Against this backdrop, Arista Networks, a global cloud networking company, in partnership with MART Networks and Resourcery Plc, hosted “Efficiency Meets Performance – The Arista Advantage” on Tuesday at the Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel.

The event brought together telecom operators, financial institutions, and other technology experts, to discuss how to build faster, more reliable networks while keeping costs under control, with particular attention on reducing energy use in a power-constrained market.

Speaking at the event, Arista’s Territory Account Manager for West Africa, Jide Olagbenro, said demand for efficient infrastructure is increasing as organisations look to balance performance with the cost of operation.

“Power is a real issue here,” he said. “You don’t want devices that consume too much energy. That is one of the reasons customers are turning to Arista.”

He added that the company’s solutions are already in use across key sectors in Nigeria, including financial services and large-scale industrial operations, emphasising the growing acceptance in the region.

“We are seeing strong adoption in this market,” he said. “But we need to keep working closely with our partners to expand that reach.”

Arista’s Regional Sales Director for sub-Saharan Africa, Marius Keown, pointed to the company’s global footprint, noting that its technology underpins some of the world’s largest cloud and content platforms.

“Some of the biggest platforms in the world run on our network,” he said. “They would not invest at that level if the technology did not perform.”

He further noted that the company’s growth has been driven largely by engineering focus rather than aggressive marketing. “We focus on building solid technology and letting the results speak.”

Ify Chukwuma, head of Business Development, sub-Saharan Africa at Resourcery Plc Group, highlighted the importance of aligning technology with business needs, drawing on the company’s long-standing presence in Nigeria.

“We’ve been in business for 40 years. That tells you we understand this market,” she said. “What we do is align technology with business needs and deliver solutions that are cost-effective and intelligent.”

She added that partnerships are essential to delivering large-scale infrastructure projects. “We can’t do this alone. That is why we partner with global players like Arista, to bring value to customers and give them peace of mind.”

Esther Oyedokun, country manager at MART Networks, said distribution, training and local support are key to successful deployment across African markets.

“Our goal is simple, to empower businesses with the right technology,” she said. “We don’t just supply products, we provide training, pre-sales and post-sales support, and ensure our partners are fully equipped.”

She noted that access to local stock and technical expertise helps reduce delays and improve service delivery.

On the technical side, Faith Oladapo, product manager for Enterprise Networking at MART Networks, a distributor for Arista Networks, said energy efficiency is becoming a practical concern for operators managing Nigeria’s data centres.

“Our switches can reduce power consumption by up to 30%,” she said. “At first, that may not seem like much, but in a data centre environment, over time, it becomes significant.”

She added that a unified software system across Arista’s products simplifies deployment and reduces licensing complexity.

“We use a single operating system across our products. That makes deployment easier and reduces costs.”

Oladapo also pointed to adequate distribution management as a way to reduce the circulation of unsupported products in the market.

“One of the problems in the market is the spread of unsupported or counterfeit products,” she said. “We manage distribution carefully to ensure customers get genuine, fully supported solutions.”

The company’s near-term focus in Nigeria will be on building local capacity. “We are investing in training partners and engineers, because they are the ones driving adoption on the ground,” Oladapo said.

Efficiency has become an indispensable factor as demand for digital services grows, and organisations place greater emphasis on infrastructure that delivers performance without increasing operational stress.

Arista and its partners are therefore placing priority on delivering networks that combine speed, reliability and lower energy use, across data centres and other sectors, while supporting the scale required by Nigeria’s expanding digital economy.

The post Arista, Partners Promise 30% Power Savings for Nigeria’s Data Centres as Demand Increases appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Under this agreement, Mart Networks will serve as a distributor in East and West Africa for Invinsense Offensive Extended Detection and Response (OXDR), a platform for threat exposure management, and Invinsense Govern Secure Optimize and Strengthen (GSOS), a platform for security compliance management.   

Invinsense OXDR is a comprehensive threat exposure management suite that integrates Attack Surface Management (ASM), Vulnerability Management (VM), Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS), Continuous Automated Red Teaming (CART), and RedOps. It enables organizations to discover, prioritize, validate, and remediate their security exposures. These exposures extend beyond vulnerabilities to include misconfigured assets, security control weaknesses, counterfeit assets, and poor responses to phishing simulations.

Invinsense GSOS, a compliance platform, is meticulously designed to streamline the process of achieving various security compliance standards while optimizing efficiency. Comprising seven modules, it enables organizations to develop robust cybersecurity strategies, simplify compliance management, strengthen security protocols, mitigate risks, enhance cybersecurity awareness and readiness, and ensure regulatory adherence for protecting sensitive data.

