Despite significant investments in Nigeria’s data center sub-sector, there are concerns about the low capacity utilization of these facilities compared to other countries in the region, such as South Africa and Kenya. Challenges include firms, government agencies, and banks hosting their data abroad, as well as issues like unreliable power supply, foreign exchange shortages, and multiple taxation.

Nigeria currently has over 11 data centers, primarily in Lagos, followed by Abuja and Kano, with total investments exceeding $230 million. The market size is projected to reach $415 million by 2028, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.34 percent, and local capacity is expected to grow at a CAGR of 23.24 percent in the global projected $517 billion data center market by 2030. Lagos State reported attracting $1 billion in data center investments in 2021.

However, despite these developments, Nigeria, and Africa as a whole, accounts for only one percent of the world’s data centers despite having 17 percent of the global population. This is attributed to Nigeria’s recent focus on digitization and emerging technologies, driven by the presence of multiple undersea cables landing on its shores.

Currently, data centers in Nigeria include Open Access Data Centre (OADC), Rack Centre, MDXi (MainOne, an Equinix Company), Medallion (Digital Reality), 21st Century, ADC, MTN, CEWA, Galaxy BackBone, and 9mobile, among other smaller players. However, their combined operational capacity is approximately 20MW, significantly below what a country with over 200 million people should have, which should be at least 700MW. This undercapacity is evident as a single data center operator in South Africa, Teraco, has a capacity larger than all 11 data centers in Nigeria combined.

While local hosting of data has increased, with telecom operators and ICT firms hosting data locally, many government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) still host their data abroad, contributing to capital flight. The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) guidelines encourage data localization, but around 55 percent of government MDAs still host data abroad. Local hosting has helped save around $40 million annually on local internet traffic, but there is still room for growth.

Challenges to the growth of data centers in Nigeria include power supply issues, forex availability, multiple taxation, a slow and complex permitting process, and the complexity of migrating services from abroad to local data centers. The government needs to address these challenges to realize the full potential of data centers in Nigeria and foster a truly functional digital economy.

The field of artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance rapidly, shaping the way we live and work. Whether you are an aspiring AI professional or simply curious about AI, mastering the right skills is essential to stay relevant in this ever-evolving landscape.

In 2023, several key AI skills are in high demand. In this blog post, we’ll explore the top 10 AI skills you should consider learning to thrive in the AI industry.

1. Machine Learning:

Machine learning remains a fundamental skill in AI. Understanding the principles of supervised, unsupervised, and reinforcement learning, as well as the latest algorithms and tools, is crucial.

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2. Deep Learning:

Deep learning has revolutionized AI, especially in areas like image and speech recognition. Proficiency in neural networks, convolutional neural networks (CNNs), and recurrent neural networks (RNNs) is highly sought after.

3. Natural Language Processing (NLP):

NLP skills are essential as language models, chatbots, and sentiment analysis applications become more prevalent. Learn how to process and analyze human language data effectively.

4. Computer Vision:

Computer vision is another exciting AI field, enabling machines to interpret and understand visual information. Skills in object detection, image segmentation, and facial recognition are in demand.

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5. Reinforcement Learning:

Reinforcement learning powers AI agents that learn through interaction with their environment. This skill is indispensable for AI applications in robotics, gaming, and self-driving cars.

6. Data Science:

AI heavily relies on data, making data science skills indispensable. You need to know how to collect, clean, and analyze data to train AI models effectively.

7. AI Ethics:

As AI systems become more pervasive, understanding the ethical implications and responsible AI practices is crucial. Skills in AI ethics and bias mitigation are becoming more important.

8. Cloud Computing:

Most AI projects require substantial computing power. Cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud provide the necessary infrastructure for AI development and deployment.

9. DevOps for AI:

AI development is not limited to data scientists; AI engineers and DevOps professionals are in high demand. Skills in deploying, monitoring, and maintaining AI models are essential.

10. AI Business Understanding:

To succeed in AI, it’s crucial to understand not just the technical aspects but also the business context. AI professionals need to bridge the gap between technology and real-world applications.

Conclusion:

AI is transforming industries, from healthcare to finance and beyond. Staying ahead in the AI game means continuously upgrading your skills. The top 10 AI skills for 2023 mentioned here will help you navigate the exciting and evolving world of artificial intelligence. Whether you’re just starting or looking to advance your career, mastering these skills will open doors to a world of possibilities in the AI field. So, don’t wait – dive into the world of AI and explore the future today.