Key Points
- Ms. Darshana Deka, Conference Producer at IoT West Africa, stated that Nigeria must move “beyond its current reliance on solar energy” to explore a broader range of renewable options.
- The power market in Nigeria is described as having “massive potential” but is not yet fully optimized to support the expansion of digital infrastructure.
- Expanding energy sources is seen as critical for meeting the high power demands of data centers and other “critical infrastructure”.
- There is a significant need for increased local data center capacity to ensure “data sovereignty” and keep Nigerian data within the country.
- The IoT West Africa platform aims to demonstrate the convergence of IoT, data centers, power, and water as the “main accelerators of Nigeria’s digital economy”.
Main Story
Nigeria’s digital economy requires a more diversified energy strategy to reach its full potential, according to Ms. Darshana Deka of IoT West Africa.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, Deka emphasized that while the country has made progress with solar energy, it must now “look at what are the other avenues” in the renewable sector to sustain its growing digital ecosystem.
She argued that the power market is currently under-utilized and that identifying alternative sustainable energy sources is essential to support the heavy electricity requirements of modern data centers.
Deka further explained that the vision behind the IoT West Africa platform is to showcase how sectors like energy, water, and IoT are “interdependent” and should “not operate in isolation”.
By bringing these ecosystems together, the initiative has highlighted the rise of critical infrastructure in Nigeria, which Deka defined as a “convergence of physical and digital systems”.
Additionally, she noted that while investments in data centers are increasing, Nigeria still needs more local capacity to maintain “data sovereignty,” asserting that the country should “control its data” rather than relying on other nations for storage and safety.
The Issues
- The current heavy focus on “solar energy” may not be sufficient on its own to power a rapidly expanding digital economy.
- Experts see significant “gaps in the power market” rather than the IoT market itself, which hinders full optimization of the sector.
- There is a strategic concern about “giving out a country’s data to another country” due to a lack of sufficient local data center infrastructure.
- Historically, the energy, data center, and IoT sectors have operated with “clear differences,” preventing the collaboration needed for “critical infrastructure”.
What’s Being Said
- “Nigeria is still continuing with solar, so I think we need to move beyond solar and look at what are the other avenues.” — Ms. Darshana Deka
- “Nigeria will want to control its data. You don’t want to give out a country’s data to another country to keep it safe.” — Ms. Darshana Deka
- “Critical infrastructure today is a convergence of physical and digital systems, and we have seen the rise of such facilities in Nigeria.” — Ms. Darshana Deka
What’s Next
- Stakeholders are expected to explore a wider variety of “renewable and sustainable energy sources” beyond traditional solar installations.
- The industry will likely push for “more local data centres” to accommodate flowing investments and address data sovereignty concerns.
- Collaboration is expected to increase between “industry leaders, innovators, policymakers and investors” to shape the country’s 2030 economic goals.
- Discussions from platforms like IoT West Africa are anticipated to continue “materialising into action” and tangible infrastructure projects.
Bottom Line
Energy Diversification. To secure its digital future and maintain data sovereignty, Nigeria must bridge power market gaps and expand its renewable energy portfolio beyond solar to support its burgeoning data center ecosystem.