“The increasing sophistication and volume of cyberattacks in Africa demand a comprehensive cybersecurity approach,” said Moiz Maloo, CEO of Mart Networks Group. “Africa must now go beyond preventive security and detection and response by incorporating proactive strategies like Threat Exposure Management. Security compliance is another challenge for African organizations, and they need a platform-driven approach to achieve compliance holistically.”

Speaking on the partnership with Infopercept, Mr. Maloo added, “Mart Networks is focused on two key areas: cybersecurity and delivering tomorrow’s technology today. With decades of experience in value-added distribution for cybersecurity, we have already created significant value for our customers and partners in preventive security, detection, and response. Africa is a prime target for sophisticated cyberattacks, leading to increasingly stringent security compliance requirements. We recognized gaps in our cybersecurity offerings and sought to address them. Infopercept’s Invinsense platform fills these gaps by providing both threat exposure management and security compliance solutions, along with managed services. This collaboration will help us protect African organizations from breaches and security exposures.”

Expressing enthusiasm about the partnership, Jaydeep Ruparelia, CEO of Infopercept, said,

“Since our inception, Infopercept has been committed to cybersecurity. For our expansion into Africa, we sought a distribution partner equally passionate about the field, and we found that in Mart Networks. Africa presents a unique landscape with a diverse range of organizations.

On one end, there are cloud-native companies, while on the other, some organizations prefer to remain entirely on-premise, with many adopting a hybrid model. With Invinsense, we have built a scalable platform that caters to the cybersecurity and compliance needs of all these organizations.

Our platform-led managed security services model also addresses the significant cybersecurity skills gap, which is a global challenge. With Mart Networks as our partner, we are confident in delivering two critical cybersecurity outcomes for organizations in the region: defending against sophisticated cyberattacks and ensuring security compliance.”

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Moiz Maloo, managing director of Mart Networks, speaking at the conference themed: “Delivering Tomorrow’s Technology, Today” reiterated the company’s focus on local talent development, technology transfer, and empowering Nigerian businesses with a comprehensive range of infrastructure and cybersecurity solutions.

The event held at Radisson Blu Hotel, Lagos highlighted the company’s dedication in knowledge transfer as well as showcasing its comprehensive solutions tailored to the Nigerian market.

Maloo emphasized the global nature of the business, with team members traveling from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa to engage with local partners and discuss the latest in technology offerings.

Operating in 10 countries, Mart Networks established its Nigerian base in 2013, focusing on the distribution of a wide array of technological infrastructure.

Maloo explained,

“We sell various technologies, including data centre infrastructure, networking, cybersecurity, cloud solutions, and cloud solution training,” adding that the company also offers cutting-edge services such as compute, storage, hyper-converged infrastructure, video collaboration, and unified communication”.

The event, aimed at strengthening relationships with local partners, saw product managers and technical engineers from across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa sharing their expertise, with these professionals providing insights into Mart Networks’ diverse product portfolio and its application in the Nigerian market.

“Our goal with this event is to showcase the full range of solutions we provide,” Maloo noted. “By sharing knowledge with local system integrators, we empower them to deliver even greater value to their customers in Nigeria,” he said.

With a strong presence in Nigeria for over a decade, Mart Networks is reinforcing its role as a key enabler of digital transformation, offering essential tools and training to help Nigerian businesses thrive in the technology-driven future.

Maloo who reiterated the company’s commitment to technology transfer and local talent development as it continues to expand in Nigeria, highlighted the company’s investment in knowledge transfer and training, emphasizing the importance of understanding the products they sell and the local markets they operate in.

“We believe strongly in knowledge transfer. If you don’t know what you’re selling or how to use it, it’s very hard to implement, especially on our continent. That’s why we invest heavily in training and building a strong technical team to support our local partners,” Maloo said.

He stated that Mart Networks takes pride in being a Pan-African distributor, unlike many competitors that bring in talent from outside the region.

“We understand the culture and business here. Our entire team in Nigeria is Nigerian, just like in Kenya, Tanzania, and wherever we operate. We focus on nurturing local talent and adding value to the market.”

Despite the volatility of the Nigerian naira, which has been a challenge for many businesses, Mart Networks has adapted through strategic planning and partnerships.

As an importer of technology—mainly hardware not manufactured locally—the company has worked closely with banking partners to hedge against currency fluctuations. “We plan better, speak to our banking partners, and hedge funds to ensure we have access to dollars,” Maloo explained.

