Achieving Widespread Digital Connectivity with STORM

The STORM initiative recently launched by Galaxy Backbone in collaboration with Interra Networks for South-east and South-south, will deepen digital connectivity in the regions, writes Emma Okonji

Galaxy Backbone, a government agency providing digital and network communication services, in collaboration with Interra Network, a private organisation, penultimate week, launched STORM, a broadband internet connectivity infrastructure, designed to provide connectivity access for the South-east and South-south regions of the country.

STORM was launched in Enugu though a hybrid event, which attracted physical audiences in Enugu and virtual audiences from across the country.

An initiative of Galaxy Backbone, STORM is a connectivity infrastructure, built for large, small and medium businesses to offer a range of broadband packages for residential, offices and commercial sites, designed to help businesses stay connected digitally with their customers. The launch of STORM in Enugu, will address issues around internet connectivity for South-east and South-south regions of the country, while providing Value Added Services (VAS) that rides on the network of Galaxy Backbone, such as hosting service, storage and cloud services.

Public-private sector collaboration

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, while declaring open, the launch of STORM in Enugu, stressed the need for collaboration between the public sector and the private sector, in order to drive widespread digital connectivity. He was confident that the STORM initiative would enhance collaboration between the public and private sectors, to further drive digital transformation across the country.

Pantami who connected to the event through video conferencing, said in the last couple of years, the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy has championed the need to transform Nigeria into becoming one of the leading digital economies in the world.

According to the Minister, “In our attempt at achieving this, we came up with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy with the clear vision to transform Nigeria into a leading Digital Economy providing quality life and digital economies for all. This vision is strengthened by our mission, which guides our daily activities towards building a nation where digital innovation and entrepreneurship are used to create value and prosperity for all.

“With the launch of STORM, which has the capacity to provide high speed internet and hosting services everyday across the South-east and South-south regions, covering Enugu, down to Ebonyi to Owerri, Portharcourt, Awka, Onitsha and Asaba, the objectives of the initiative is gradually being met.”
Pantami said STORM would open up massive opportunities for corporates, small businesses and for homes looking to improve the quality of internet services at their location. We are much more convinced also that the project will lead to the creation of new businesses and bring about improvement in the living conditions of citizens across these locations, Pantami said.

Job creation

In his welcome address, the Managing Director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone, Prof. Muhammad Bello Abubakar, said change remained the only constant thing in life. He therefore advised everyone living in a fast changing digital world, to embrace change so that no one is left behind at the ‘speed of light’ transformations taking place all around the globe.

“We are confident that by making fast and reliable internet services available in urban and rural communities, greater number of job opportunities will emanate and we can lift more people out of poverty. History has shown us that in every major pandemic, one or two sectors begin to thrive and lead to the transformation of the lives of entire communities and indeed the world. In this case, digital technologies have taken centre stage especially in Nigeria where we have noted its great contribution to the GDP of our country in the last quarter of the year 2020. Projections continue to show an upward movement in this even in this year 2021,”Abubakar said.

He added that the broadband internet connectivity and hosting service being offered by STORM would lead to an experience that people would find efficient, reliable and with great support. Abubakar called on the people of South-east and South-south regions to take advantage of the digital opportunity that Galaxy Backbone is bringing to the regions in collaboration with Interra Networks.

Capacity building

Former Minister of Aviation, Mr. Osita Chidoka, who was physically present in Enugu for the launch of STORM, said Nigeria’s future development would depend on capacity building that would drive human capital development, which he said the STORM initiative would achieve.

“STORM will empower Nigerian youths to develop technology skills that will help build the Nigerian digital economy much faster,” Chidoka said.

According to him, “When I was appointed the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), in 2014, I was confronted with the challenge of digitalising the salary structure of all FRSC commands in the country, which led to the automation of all staff across all commands, and Galaxy Backbone came to our rescue and FRSC became the biggest Wide Area Network (WAN) in the public sector, a development that allowed it to adopt and implement emerging technologies in driving FRSC operations across all commands in the country.

“Today Nigeria is still battling with the adoption and growth of emerging technologies, and it is the collective responsibility of the people of South-east and South-south to embrace STORM in driving digital transformation across both regions. There is therefore need for collaboration between the public and private sectors, in order to enhance faster digital development.”

He further said the COVID-19 pandemic has further compelled businesses and government transactions to go online, and that STORM would provide that access to sustain online transactions and communications. Chidoka encouraged the people of South-east and South-south regions to embrace the STORM infrastructure to improve education, healthcare, transportation, e-commerce, agriculture and sports, across the regions.

Digital connectivity

Citing the importance of digital connectivity in South-east and South-south regions of the country, Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who was represented at the launch by the Commissioner of Science and Technology, Mr. Obi Kama, said the people of Enugu State and the entire South-east region, had long clamoured for digital connectivity access to further drive businesses. According to him, a number of businesses across the state have decided to engage three different Internet Service Providers (ISPs) at the same time in order to meet the growing demands of customers who have become digitally savvy. “It is therefore our belief that with the launch of STORM, people can have access to effective digital connectivity that will meet the demands of people, while providing better technical support. With digital communications becoming a much sort after commodity, there is absolutely nothing that anybody or organisations can do without internet for effective digital connectivity. Enugu State will support the widespread adoption of STORM to enhance digital connectivity across the state,” Ugwuanyi said.

The Commissioner of Science and Technology in Imo State, Prof. Boniface Ginikanwa Nwogwu, who lauded the initiative of STORM, said it would help the people of South-east to connect digitally and be part of the global digital transformation.

“In Imo State, we understand the importance of technology in building capacity that will improve the welfare of citizens and the state government. Technology is a cardinal focus of Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, and he has leveraged technology to digitalise the state’s salary structure and to transform the entire state,” Nwogwu said.

The Director of ICT at Ministry of Science and Technology in Delta State, Mr. Rocky Ighoyota, said the STORM initiative would help states in the regions to develop much faster into smart cities, where all transactions will be digitalised. “Since Galaxy Backbone has decided to extend its fast internet connectivity offerings to the South-east and South-south regions, it is evident that the regions will have access to digital infrastructure that will boost ICT skills among youths and enhance digital transformation,” Ighoyota said.

ICT as new oil

The Chief Executive Officer of Interra Network, Mr. David Onu, said Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has remained the new oil that is driving global development, and has overtaken oil that used to be the main stay of global economies.

According to him, “Global oil companies that used to be rated top ten about 15 years ago, have now been overtaken by ICT companies that had lowly beginning. ICT is now the driver of global economies and Nigeria must leverage technology to develop her citizens and her economy. The launch of STORM is a gateway to advance faster technology development, because it provides access to connectivity that will enhance online visibility.”

Hs assured the South-east and South-south people that the partnership between Galaxy Backbone and Interra Networks, would further improve access to technology that would drive development in the regions.

“The STORM initiative will help Nigeria to build on digital and intellectual resources, rather than natural resources like oil and gas. The initiative will provide access to technology that will fast develop agriculture, education, manufacturing, e-commerce, communications, healthcare, among others,” Onu said.

He added that the STOTRM initiative would provide the infrastructure that the people would leverage to put an end to urban migration, while developing regions faster and digitally.

The STORM infrastructure comes with dedicated bandwidth, static IP address, and internet access that will enhance customer experience. Onu listed some of the packages to include STORM Thunder, STORM School. STORM Enterprise, STORM Cool, adding that the various packages support line offering valuable after-sale support, advisory services to clients, 99 per cent reliability with fast speed internet and custom solutions that are unique to the requirements of each business and residence.