E-Business
Global Online Traffic Spikes as Cisco Outlines Internet Strategy
Together with remote healthcare services, streaming video and gaming, internet traffic spiked by 25-45% in many regions across the globe during the pandemic.
According to Cisco this is only a glimpse of the traffic volume that will emerge in the 5G era, with 29.3 billion connected devices expected in 2023.
Against this backdrop and during its Cisco Live 2021 virtual conference, Cisco announced its strategy to help communication service providers and web scale companies connect, secure and automate their networks.
According to the company, internet architecture needs continuous care and attention to support the world’s ambitions.
It added that over three billion people still without access to the internet, a digital divide continues to develop where many are without access to vital information, learning and opportunities.
“The need to transform how we build networks is critical,” Cisco explained.
Jonathan Davidson, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Mass Scale Infrastructure Group, Cisco, said: “Cisco has spent the last five years researching and investing in this portfolio of innovation, focusing on how to help our customers deliver the best internet, while being able to grow revenue, reduce their costs and mitigate risk.”
“By helping our customers make the right decisions for their networks today, we are setting the world up for success, to connect more people, places and things than ever before. We can all look back on this point in time in the next ten years and celebrate how we rose to the challenge and did the right thing to take care of the internet.”
Economics of the internet
Cisco asserts that network operators are under increasing pressure need to build networks to grow and extend the internet to more areas.
The company has rolled out its Converged SDN Transport blueprint to help service providers converge multiple networks “into a common, cost efficient and secure infrastructure with enormous scale.”
Other highlights from the Conference include the introduction of the new Cisco Cloud Native Broadband Network Gateway for telco customers, the announcement of Cisco Silicon One Q200 series chips offering up to 14.4 Tbps total capacity and Crosswork Cloud to deliver a new application called Traffic Analysis. This offers a comprehensive view across network peering points.
“We are at a unique point in time in which we can shape the future ahead of us, and to do that, we need the right technology to form the foundation,” said Chuck Robbins, Chairman and CEO at Cisco.
“With the innovation we are delivering this week, our customers around the world will not only be able to connect, secure and automate the future of IT, but also leverage technology to truly power an inclusive future for all.”
In early January, the company listed several key tech trends for 2021, including driving experience (and safety) through sensors, app-enabled agility and resilience, from customer experience to brand excitement, and consumption models for the tech you actually need.
Another prediction by the company is that the introduction and expansion of 5G and Wi-Fi 6 networks will improve bandwidth, speed, and latency, and reach areas where fibre is prohibitively expensive.
As a result, frontline mobile workers, telehealth, manufacturing, and education will all benefit. This in turn will level the digital divide as these new technologies spur growth and innovation for millions
Cisco said the internet enabled society and economic activity to continue for those with access to this invaluable resource. But that’s only about half of the global population and the pandemic underlined the urgent need to expand access. Currently only 35% of developing countries have internet access, compared to 80% in more advanced economies.
The company added that according to PwC, bringing the internet to offline communities would add US$6.7-trillion to the global economy and lift another 500 million people out of poverty.
Reem Asaad, Vice President, Cisco Middle East & Africa, said: “As 2020 has shown, the pace of technological change moves very quickly, and we expect the same during 2021. The pandemic was a hugely challenging experience, but digitisation has played a vital role in helping businesses, organisations and individuals through the crisis. I remain hopeful for the future and of the positive role technology is playing in our daily lives.”
Kaspersky, a global cybersecurity company, and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to assist small and medium businesses in the country to become more cyber-aware and less vulnerable to developing cyber threats.
The MoU reflects a shared view that SMEs, being the backbone of economy, require strong cybersecurity measures. Kaspersky and SMEDAN will work together on information sharing, training programmes, and other practical steps to raise awareness of digital threats and cybersecurity measures.
“Small and medium business owners are juggling a dozen things – accounting, promotion, legal issues. They are not cybersecurity experts. But they are being targeted by cybercriminals through malware, phishing, and online schemes using social engineering tactics that make them look realistic.
“Our aim is to provide these organisations with some best practice tools and inform about measures that will help them stay safer online,” says Chris Norton, General Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa at Kaspersky.
The cooperation will feed into SMEDAN’s wider SME development efforts, with Kaspersky contributing cybersecurity knowledge and joining forces on awareness campaigns. The idea is to bring cybersecurity-focused guidance into existing business support channels, and to do it in a way that actually makes sense to entrepreneurs who may not have technical teams behind them.
Charles Odii, DG/CEO of SMEDAN, comments: “Since the COVID-19 pandemic, digital adoption among business owners has accelerated significantly. Many now operate WhatsApp shops, use online banking, and send invoices via email, which has increased their exposure to cyber risks.
Together with Kaspersky, we intend to strengthen cybersecurity awareness and practices across Nigeria, helping SMEs protect their businesses as they embrace the digital economy.”
