Digital infrastructure has become essential for the economic and national growth of Nigeria, according to Africa Hyperscalers.
At a recent media workshop aimed at journalists in Lagos, Temitope Osunrinde, the Executive Director of Africa Hyperscalers, stated that digital infrastructure is now as crucial as roads, ports, and electricity in Nigeria's economy.
Africa Hyperscalers is a pan-African platform focused on enhancing the continent's digital infrastructure landscape, which includes data centers, cloud services, connectivity, energy, and policy advocacy.
Osunrinde emphasized that for Nigeria and Africa to create credible narratives that attract long-term investments and foster sustainable digital economies, it is vital for the media to grasp how these systems function and what is required to establish them.
He remarked, "This workshop is aimed at equipping journalists with insights that can enhance public discourse, inform policy-making, and ultimately drive better infrastructure results."
The Media Workshop on Digital Infrastructure and AI was conducted in partnership with The Media Training Room (TMTR), Open Access Data Centres, and Rack Centre.
The event gathered senior journalists, infrastructure providers, and specialists to deepen their understanding of the foundational elements of Africa's digital economy.
This initiative aimed at bridging the knowledge gap between the media and the digital infrastructure sector was designed to bolster ethical, accurate, and responsible journalism. Discussions covered key infrastructure components, such as connectivity, data centers, power, interconnection, and cloud services, as well as the increasing influence of artificial intelligence in news reporting.
One notable session was led by Toni Kan, the Founder of The Media Training Room and Publisher of ThisIsLagos.ng, who explored the impacts of AI on ethical standards and accountability in newsrooms.
The workshop also tackled challenges regarding infrastructure delivery, with Adebola Adefarati, Head of Marketing and Communications at Rack Centre, discussing connectivity issues, and Gbenga Adegbiji, CEO of Geniserve, talking about creating resilient data centers. Muhammed Rudman, CEO of the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), discussed local internet issues, emphasizing data localization's impact on costs, latency, and digital sovereignty.
The workshop wrapped up with a panel discussion titled "The Media’s Powerful Role in Enabling Digital Infrastructure Development in Nigeria," featuring industry leaders such as Tayo Fagbule, West Africa Bureau Chief at CNBC; Obinna Adumike, Head of Converged Infrastructure at Open Access Data Centres; and other experts. They deliberated on the importance of responsible reporting, long-term industry coverage, and journalism's role in fostering transparency and attracting investment in Nigeria's digital infrastructure ecosystem. The session was sponsored by Open Access.
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