Although there are promising positive impact of Internet of Things (IoT) when game-changing technologies and innovations are deployed for the common good of all, there are indeed challenges that the tech, telecoms and ICT must tackle.
That was the focus of a panel discussion at the ongoing IoT West Africa Conference and Exhibition in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria where tech leaders in the industry, government officials, visionaries, entrepreneurs, researchers, and other key stakeholders jaw-jaw on latest trends and issues on how technologies and innovation are affecting IoT in the region.
Leading a team of experts and stakeholders through the panel session, Elungile Mazimba, Managing Director, Steamaco highlighted how far the IoT rave have affected every sector’s of the regions economy, popping up a question to Mr Jerome Abudah, Head of IT, Ikeja Electric on what technology his company has adopted and what’s what could be their present challenges.
According to Abudah, the Ikeja Electric began some years ago, a digital transformation journey towards bringing its customers into the world of IoT with the introduction of what he called smart KYC adding that while it makes their customer happy, It also helps to make the customer solve issues before coming to us.
“A customer can use our platform to use solve the problem. The challenge was internal management changes. We have to come out of a long journey. We are making life better for the customers”, he said.
Speaking further on how to manage deployment of IoT solutions, he said, “We have to understand the solutions whenever you are deploying the technology. You must carry the operational management along” adding that there is the need to leverage on the data for the customer to have a better experience for customers.
Turning to Dr Segun Adaju, Chief Executive Officer, Consistent Energy, the moderator sought to know how ready his company to move into the digital space for the renewable energy, of which Adaju harped on the difficulty of solar energy companies connecting to the nation’s national electricity grid.
He disclosed that Consistent Energy customers already have access to the green energy technology in the rural area adding that the use of token to switch on light, and that through the Electricity Act of 2023 we can now have a renewable energy provider.
Harping on how the telecoms industry is leveraging on IoT, Viola Opara, Head of IoT Solutions Development, MTN Nigeria Plc., disclosed how MTN Nigeria is currently improving on its network for offer reliable connectivity saying that “We are driving all these through the ecosystem. We are coming in as partners.”
According to Mr Adebayo Akande, Senior Special Assistant on ICT & E-Governance to the Executive Governor, Oyo State Government, the Government has mapped out high demands areas in the state, saying that state is open for business and bring the investors.
Adebayo who is also the Director General of the Oyo State Infrastructure Management & Control Agency, said that the state Government is passionate about innovation power stations adding that there is the need for the harmonisation of our infrastructure.
Earlier in a keynote address, Fostering Innovation and Overcoming Policy and Regulatory Framework Challenges to Support IT Developments in West Africa delivered by Kashifu Inuwa, Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Inuwa who was represented by the Director of Corporate Planning and Strategy, Dr Aristotle Onumo, said that the theme aligns with the vision of NITDA, which is key to fastback service delivery.
According to him, emerging technologies are improving rural life by tackling waste disposal but noted the need to address the issues around data security relates to IoT devices and deployment saying that Smart agriculture is already revolutionizing food production with a lot of .automate Agric processes in place.
