Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS) has announced the opening of its first office in Lagos, Nigeria.
Disclosing
this in a statement on Wednesday, the company said the new office was
part of its support for the growing number of customers and partners in
Nigeria.
AWS is a subsidiary
of Amazon, an American e-commerce company, that provides on-demand
cloud computing platforms and APIs to individuals, companies, and
governments, on a metered pay-as-you-go basis.
The development is
Amazon’s latest investment in Africa, and it comes five years after its
first office was opened in Johannesburg in 2017.
The e-commerce
company said the office will support organisations of all sizes,
including startups, enterprises, and public sector agencies as they make
the transition to AWS cloud.
With the Lagos office, it said, AWS can better address the increase in customer and partner adoption of its services in Nigeria.
Commenting
on the development, Amrote Abdella, regional manager of Sub-Saharan
Africa, AWS, said with its local presence, the company will support new
and existing clients looking to use its products and services to
innovate, lower their information technology (IT) costs, and grow their
organisations in the cloud.
“We are excited to open our first AWS
office in Nigeria. Lagos offers a highly skilled and creative talent
pool, and the area is home to many fast-growing startups and notable
Nigerian enterprises leading the way in digital innovation,” Abdella
said.
“We look forward to fostering the country’s pioneering
spirit and helping our customers accelerate their digital transformation
as they deliver innovative new products and services to the Nigerian
community.”
Regarding plans for businesses, Amazon said it would
actively support Nigerian startups and the community with educational
programmes.
“AWS activate provides startups with the resources
they need to get started on AWS, including up to $100,000 in AWS
credits, training, support, and contact with incubators, accelerators,
and venture capital firms. AWS academy helps university students and
educators develop knowledge and skills about AWS cloud computing, to
accelerate cloud-related learning,” it added.
“…member
institutions in Nigeria include the University of Benin, University of
Jos, and Igbinedion University. AWS re/Start is a 12-week, in-person,
skills-based training program that covers fundamental AWS cloud skills
and practical career skills, such as interviewing and resume writing, to
help prepare individuals for entry-level cloud positions.
“AWS
also has a vibrant user group in Lagos, with hundreds of members that
organise local meetups for developers to network and share best
practices and knowledge. To join the AWS Nigeria user group, visit the AWS User Group page.”
On
his part, Isa Pantami, minister of communications and digital economy,
said having such a development will boost the digital economy of the
country.
Pantami said the service infrastructure pillar of the
national digital economy policy and strategy (NDEPS) emphasises the
importance of “digital platforms in the development of a robust digital
economy”.
“The programs of Amazon Web Services support the
development of such platforms and we look forward to partnering with AWS
to accelerate the implementation of NDEPS,” he said.
The Cable, by Busola Aro
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