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E-Business

How Cloud Computing Can Drive the Big Data Revolution

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The world is generating more data than ever before. It’s also capturing more of that data than it has in the past. From digital packets running through global networks to information that’s processed by smart devices on the edge of IoT setups, there’s plenty of material being churned out daily.

A report from the year 2019 estimates that about 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are created every day. This number will continue to grow, as IoT becomes commonplace and we increase our dependence on digital technology.

For most people, these figures are mere statistics. But for many organizations, they represent a vast treasure throve that they can leverage to gain unusual insights into their customers, target markets, and industries.

That’s why big data has become a thing.

What is Big Data?

The term big data refers to large amounts of data that companies receive from their various interaction points—client information, customer service, transactions, market prices, engagement on the web and social media platforms, etc.

‘Big data’ could also apply to the large amount of data that is generated by sensors on an oil rig or by smart machines at a factory site.

Companies can gather these sorts of data, analyze them, and see the trends in the crucial variables. This gives them a picture of what’s going on in various aspects of their operations and lets them make intelligent decisions based on that picture.

For instance, let’s say you have access to data on the thousands of sales made by an ecommerce store within a year. You also have information like the days, time of the day, and months in which these sales have been made.

You could analyze this data and find out things like the times of the day, days of the week, and months of the year in which sales were highest and lowest. It may also be possible to tell how these trends change over time.

These details let you know the peak purchase times. Based on this insight, you can allocate resources away from the less active periods and towards the times with higher traffic. Ultimately, you’ll be able to maximize your sales and returns from those periods.

The more dense and complex the data sets are, the more sophisticated the tools you will need to analyze the data. Besides this, you should also possess certain skills if you’re going to work on large volumes of data.

How Cloud Computing Can Help

In the old days, you could store all your data on your premises—because you weren’t generating a whole lot of it anyway. But today, you’re creating and storing more data, and you can’t hold everything at your site anymore.

This is where the cloud comes in. Instead of trying to expand your physical data centers or procure more storage devices, why not just host all that data on a cloud platform?

Any solution that enables big data computing and analysis must cater to the 5Vs of big data:

  • Volume: The large amounts of data you’re dealing with
  • Variety: The assorted types of data available
  • Velocity: Rate at which data is collected and analyzed in your system
  • Value: The importance you attach to the data based on the information that it conveys
  • Veracity: Establishing the quality and credibility of data

A solid, robust cloud platform takes care of all these needs.

Here’s how.

  1. Scalability

We dropped a hint on this earlier in the article.

The cloud is scalable; you can get your capacity jacked up at short notice. All that’s required is that you pay for the extra compute space. And there’s an almost infinite room you can expand into. You can also scale down if you’re past peak usage, and don’t need a lot of capacity anymore.

It’s something you want to have when you’re dealing with vast amounts of data. It lets you maintain a high level of efficiency over time, regardless of the varying volumes of data you have to deal with at  every moment.

  1. Lower Costs

Many companies are wary of the large costs associated with big data analytics. But thanks to cloud computing, they have more leeway as far as costs are concerned.

The scalability of the cloud—and the subscription model that cloud service providers use –means that organizations only need to spend on what they’ll use. They can raise compute powers to take care of a spike in the volume of data they analyze and pay just the commensurate fees.

That’s better for your budget than purchasing storage capacity upfront, only to find that it’s either too small or too much.

  1. Infrastructure that’s Easy to Manage

Instead of devoting large sums to CAPEX for big data storage, you can house your data on third party infrastructure owned by cloud service providers (Infrastructure as a Service, or IaaS).

You don’t have to worry about maintaining infrastructure either; the managed service provider will handle this. If it’s a competent firm, they will have experts who can fix any problems that may arise.

What you do have to watch over is the cloud environment within which you work. Thankfully, some tools can help you strengthen the visibility of your cloud and simplify the management process for you.

  1. Virtualization

Virtualization is something that the cloud allows you to achieve. It involves creating virtual machines, operating systems, and servers, which can run on existing hardware. This lets you increase your data processing capacity without expanding your physical infrastructure. And that’s a boon for your big data aspirations.

Another benefit of virtualization is disaster recovery. You could lose a lot of data in the event of a major disruption to your networks. Virtualization allows you to retain virtual copies of that data, so you can carry on with them even if the original forms are lost.

  1. Frees Up Resources for Innovation

Imagine working on large amounts of valuable data for just a fraction of the cost. Also, imagine having more time to do this because you don’t have to worry about cloud infrastructure. These are gains you’ll derive from cloud computing.

These gains open up even more opportunities when they combine. For instance, your team will have more time and resources to be creative with their data analytics. They can find more patterns, design more solutions, and make better decisions based on their analysis.

Find a Cloud Solutions Provider that Supports Your Big Data Aspirations 

Big data analytics is becoming a firm part of the decision making process for organizations. As your company moves in this direction, you’ll want a solution that takes the burden of managing extra infrastructure off your back.

