In an era where technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, cloud computing is pivotal key for organisations to ensuring efficient and cost-effective information technology (IT) infrastructure across various sectors, Mary Oluwafeyisayo Ogundele, a tech and business management expert, has said.
Recent reports indicate that Nigeria’s public cloud services market is projected to reach approximately $1.5 billion by 2025, driven by increased adoption of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) solutions.
Ogundele noted that as organisations increasingly deploy sophisticated applications and services, the demand on their infrastructure —comprising storage, computing, and networking— surges as they face increasing pressure to upscale to meet their dynamic needs ensure efficient service delivery. She, however, noted that while businesses have historically relied on traditional data centres to house and manage their critical IT equipment, she emphasised that they lack the agility and flexibility to meet the demands of modern workloads and applications.
“Legacy data centres have served us well in the past, but they lack the agility and flexibility to meet the demands of modern workloads and applications,” Ogundele said in an exclusive interview.
“While legacy data centres offer control and ownership, they lack the agility required to support modern workloads such as big data, generative AI, and Internet of Things (IoT). The costs associated with maintaining these facilities can be prohibitive for many organisations,” she added.
The tech expert said cloud computing offers on-demand access to computing resources, including storage and processing power, without the need for direct management by the end user. According to her, cloud computing provides a pay-per-use pricing model, which eliminates the need for upfront capital expenditures and operational costs.
She said: “Cloud computing has revolutionised the way organisations manage their IT infrastructure. It offers a wide range of services, including application development tools, software, and AI-powered analytics, all accessible over the internet with pay-per-use pricing models.
“With cloud computing, organisations can quickly scale up or down to meet changing business needs, without having to worry about cost implications accrued on the underlying infrastructure or the Human resource that will be required to manage them.”
In addition to cost savings and operational efficiencies, Ogundele stated that cloud computing offers enhanced security measures to protect against cyberattacks and other threats. Organisations, she highlighted, can benefit from robust physical security measures, layered digital security protocols, and constant monitoring of environmental conditions and equipment performance for early detection of potential problems.
As Nigeria continues its journey towards digital transformation, Ogundele asserted that cloud computing stands out as a critical enabler of innovation and economic growth in the country.
“The future of IT infrastructure lies in the cloud. Cloud computing has the potential to transform the way we do business in Nigeria.
“By leveraging cloud computing, organisations can unlock new opportunities for innovation and growth while ensuring the resilience and reliability of their services. I encourage organisations to take advantage of its many benefits,” she said.
