Over 90 percent of business leaders in Nigeria have identified information technology as a strategic lever for business growth, according to a recent research conducted by EMC Corporation. The survey of 528 business and technology decision makers across Nigeria's private and public sectors revealed that more than 80 percent of respondents agree that their organisations recognise the increasing role of automation, such as software defined storage, as critical to business growth.
The study also found that about 96 percent of respondents expect next-generation technologies such as Mobile, Social, Cloud Computing and Big Data to give their organisations a competitive advantage, and that these new technologies will impact key aspects of business, including improving customer experience, managing mission-critical business operations and building new products and services.
The survey result was revealed at the 2014 edition of the EMC Forum in Lagos on Tuesday, November 25. The Forum showcased the transformation required by organisations in order to remain competitive and seize new opportunities in the coming era of data explosion. 
The event saw top decision makers and IT professionals from different organisations brainstorming on the latest challenges and trends in the industry. Participants were also provided with information on how to harness the latest IT developments in Big Data, Cloud Computing, Information Security and related services, towards enabling their organizations meet the demands of the dynamic global IT landscape.
The event saw top decision makers and IT professionals from different organisations brainstorming on the latest challenges and trends in the industry. Participants were also provided with information on how to harness the latest IT developments in Big Data, Cloud Computing, Information Security and related services, towards enabling their organizations meet the demands of the dynamic global IT landscape.
EMC's General Manager for West Africa, Rasheed Ola Jimoh, said that the survey results reflect heightened interest in third platform technologies by Nigerian organisations."Enterprises across Nigeria are realising the value that can be derived from technologies such as Cloud Computing and Big Data.
These technologies form a bedrock for driving agility and engaging the connected consumer. As the transition to third platform commences, IT departments will find themselves open to new opportunities to innovate and truly fuel business transformation,” he said.
These technologies form a bedrock for driving agility and engaging the connected consumer. As the transition to third platform commences, IT departments will find themselves open to new opportunities to innovate and truly fuel business transformation,” he said.
Jimoh underscored the need for organisations to take a more cloud-centric approach to business, against the backdrop of changing customer expectations arising from the emergence of new, always-on technology platforms.
“Consumer expectations have undergone a radical shift. They now expect to interact not only with each other, but with a multitude of organizations, via mobile devices and at the speed of now. To remain relevant and competitive, organisations across every industry are reinventing their business models to handle unprecedented levels of access, interaction and scale. For this reason, IT finds itself back in the driver’s seat, morphing from cost centre to a true catalyst for change through the use of cloud and Big Data technologies,” he explained.
He added that EMC's long-established reputation as a global leader in helping businesses and service providers transform their operations places the organization at a vantage position for facilitating Nigeria's transition to an IT-driven economy.
EMC Corporation is a global leader in enabling businesses and service providers to transform their operations and deliver IT as a service. Fundamental to this transformation is cloud computing. Through innovative products and services, EMC accelerates the journey to cloud computing, helping IT departments to store, manage, protect and analyze their most valuable asset – information – in a more agile, trusted and cost-efficient way.