, said: “Across Africa and around the globe, future-oriented partnerships are the lifeblood of thriving startup ecosystems and digital economies. By uniting ambitious organisations from instrumental sectors in the emerging digital economy, we demonstrate how collaboration fuels innovation, accelerates transformation, and empowers Nigerians and Africans to shape their digital future.”
Universally recognised as the world’s leading pitch competition for early-stage companies and emerging entrepreneurs, the Supernova Challenge made its regional debut at West Africa’s largest tech, AI, and startup show – culminating in action-packed Thursday final.
Across two days in Nigeria’s innovation capital, the continent’s brightest and boldest disruptors joined Nigeria’s most visionary startups in competing for a US$22,000 total prize pool across six categories – showcasing game-changing solutions transforming agritech, cybersecurity, edtech, e-commerce, healthtech, telecom, and more.
Following the semi-finals 24 hours prior, the remaining contestants battled it out for valuable cash prizes and unprecedented visibility as regional and international investors watched on.
Abdul-Jabbar Momoh, VP, from Nigerian startup Curacel – revolutionising health insurance with AI-driven solutions – emerged as the most outstanding finalist among the expert judging panel and was awarded the US$10,000 first prize for its AI-driven health insurance solution.
Reflecting on the at GITEX NIGERIA, Momoh said: “Placing first at the GITEX NIGERIA Supernova Challenge gives us more visibility and fuel our expansion across Europe, Middle East and Africa, as well as North America. Most importantly we are going to keep on impacting lives in Africa and around the world by deploying solutions to move health insurance distribution.”
The winners across each Supernova Challenge category were as follows:
- Overall Supernova Champion (US$10,000): Curacel
- AI category (US$2,000): Build Africa
- Digital Finance category (US$2,000): InCash
- Creative Economy & Martech (US$2,000): Hadiya
- Agritech & Energy (US$2,000): Acecore
- Mobility & Smart Cities (US$2,000): Kara
- Disruptor Award (US$2,000): HiPrep
For more information, news and updates on GITEX NIGERIA, please visit gitexnigeria.ng.
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