By SundiataPOST, Abuja
Mr Austin Okere of the Computer Warehouse Group (CWG) on Friday said that its 10 million dollar ultra-modern data centre would alleviate sufferings of ICT entrepreneurs in Nigeria.
Okere, the Chief Executive Officer of the company, said at the inauguration of the centre in Lagos that the centre would offer entrepreneurs the prerequisite connectivity for advancement.
According to the official, the project was completed in 24 months.
“Apart from offering services to our customers like banks, we are targeting about 17 million Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) who we are going to offer connectivity for a token.
“The essence is that through the process, about 1.6 million of them would have migrated from the low level they are now, repackaged themselves, and can obtain loans from banks.
“At the end, 200 of them or more can enlist on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) which will be a massive development for the economy.
“We want to see `dots’ and small CWGs emerging from different strata of the economy,’’ Okere said.
Earlier, Dr Ernest Ndukwe, a former Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), said the building of the data centre was timely.
Ndukwe said that the company was one of Nigeria’s IT firms that had maintained integrity and leadership prowess, which had translated to several achievements lately, especially with its listing on NSE.
He said that telecommunications revolution started in Nigeria in earnest in 2000, with the licensing of telecoms companies in 2001.
“Since then, Nigeria has not looked back; we are witnesses of massive investments, not just in the telecom.
“The age of CWG (21 years now), suggests it has been there before the revolution started, and for them to remain relevant means they have to be proactive.
“They have demonstrated the capabilities of the leadership through their various achievements in recent times, especially with the commissioning of this ultra-modern facility,’’ Ndukwe said.
He said that the data would benefit not just the current customers, but the SMEs, who have a special package to better their worth.
Ndukwe urged CWG to look beyond Nigeria and Africa, especially now that connectivity binds countries together.
Mr Lanre Ajayi, the President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), said that CWG had proved its competency as an indigenous company.
Ajayi said that with the data centre, the company had become a pace-setter in the industry.
“Due to their pragmatic efforts, CWG has motivated many other local firms. The launching of this data centre is a big leap frog; however, connectivity is the life wire of any such centre.
“Therefore, CWG should incorporate other stakeholders like NiRA that hosts the .ng, to ensure that the expected customers make use of this all-important infrastructure,’’ he said.
