Eaton set to play big in Nigeria’s data centre market

With Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy by GDP, in the midst of an unprecedented data centre construction boom, Eaton, Global Power Management Company, says it would bring to bear requisite expertise in data centre management to the country and other West African nations especially in terms of service quality.

Speaking on the company’s commitment in managing data centres in other countries of the world, Shane Kilfoil, managing director, electrical sector of Eaton, said he was aware of the growth of business in Nigeria, especially in the area of big data expansion, and assured Nigerians that Eaton would assist big and small firms manage their data in a most efficient and profitable manner.

“We manage data centres because we have the expertise and the capabilities to do so, having successfully done it in other countries of the world,” Kilfoil said.

The race to rapidly expand the nation’s Information Technology (IT) infrastructure to power the fast-growing dot com and online banking enterprises, according to him, is driving the proliferation of data centre projects.

 The company has announced the opening of its Corporate Office in Lagos to serve the needs of its customers in Nigeria and other West African countries.

Eaton which is also known for big data centre management and consulting said it would bring to bear its expertise in data centre management to Nigeria and other West African countries especially in the area of best service quality. Eaton which specializes in helping customers manage electrical hydraulic and mechanical power more reliably serves customers in 175 countries.

Kilfoil, said the office opening represents another important milestone in the company’s relent expansion and investment in key locations across Africa. On counterfeit products and its negative impact on businesses, Kilfoil said Eaton was already aware of the situation of counterfeit in the country, and would use the advantage of its newly opened office to address the situation through concerted awareness programmes and other measures.

He said the company was working with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to get cap certificate on all its products that would be sold in Nigeria. Speaking in the same vein, Charles Iyo, Regional Sales Manager, West Africa for Eaton, noted that the emergence of Nigeria as an economic power-house is dependent on developing innovative technologies to solve the country’s toughest power management challenges.

“The power reform agenda of the federal government is aimed at a complete restructuring from a vertical integrated monopoly industry to a privatised competitive electric market,” Iyo said.

According to him, the reform would enable Nigeria to overcome its huge deficit in the supply of electricity and that Eaton is well positioned to support businesses with customised end-to-end solutions for their oil and gas plants, utility requirements and renewable energy management needs.