Amazon Web Services (AWS) Nigeria User Group in partnership with DataMellon, a tech firm and Lagos state government has created awareness on how Internet of Things (IoT) services can aid infrastructural development and business growth in Nigeria.
IoT supports digital transformation and development of new business models and offerings by building on existing cellular networks.
The AWS Nigeria user group, according to the company is a movement championing the growth, development and adoption of IoT technology in Nigeria.
While addressing tech enthusiasts and various stakeholders in the industry at the recent event hosted by AWS, experts pointed to the need to embrace new technology innovations like IoT and others to boost the Nigerian tech industry and economy.
Saheed Balogun, senior Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Science and Technology highlighted the importance of AWS and IoT in actualizing infrastructural growth at every sector in Lagos.
He said, “IoT for us is an important component of making Lagos states a 21st century economy as part of the agenda of the governor, and he is working on the connected Lagos. Truly Lagos State fiber dots and open dots will allow high speed connectivity to all parts of Lagos and that connectivity is expected to support the educational system, the health system, and the government services as well as private sector telecoms and other initiatives that require a connected high speed connection to transact their business within Lagos state. So, for us, AWS coming up with this type of programme will empower the youth and the Developer community in Lagos to acquire the knowledge, the skills and the exposure that are required for a smart city.”
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He disclosed that the IOT technology is a broad base concept with several benefits that touches almost every aspect of individual lifestyle ranging from transport, health, agriculture which translate to food security in Lagos and human capacity development.
“Lagos is a city ready for business and we will provide enablers that will allow developers and tech ecosystem to grow at whatever speed they need to grow and partnering with AWS and others to provide a system that will allow fast connectivity by Telecom operators at more affordable cost compared to tradition of damaging our roads while trying to build telecom infrastructure.
“Lagos is already working toward Smart City status; that is why we see this initiative as a timely one which we have already started to explore and deploy. Developers; community is critical to achieving this. I strongly believe that Developers can transform Lagos to Smart City and put it on the global market,” he added.
Wale Adeneji, Managing Director and CTO of Datamellon said “we are living in a world where everything is going to be connected from our cars, phones, Freezers and others. So IoT is important to achieve them. This meeting I organised at intervals to showcase the amazing products people are building with AWS to transform businesses. AWS is into cloud computing which has gained wide adoption in businesses and we are bringing it here in Nigeria.
He explained that AWS is developer focused which informed the decision to bring tech developers together to educate them more on IoT.
Meanwhile, Oussseynou Beye, Senior Solution Architect at AWS, during his speech stated that AWS IOT offers a lot of benefits to customers using the services.
“The benefits of AWS IoT are enormous and through it, organisations can have healthier energy resources and build smarter products. In the area of security in the home, this is also very relevant. Our transportation system can be better organized with IoT and same goes with tracking of inventories,” Beye said.
