Huawei local cloud service to boost Nigeria’s digital economy

Huawei, a global technology giant, has unveiled its local cloud service in Nigeria, marking an advancement in its African expansion strategy.

The launch, announced during the Huawei Cloud Summit Nigeria 2024, signals the company’s commitment to enhancing digital innovation, data sovereignty, and economic growth in the country. The event, held in Lagos, showcased Huawei’s new cloud solution, which operates at a tier 3+ uptime standard, offers 99.99 percent reliability, and adheres to the regulatory framework set by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The service aims to revolutionise cloud infrastructure in the country by ensuring reduced latency, improved data stability, and bolstered support for local businesses. “With disruptive technology, we can transform ourselves, our daily lives, our industries, and our economy,” said Chris Lu, CEO of Huawei Nigeria.

He highlighted Huawei’s commitment to delivering faster, more reliable cloud services tailored to Nigeria’s needs, adding, “By providing tailored solutions that meet local regulatory requirements, Huawei’s initiative aims to empower, foster innovation, and drive growth across Nigerian startups, SMEs, and the tech ecosystem, solidifying its role in the continent’s digital future.”

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During the event themed, ‘Leap Now with a Better Cloud,’ Obafemi Hamzat, deputy Governor of Lagos State, emphasised that the development will help the country’s data sovereignty by eliminating the need to host sensitive data overseas.

Hamzat stated, “Having a local cloud promotes local innovation, enhances data stability, and strengthens Nigeria’s digital economy. I urge other companies to emulate Huawei’s visionary approach.”

Emmanuel Edet, representing Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), echoed, “Nigeria has huge potential for cloud infrastructure, and this investment provides a significant boost to the sector.”

Huawei also announced the availability of Pangu, a suite of advanced AI models covering domains such as natural language processing, computer vision, and scientific computing. Developed using Huawei’s MindSpore framework and custom AI chips, Ascend, the models, including Pangu-Weather and Pangu-α, are now accessible via Huawei Cloud services.

The company also reaffirmed its dedication to fostering local talent and innovation. Osita Iweze, deputy managing director of Huawei Nigeria, highlighted that Huawei has trained over 70,000 digital talents in Nigeria.

Looking ahead, Hugo Hu, managing director of Huawei Cloud Nigeria, outlined the company’s five-year plan for its local cloud initiative. By 2029, Huawei aims to serve 1,000 customers, partner with 100 organisations, and collaborate with 5,000 developers.