Reflecting on Mart Networks’ 11-year presence in Nigeria, Maloo noted the company’s steady growth since its entry into the market in 2013. “We’ve grown year on year, despite challenges, including the pandemic.

“Over the last 18 to 24 months, we have restructured, invested in more resources, and have faith in the Nigerian market,” he said, adding that comparing the first nine months of 2023 with the same period in 2022, the company has already seen growth, and Maloo is optimistic about the future.

“Nigeria is a very promising market with great potential. If the naira stabilizes further, the economy could be even stronger. We’re committed to being a part of that growth and continue investing in the market and its talent,” he said.

With a focus on empowering local partners, Mart Networks is poised for further expansion, helping to shape the future of IT infrastructure in Nigeria and beyond.

Meanwhile, IT Horizons, a leading IT systems integration company, has commended Mart Networks Group for its consistent support and long-standing partnership over the years.

Speaking at Mart Networks’ conference in Lagos, Stephen Asishana, head of Sales and Business Development at IT Horizons, highlighted the crucial role Mart Networks has played in the company’s success since its inception 12 years ago.

“When we started on this journey, Mart Networks was one of the distributors that supported us, ensuring products were available at the right time, helping us fulfill our customers’ needs quickly,” said Asishana. “Our relationship has grown over the years as Mart Networks has expanded its portfolio, adding more brands, OEMs, and solutions. It’s truly a win-win relationship.”

Asishana who lauded the company’s commitment to engaging with its partners, not just through large-scale events like this, but with continuous interaction throughout the year, described the event as a key feature of Mart Networks’ annual calendar, which brings together local partners to showcase the distributor’s latest offerings.

“Mart Networks does this annually, but the great thing is that it’s not just a one-off. They stay in touch with partners throughout the year, constantly engaging us and providing insights into their products and services,” he added. “This event helps us as partners learn about the solutions they distribute, so we can pass that knowledge on to our customers.”

Asishana emphasized the significance of attending such events, noting that IT Horizons stands to benefit greatly by staying updated on the latest technological innovations. “Technology is always evolving, and events like this keep us informed about the latest trends. For us at IT Horizons, it opens our eyes to new possibilities, helping us identify solutions that can address the challenges faced by our customers.”

“As the event progresses, IT Horizons expects to continue gaining valuable insights into cutting-edge technologies that can enhance their service offerings. “We know our customers’ pain points, and this event helps us discover solutions that can effectively address them,” Asishana concluded.

With a solid partnership and continued collaboration, IT Horizons and Mart Networks are poised to drive further innovation and deliver greater value to businesses across Nigeria.

In a related development, Sophos, a global leader in cybersecurity, has commended its long-standing partnership with Mart Networks Group during the distributor’s annual event, “Mart Day,” which brings together key partners, OEMs, and end users from across West Africa.

Sandra Nnadozie, Channel Account Manager for West Africa at Sophos, highlighted the importance of the event as an opportunity to strengthen relationships and showcase cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions.

“Mart Networks is our distributor in West Africa, covering Nigeria, Ghana, and other regions,” Nnadozie said. “Today’s event is a chance for us to meet with our partners and end customers, celebrate with Mart Networks, and continue building on the solid foundation we’ve developed over many years.”

Sophos’ relationship with Mart Networks spans well over a decade, not just in West Africa, but also in regions like East Africa and the UK. “We’ve had a very cordial relationship, working together for more than 15 to 20 years. It’s like family. The partnership continues to grow stronger year after year,” she added.

Nnadozie emphasized that the primary goal for Sophos at the event was to further solidify its relationship with Mart Networks while also promoting the importance of cybersecurity. “We’re here to spread the ‘gospel of cybersecurity.’ The future of cybersecurity lies in Managed Detection and Response (MDR), which helps organizations manage their cybersecurity infrastructure, especially in the absence of a dedicated security team,” she explained.

As organizations face increasing cyber threats, Sophos is focused on educating businesses about advanced cybersecurity solutions like MDR to prevent data breaches and security lapses.

Sophos’ presence at the event underscores its commitment to helping businesses in West Africa safeguard their operations against evolving cyber threats while reinforcing its partnership with Mart Networks. “We are here to show that we stand strongly beside them,” Nnadozie concluded.

With cybersecurity becoming an increasingly critical concern across industries, Sophos and Mart Networks continue to work together to provide comprehensive solutions, ensuring that businesses in West Africa are better equipped to defend against the threats of tomorrow.

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