IBM commits $100m to big data technologies for economic growth

INCREASED investments in relevant new technologies like mobile, cloud and big data analytics that offer advance solutions and services are essential for Nigeria and other West African countries socio-economic development.

This, according to the Country General Manager for IBM, West Africa, Taiwo Otiti, allows economies and companies to ensure the integrity of their data assets, providing them with hitherto unseen levels of data mining capabilities which allow them to derive fresh insights and business intelligence from these data.

To this end, Otiti informed that the leading global technology company has so far committed more than $100 million in Research and Development on new Big Data technologies and garnered more than 500 analytics-related patents.

Last year, IBM partnered with Apple to launch IBM MobileFirst for iOS solutions, introducing a fresh wave of apps for the enterprise market sector. The partnership brings IBM’s unmatched industry and analytics capabilities to iOS devices.

Speaking on the sidelines of the HR Leaders Africa Summit held in Lagos at the weekend, Otiti noted that the adoption of mobile and other technologies are one area, public and private sector organizations need to look at with a view to injecting efficiency and new performance levels in their operations, adding “for African countries, new technologies allow the continent’s businesses and people to leapfrog through development stages/phases.”

He buttressed this point by referring to Nigeria’s adoption of mobile technology over the last 12 years which has become a showcase of how well technology can help transform economies.