SMEDAN has long been a government agency that has consistently shown up for small business owners in Nigeria. Its work cuts across industries, regions, and stages of growth from traders and artisans to early-stage tech startups trying to get formalised. This partnership gives it another tool to help those businesses operate more securely in a digital world. For Kaspersky, the collaboration is part of a wider push across the continent to support under-resourced sectors that are quietly being targeted online.
Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has emphasised that integrating intelligence, security, and sustainability is critical to driving Nigeria’s digital transformation and global competitiveness.
Inuwa made the remarks on Tuesday in Kano while delivering a goodwill message at the opening of the 19th International Conference (CONNOVATE 2025) of the Nigerian Computer Society (NCS), themed “Intelligent, Secure, and Sustainable Innovations for a Connected World.”
Represented by Engr. Salisu Kaka, Director of E-Government and Digital Economy Development, Inuwa said the three elements were now indispensable drivers of national progress. He highlighted the need for their convergence to unlock new opportunities in Nigeria’s technology sector, citing Estonia’s X-Road platform — which enables 99% of government services online — as a global model.
“In Nigeria, trust is the ultimate currency in our high-stakes digital environment, where scams and cybercrime are prevalent. Security builds and protects this trust,” Abdullahi said.
He stressed that while security provides the foundation, intelligence builds the structure, pointing to Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and data analytics as tools for addressing Nigeria’s complex challenges. Warning that “innovation without security is unsustainable,” he likened it to “a high-performance race car without brakes.”
The DG urged the next wave of Nigerian startups to go beyond digitising existing processes to creating new value, citing AI-powered wealth management and ML-driven remote diagnostics as examples.
He further highlighted the various Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE) initiatives supporting this vision, including the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), the Computer Emergency Readiness and Response Team (CERRT), the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023, the national digital identity programme, interoperable payments, and human capital initiatives such as the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) and Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL) programmes.
Inuwa cited example with International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) President, Antony Wong, that called for stronger protection and strategic use of data in the Global South to safeguard indigenous knowledge. He stressed the importance of legal clarity on data ownership as Nigeria’s cultural heritage in medicine, ecology, and art is digitised and incorporated into AI systems. Wong praised Nigeria’s role in the recent World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) treaty protecting genetic resources and traditional knowledge.
Delivering his welcome address, the NCS President, Dr. Muhammad Sirajo, said the conference would serve as a platform for IT professionals to address critical issues, including intelligent systems, fintech, sustainable energy, and innovations in agriculture, health, education, and national planning.
“This conference will provide an interdisciplinary platform for researchers, practitioners, and educators to present and discuss recent innovations, trends, and solutions for improving technological systems,” Sirajo said.
The week-long event includes plenary sessions, a doctoral consortium, a youth and entrepreneurship forum, the Fellows Forum, the Annual General Meeting, an IT quiz competition for students, and an induction ceremony for new members. It will conclude with the election of new national executives, a dinner, and an awards night honouring contributions to the ICT sector.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) is betting big on Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a catalyst for delivering Africa’s ambitious Agenda 2063.
With hands-on training in tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini, the Bank believes the results could redefine how the continent plans, measures, and delivers its development goals.
Through its Joint Secretariat Support Office, the AfDB has provided technical and financial support to the 5th annual training workshop for African Union member states, focusing on the use of AI to track and implement the second ten-year plan (2024–2033) of Agenda 2063.
The five-day workshop, held in Lusaka, Zambia, was co-organised by the African Union Commission and the African Capacity Building Foundation.
Participants from across the continent rolled up their sleeves for hands-on training with emerging AI platforms like Ailyse, Google AI Studio, and Perplexity.
The goal of Africa’s multilateral development finance institution is to turn complex development data into actionable insights that can drive smarter decisions, faster interventions, and more accountable governance.
AbibuTamu, lead programme co-ordinator at the AfDB, said AI was now an indispensable tool for Africa’s future.
“These tools are not only revolutionizing how data is collected, analysed, and reported, they are also enabling more targeted policy interventions and efficient resource allocation,” Tamu told delegates.
Agenda 2063, dubbed “The Africa We Want,” is the African Union’s 50-year blueprint for inclusive growth and sustainable development. The second 10-year plan prioritises industrialisation, digital transformation, and sustainable livelihoods.
With AI now in the mix, African policymakers can track progress in real-time, spot bottlenecks before they choke projects, and reallocate resources where they are needed most.
The AfDB’s backing underscores a broader strategy of boosting both human and institutional capacity that propels African states to harness the digital revolution.
Beyond technical skills, the Lusaka workshop doubled as a peer-learning platform, with countries sharing real-world success stories on integrating AI into national planning and reporting.
“If Agenda 2063 is Africa’s long-term roadmap, this AI training is about upgrading the continent’s GPS that ensures leaders not only know the destination, but also have the intelligence to navigate every twist and turn on the way,” said Tamu.
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