The CEO of Unitellas Edge Cloud, Smith Osemeke, is calling on Nigerian businesses and government institutions to keep their data within the country’s borders to guard against foreign surveillance and cyber threats.
Osemeke sounded the alarm over the dangers of storing sensitive information on overseas servers, warning that it leaves Nigeria’s public and private sectors open to hacking, data manipulation, and a loss of control over critical information.
“Hosting data locally gives us control over who can access it, when, and under what conditions,” he said. “That level of precision is not possible with foreign-hosted platforms.”
Unitellas, in collaboration with U.S. edge cloud provider Zadara, has launched cloud infrastructure based in Nigeria, designed to process data in real time and comply fully with national data protection laws. Unlike traditional cloud services based abroad, Osemeke said their edge cloud platform offers faster performance, reduced latency, and stronger data sovereignty — key for high-stakes sectors like oil and gas, finance, and national security.
He added that Unitellas’ locally operated Security Operations Center (SOC) works around the clock to detect and neutralize cyber threats, both foreign and domestic.
Osemeke also highlighted the company’s role in the federal government’s 1Government Cloud project, in partnership with Galaxy Backbone. The initiative has already helped over 700 ministries, departments, and agencies transition to digital services in line with Nigeria’s Data Protection Act.
Beyond security, Osemeke emphasized the economic benefits of going local. With a naira-based, subscription pricing model, Nigerian businesses can now access high-level cloud services without being at the mercy of foreign exchange swings.
“We’re not just securing data,” he said, “we’re making cloud technology more affordable and accessible to Nigerian enterprises.”
