Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim has said that digital platforms are very important in the development of a robust digital economy. To this end, he said his ministry was looking forward to partnering with the Amazon Web Services, AWS, to accelerate the implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS)

The minister said this while welcoming the opening of the new AWS office in Lagos.

According to him, “the Service Infrastructure Pillar of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) emphasizes the importance of digital platforms in the development of a robust digital economy.

“The programs of Amazon Web Services support the development of such platforms and we look forward to partnering with AWS to accelerate the implementation of NDEPS.”

The regional Manager of Sub -Saharan Africa at AWS, Amrote Abdella said “the new Lagos office was part of AWS’s support for the growing number of customers and partners in Nigeria. The office will support organizations of all sizes, including startups, enterprises, and public sector agencies as they make the transition to AWS Cloud.

“By opening a Lagos office, AWS can better address the increase in customer and partner adoption of AWS services in Nigeria.

“With a local presence, AWS will support new and existing customers looking to use AWS products and services to innovate, lower their information technology (IT) costs, and grow their organizations in the cloud.

“We are excited to open our first AWS office in Nigeria. Lagos offers a highly skilled and creative talent pool, and the area is home to many fast-growing startups and notable Nigerian enterprises leading the way in digital innovation.

“We look forward to fostering the country’s pioneering spirit and helping our customers accelerate their digital transformation as they deliver innovative new products and services to the Nigerian community.”

He noted that “AWS also actively supports Nigeria startups and the community with programs like AWS Activate and AWS educational programs like AWS Academy, AWS Educate and AWS re/Start.

“AWS Activate provides startups with the resources they need to get started on AWS, including up to $100,000 in AWS credits, training, support, and contact with incubators, accelerators, and venture capital firms.

“AWS Academy helps university students and educators develop knowledge and skills about AWS Cloud computing, to accelerate cloud-related learning.

“AWS Academy member institutions in Nigeria include the University of Benin, University of Jos, and Igbinedion University. AWS re/Start is a 12-week, in-person, skills-based training program that covers fundamental AWS Cloud skills and practical career skills, such as interviewing and resume writing, to help prepare individuals for entry-level cloud positions.

“AWS re/Start in Nigeria has expanded the program to three locations—Lagos, Edo, and Benue. In Benue state, AWS Partner, New Vision Institute Technology, recently opened a campus hosting over 100 AWS re/Start learners in Otukpo, Nigeria, a remote rural community.

AWS also has a vibrant user group in Lagos, with hundreds of members that organize local meetups for developers to network and share best practices and knowledge”.