Layer3 gives you this and more. For many years, we have provided businesses and government agencies in Nigeria with services that help them make the most of their data. From virtual data centers to disaster recovery, our products are tailored to scale up your computing capacity and keep you operating at the highest levels of efficiency.

If you would like to discuss your big data plans with experts who can support them, reach out to us here and we’ll take on your concerns.


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E-Business

FG Partners UK to Combat Cross-border Cyber-crime

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The federal government and the United Kingdom signed an agreement Tuesday to combat the growing threat of cyber-crime. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed following a courtesy visit by David George Hanson, minister of the home office, UK, to the Nigeria Police Force headquarters, Louis Edet House in Abuja.

Transnational crime is a big problem for both the UK and Nigeria, so the governments intend to strengthen existing collaboration efforts to crack down on cyber-criminals and protect their industries from unlawful activities.

Offences such as online fraud, identity theft, digital extortion, and ransomware , operate across many jurisdictions, and frequently necessitate sophisticated cooperation efforts, according to the two governments during a press conference.

Furthermore, Lateef Fagbemi, Nigeria’s attorney-general and minister of justice, established the Joint Case Team on Cybercrime, which aims to address the need for a coordinated and robust approach to combating cybercrime, as stated in the Cybercrimes Act of 2015, which criminalises cyber-related offences.

Hanson underlined the importance of ongoing cooperation efforts to combat international crime in a number of areas, affecting vulnerable individuals.

He said: “We need to look again at how we can build cooperation between the Federal Government, the federal police, and our police forces and National Crime Agency to take action against these international criminals, who are exploiting vulnerable people in a whole range of areas. The National Crime Agency, the Home Office Fraud Department, and the High Commission need to make sure we make a big impact on this transnational crime.”

“The collaboration between the Nigerian Police Force and National Crime Agency continues to serve as a model in international law enforcement cooperation. We have successfully conducted joint operations into many cases of cybercrimes and online fraud. With your [UK government] cooperation, we have continued to bust other criminal networks around the world,” added inspector-general of Nigerian Police Force, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun.

 


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CAC to Prosecute Business Owners Operating Without Registration

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Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing business registration laws in Nigeria, warning that individuals and organizations operating unregistered businesses will face prosecution.

In a statement, the CAC emphasized that conducting business without proper registration violates the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020, undermining transparency and accountability in the corporate sector.

The commission stressed that registration is not only a legal requirement but also a gateway to formal business opportunities, including access to bank loans, government grants, and partnerships.

The enforcement drive will be nationwide, targeting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), online vendors, and informal traders who have failed to comply despite previous awareness campaigns and registration amnesty windows.

The CAC disclosed that enforcement teams, in collaboration with security agencies, will be deployed to identify and prosecute defaulters.

The commission urged business owners to take advantage of its simplified registration platform to regularize their status, noting that compliance will boost investor confidence and improve Nigeria’s ease of doing business. It warned that ignorance of the law will not be accepted as an excuse.

Business owners are advised to act promptly to avoid legal consequences, as the CAC moves to ensure a more structured and regulated business environment in Nigeria.


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NCC Vows to Tackle Online Infringement, Block Illegal Music Websites

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Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has pledged to enforce its legal obligations to combat online intellectual property infringement and urged commercial music users to obtain proper licences from rights holders or their representatives.

NCC Vows to Tackle Online Infringement, Block Illegal Music Websites

The Commission stated that this ensures creators are fairly compensated, supporting the music industry’s sustainable growth.

In a statement commemorating the 2025 World Intellectual Property Day, themed “IP and Music: Feel the Best of IP,” the NCC announced plans to enforce the Copyright Act 2022, which allows for the takedown of infringing materials and blocking of websites hosting illegal content.

Signed by Mrs Ijeoma Egbunike, director of Public Affairs, the statement outlined an aggressive anti-piracy campaign in collaboration with the private sector, targeting the online environment.

Egbunike affirmed the NCC’s commitment to establishing enforceable standards for transparency, digital audits, and real-time royalty reporting to protect creators’ rights. She stated, “The NCC will continue to champion policies that support the growth of the music industry, improve the livelihoods of Nigerian musicians, and foster a culture of creativity and respect for intellectual property.”

Despite the global success of Afrobeats and other Nigerian genres, the NCC noted that many musicians face low royalty returns due to rampant digital piracy.

To address this, the Commission revised its Collective Management Regulations to enhance transparency and accountability among Collective Management Organisations (CMOs).

The NCC emphasised that proper licensing is a legal obligation and vital for Nigeria’s creative economy, stating, “Music must feel the beat of intellectual property for the full potential of creativity to be realised.”

The Commission highlighted that creators’ livelihoods depend on fair royalty compensation.

Recent enforcement measures include the NCC’s designation by the Attorney-General of the Federation as an authority under the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act 2022.

This, combined with the Copyright Act 2022, empowers the NCC to order takedowns and block illegal music distribution websites.


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