By Emeka Aginam

Information and  Communications Technology stakeholders in Africa, recently   , in Lagos, admitted that cloud computing would be one of the mega trends in Information Technology field in 2016. The forecast was made at the just concluded Huawei Cloud Congress West Africa, HCC Nigeria 2016.

•Cloud computing

The event which was in its second edition had the theme “Transforming with Cloud, setting new benchmark’. The event however provided an opportunity for Huawei to share its vision and ideas about the future and strategies on how to work together with various industries in order to advance ICT, and showcase its experiences in IT.

Information technology

The over 200 industry stakeholders that participated at the event however, noted that to adapt effectively, telecoms carriers and big businesses must change their business models, build ecosystems, add new infrastructure, develop organizations and processes, and learn new skills.

They argued that information technology has shifted from being a support system to a business and production system even as the emergence of technologies represented by cloud computing are driving the need to change and reshape IT.

For instance, IDC, at the summit forecasts that cloud computing will be one of 2016’s IT mega trends. It was also IDC that noted that Information technology will shift from being a support service to a core production platform, as operators revitalize their closed, low-efficiency networks and shorten time-to-market (TTM).

Open, agile, cloud-based networks will give them the power to seize fast-moving market opportunities like digital and cloud services. Huawei says it business concentrates on IT infrastructure, and continues to openly invest in and work with partners to provide innovative, differentiated, and leading IT solutions for customers worldwide.

It believes that cloud computing is an important opportunity within the IT sector that should be seized because the emergence of cloud computing is a key factor behind its massive investment in IT.