As East African organisations embrace the promises of digital transformation, attention tends to gravitate toward what’s tangible: sleek offices, hybrid-ready meeting rooms, smart devices, and AI-powered tools.
Yet beneath these innovations lies an often-overlooked enabler—the corporate network. Quietly operating behind the scenes, the network is the backbone of the digital workplace. Without a fast, secure, and scalable infrastructure, the most ambitious investments risk becoming expensive, underperforming assets.
Take the example of a dynamic startup in Nairobi. The company may boast modern collaboration spaces and the latest software platforms designed for efficiency.
But if video calls are frequently disrupted, large files transfer at a crawl, and Wi-Fi connectivity is inconsistent, productivity plummets.
The culprit isn’t the shiny technology on the surface—it’s the network beneath it, unable to support the demands of the modern workplace.
This challenge is not unique. Across East Africa, many organisations prioritise digital transformation while underestimating the foundational role of network infrastructure.
As hybrid work becomes the norm and businesses migrate applications to the cloud, the demands placed on corporate networks have increased exponentially.
Today, the network is more than a connectivity tool; it is a strategic asset. It ensures seamless collaboration between colleagues in different locations. A high-performing network enables all of this without friction, ensuring smooth operations, productive employees, and efficient IT support.
But when the network fails, productivity falters, employee engagement dips, and IT teams are forced into constant firefighting. In East Africa’s fast-changing business environment, a secure and adaptable network is not a luxury. It is a necessity.
The corporate network has also become central to cybersecurity. With the widespread adoption of bring-your-own-device policies and remote work, traditional perimeter-based security models no longer suffice.
Employees are connecting from multiple devices, often outside secure office environments. This new reality calls for a zero-trust approach—one that verifies every user and device before granting access. A zero-trust network helps eliminate blind spots and significantly reduces cyber risks, while still offering the flexibility that modern employees expect.
When augmented with AI-powered threat detection, networks become even more capable of identifying and neutralising emerging threats before they cause damage.
Hybrid work also demands a network optimised for video and real-time collaboration. NTT DATA’s 2023 Global Employee Experience Trends Report underscores the global shift toward video-enabled workspaces.
In East Africa, where teams are increasingly distributed and client meetings often occur remotely, this shift places significant strain on networks. Prioritising video traffic ensures uninterrupted calls, stable cloud application performance, and smooth integration of digital signage and smart office solutions.
Without such optimisation, organisations find themselves in a constant battle with bandwidth constraints, compromising employee experience and client service delivery.
The advent of AI-driven network management is a game-changer for businesses in the region. Unlike traditional networks that require manual oversight, intelligent networks can predict congestion, automatically allocate bandwidth, and self-correct performance issues before users even notice.
This automation translates to fewer outages, improved efficiency, and a network that continuously adapts to business needs. More importantly, it frees up IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than day-to-day troubleshooting.
Sustainability is another area where the network plays an increasingly influential role. Energy efficiency is both an environmental and economic priority in East Africa. With Power over Ethernet (PoE), businesses can power lights, sensors, and even furniture through the network, reducing energy usage and operational costs.
Integrated smart sensors can monitor carbon dioxide levels, occupancy patterns, and power consumption—providing the data needed to optimise energy use and meet sustainability goals.
In this way, a well-managed network contributes directly to an organisation’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) objectives, while also boosting its public image and appeal to environmentally conscious talent.
Yet, despite the growing importance of networks, many organisations continue to operate with outdated infrastructure. The consequences of inaction are clear: slow network speeds disrupt workflows, emergency repairs inflate budgets, and fragile infrastructure can’t support digital transformation.
To stay ahead, businesses must take a strategic approach to network modernisation connected tomorrow for East Africa.
The writer is the General Manager, Digital Network Services, at NTT DATA East Africa
