Three leading data centre operators in Nigeria including MDXI, a division of MainOne Cable Company, Medallion Communications and RackCentre have opened up on the advantages of hosting data at home.
Addressing members of the Nigerian Information Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA), weekend during the monthly breakfast meeting with CEOs in Lagos, the chief executives of the companies in Unisom, said data centres in Nigeria have the capacity to deliver world class services to businesses in Nigeria and African nations.
In his presentation, Mr. Gbenga Adegbiyi, the General Manager of MDXI said confidence of Nigerian companies in hosting their critical data locally is on the rising scale.
He said Nigerian data centre operators have what it takes to compete favourably with what obtains aboard.
Giving a detailed analysis of Medallion operations, the President of the group, Mr. Ikechukwu Nnamani, said “Rising confidence of Nigerian companies in localizing their data host has given Nigerian hosting companies the needed assurance to deepen investment and tailored services delivery.
He said “Data centres in Nigeria have deepened their offerings to the extent that many companies that hosted their data aboard are beginning to come back home.”
“We at Medallion Communications currently host leading national and international companies and corporations that hitherto host their data aboard and that means that Nigerian data companies have come of age and grown to be trusted.
“However, we the indigenous operators need some levels of corresponding assistance from the federal government. Otherwise, the government needs to understand how technology drives economic activities and the importance of localizing data hosting for security, safety and total control of things than allowing top secrets of indigenous corporations to be under the whims and caprices of foreign control who can decide your fate at a time you need them most.
“Government needs also to understand Optic Fibre Cable (OFC) as agent of sustainable development so as to reduce cost of Rights of Way for infrastructure companies and operators like data centres.
In a detailed analysis of how things work at RackCentre, the Director of Operations, Mr. Ezekiel Egboye said “At RackCentre, we have not less than 250 rack capacity and expansion for more space is ongoing at the company in reaction to growing demands since the last quarter of last year”.
Data centre is the pivot of modern economic development and Nigerian cannot be left behind in the race to digital economy.
Earlier in his address of welcome, the chairman of NITRA, and IT Editor of ThisDay Newspapers, Mr. Emma Okonji said “NITRA came up with the Monthly Breakfast Meeting with CEOs as a drive to deepen reportage of the industry and in the process keep Nigerians, industry players and policy makers abreast with developments in the sector of the economy.
He thanked the management of MDXI, Medallion and RackCentre for coming to the meeting and giving on the spot details of happenstances in the industry.
