of 2013, the new phenomenon is expected to change the way businesses manage their infrastructures in innumerable ways.

According to Richard Edet, formerly of SAP, a German software maker, “the cashless initiative of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will ensure that SMEs, merchants, trader, schools, hospitals, bank, and others receive and transfer funds electronically”, he said to BusinessDay.

Analysts say stakeholders in telcos are angling for a piece of the pie and are working tirelessly not only improve internet penetration but reduce the cost of broadband access.

Indigenous telecoms company Globacom has already completed a 2,000 square feet data centre in Lagos. The indigenous telecom firm is planning to build a 40,000 square feet data centre in Abuja as part of its first phase of rollout.

Another mobile operator in the country, MTN Nigeria, has also deployed a high-grade data centre with 500 square metres of collocation and hosting space in Lagos and now offers cloud-based services targeted at small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the country.

“Internet cloud service adoption will be a clear business strategy requirement for most firms over the next three to five years” Edet added.

According to Stockholm-based Ericsson, Africa’s mobile subscriptions peaked at 781 million in the second quarter of 2013 with Nigeria leading the pack out of the continent’s 20 million new subscriptions.

Earlier this week, Bharti Airtel company’s Chief Marketing Officer, Andre Beyers, said the growth rate of data usage in Africa will further increase due to smartphone penetration and expanding coverage. According to him, data usage in Africa will be accelerated, after growth double in the year through June.

“We have seen tremendous growth in most of our markets, but the growth in markets such as Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria and Burkina Faso is really pleasing,” he said.

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