Siemens donates automation solutions kit to University of Lagos

Siemens Nigeria hosted Digitalization Day 2017, an event which featured talks on the application and potential for Digitalization in Africa.

The event which held Monday, 27th February 2017 at the Wheatbaker Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos, was well attended with over 100 industry stakeholders and federal representatives present. Talks were centered around findings presented in Siemens 2017 African Digitalization Maturity Report, as well as brilliant interjections from distinguished industry experts and Siemens representatives, as they discussed digitization – ‘The Future is Now’ with the unique portfolio of products and services that are accelerating growth across industries in two panel sessions.

The Siemens 2017 African Digitalization Maturity Report benchmarks four countries at the forefront of the African digital revolution. The report found that disruptive digital technology has potential to serve more than industry. It can also help to meet development needs. Siemens sees digitalization as a growth driver in energy, manufacturing and transport. Its digitalization report measures the extent to which African countries have the business, legal and regulatory environments to support digitalization.

Onyeche Tifase, CEO at Siemens Nigeria, gave the welcome address, where she iterated followed by a keynote address by the former ICT Minister, Omobola Johnson who made an interjection that Digital companies represent the biggest opportunities for job creations in the country in her keynote address on The digital transformation of Nigerian industry: role, agenda and
action plan.

Following the welcome address, the panel sessions started with the first being a discussion on the topic The Future is Now – Driving innovation, New Business Opportunities and Competitiveness, by the industry experts and the second, a discussion titled Siemens the Future is Now, by Siemens representatives.

Panelists impressed their opinions, making a compelling argument for digital transformation in Nigeria, itemising business opportunities, competitiveness, challenges and the need for collaboration between private and public sector on harnessing Nigeria’s digital potential for development.

In addition to the event’s activities, Siemens representatives proceeded to the University of Lagos, Akoka, where Siemens represented by Janina Kugel, Member of the Siemens Managing Board and Siemens Nigeia CEO, Onyeche Tifas donated automation solutions kit to the university, honouring their promised commitment to education in West Africa – a move intended to facilitate Africa’s technology and skills revolution.

Following the initiative, universities in Southern and Eastern Africa identified by Siemens, would receive a Siemens SIMATIC S7-1200 automation solution kit, which would enable the electrical engineering students to simulate automation processes for a wide range of industries, such as automotive manufacturing, food & beverage production, mining to name a few. Each solution contains a compact CPU, analogue output, simulator module, ethernet cable and software. Siemens has already identified a number of.

The Digitalization Day summit was not just talks as there were refreshment breaks in between in an atmosphere for building strong business relationships.

For over a decade, Siemens has been driving digital in Africa, presenting a wide range of offerings and solutions to customers for use across different industries including healthcare, energy, manufacturing and transport. To find out more about Siemens SIMATIC industrial automation solutions, click here or for the full Digitalization Maturity report click here.