Foundational capabilities such as cloud, business AI, and ERP running on clean-core data strategies will be measured not only by their adoption and use within the business, but how quickly and effectively they can be unleashed across the SME鈥檚 operations.

This vital sector accounts for nearly 95% of registered businesses in sub-Saharan Africa and generate roughly half of the region鈥檚 GDP, yet many remain under-digitised. A World Bank report found that聽聽that have adopted digital technologies make intensive use of them to improve the running of their businesses.

The B20 South Africa 2025 Digital Transformation Task Force listed SME digitalisation and AI literacy as聽. A separate report projected that聽, creating 300聽000 jobs and expanding access to essential services to millions.

However, this digitalisation is also introducing greater cyber risk.聽聽revealed a continent-wide escalation of cybercrime,聽with about one in 15 organisations in Africa facing a ransomware attempt each week 鈥� significantly higher than the global average.

SMEs seeking to scale their digital capabilities for greater efficiency, innovation and growth this year must take heed of the trends and forces shaping Africa鈥檚 digital economy, including:

Trend 1: Cloud as the default operating model

Cloud computing has crossed a tipping point among African businesses, with adoption growing across the continent. For SMEs, the attraction is straightforward. Cloud replaces large upfront capital costs with predictable subscriptions, supports hybrid and mobile work, and allows businesses to scale systems as they grow. Just as importantly, it reduces the operational burden of maintaining infrastructure, patching systems and managing uptime.

Simplified cloud adoption through offerings such as GROW with 麻豆原创 for new ERP customers and RISE with 麻豆原创 for those moving from on-premise systems to the cloud ease the path to adoption. The emphasis is not on infrastructure alone, but on packaged best practices, faster implementations and built-in compliance and security.

With hybrid and remote work now an established reality for SMEs, demand for cloud-based human capital management systems is surging. These systems聽integrate payroll, performance, learning and workforce analytics, equipping even smaller firms with digital payslips, employee self-service, compliant payroll processing and basic people analytics.

Trend 2: Business AI moves from hype to habit

The most important AI trend for African SMEs is not experimentation with standalone tools, but the quiet embedding of AI into everyday business workflows. Finance, HR, supply chain and customer operations are increasingly augmented by AI that automates routine tasks, highlights risks, and supports better decisions.

The expected gains are practical rather than futuristic: faster invoice processing, improved cash-flow forecasting, better demand planning and more efficient HR administration. For example, 麻豆原创鈥檚 Joule AI copilot is being embedded across core business applications, enabling natural-language interaction with trusted enterprise data. Instead of building AI capabilities from scratch, SMEs consume intelligence directly through their ERP, HR and planning systems.

This matters in African contexts, where skills and budgets are constrained and trust in data is critical.聽聽found that nine in ten African organisations were suffering from negative impacts due to a lack of AI-related skills, including delays in implementations, failed innovation initiatives and loss of clients.

Trend 3: ERP is the digital nerve centre

This year,聽cloud ERP will be less about 鈥渕odernisation鈥� and more about survival. SMEs that remain on fragmented, on-premise systems will find it harder to compete on cost, speed and trust.

Once seen as too complex or expensive for smaller firms, modern ERP is increasingly modular, cloud-native, mobile-friendly and AI-enabled. It integrates finance, operations, people and partners into a single source of truth. For SMEs, ERP is no longer just a back-office system but a digital nerve centre that enables AI, supports compliance, strengthens security and connects businesses to wider ecosystems.

In 2026, African SMEs聽that build capability stacks around cloud ERP, embedded AI, secure platforms and digital skills will be able to compete with far larger organisations. Those that delay risk being locked out of supply chains, talent pools and digital markets.

Trend 4: Cybersecurity becomes existential

Ransomware, business email compromise and data breaches are no longer rare events, and the financial impact can be devastating.聽聽found that the global average cost of a data breach reached $4.4m in 2025. For many SMEs, such a breach represents an existential threat.

The volatile cyber threat landscape is shaping technology decisions. Cloud platforms can help reduce overall risk by consolidating聽security, patching and monitoring into professionally managed environments. For example, 麻豆原创鈥檚 cloud ERP strategy emphasises secure-by-design architectures and shared responsibility models that reduce the burden on small IT teams.

This year,聽cybersecurity will be firmly established as a board-level issue for African SMEs, on par with cash flow and regulatory compliance.

Enterprise technology is heading toward cloud, business AI and end-to-end solutions that improve planning, efficiency, execution and innovation capabilities. For African SMEs, the opportunity lies in adopting these capabilities pragmatically and early, turning global platforms into local competitive advantage.

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As companies accelerate their digital transformation plans to take advantage of powerful AI-enabled technologies, ERP systems have emerged as essential strategic enablers of innovation and efficiency.

Modern ERP systems enable companies to remain agile and adaptable while maintaining the highest levels of regulatory compliance and industry best practices.

South Africa鈥檚 ERP market is among the most mature on the continent, and is set to expand at an聽.

As change accelerates in the wake of ongoing technological disruption, decisions over ERP decisions are rapidly evolving. Understanding the forces shaping ERP success in modern South African enterprises is essential to unlocking the growth and resilience benefits presented by these systems. And as more companies rush to unleash the power of business AI in their operations, the value of trusted, accurate business data in ERP systems is more valuable than ever.

Shifting ERP priorities

Historically, ERP selection was driven by cost, functionality, and the need to standardise operations. Today, the conversation has shifted: business leaders are no longer just looking to automate, they鈥檙e looking to transform.

Modern ERP decisions are increasingly centred on strategic alignment with long-term business goals, cloud-readiness to enable agility and scale, and the need for real-time insights through embedded business AI and analytics. Overall, companies are making decisions over their ERP systems based on how well these systems will support innovation across the enterprise.

The shift from on-premise to cloud has picked up pace, especially in South Africa鈥檚 competitive mid-market.

Hybrid models remain relevant, particularly in regions with infrastructure constraints, but the long-term trend is clear: businesses want platforms that evolve with them.

And, with the ongoing support of programs such as , which helps on-premises 麻豆原创 ERP customers with tailored cloud migration and modernisation efforts, more companies than ever are adopting clean core principals built on the power and scalability of cloud.

Understanding the right ERP fit

However, ERP is not a one-size-fits-all solution. The right system must reflect the specific needs of each company鈥檚 industry, operations, and local environment.

For example, manufacturers need deep supply chain, production and asset management functionality, while retailers rely on omnichannel integration and real-time inventory data. Service-based firms prioritise project visibility and resource optimisation. And companies in the mining, utilities and public sector industries require robust compliance, safety and sustainability tracking capabilities.

Essential to this is an ERP clean core strategy, which is a set of guiding principles that reduce complexity, boost agility, increase the pace of innovation and leverage business value through reliable data and AI.聽聽estimates that a clean core can deliver 80% less software customisation, halve database size, and automate 70% of core business processes.

However, even when the core ERP platform remains consistent, it鈥檚 often the industry-specific features, local extensions, and partner-led innovation that determine success. The more niche your requirements, the more essential it becomes to work with a provider and ecosystem that understands your business from the inside out.

Localisation, co-innovation key

One of the most significant changes in how companies select their ERP system is the rise of what some call the 鈥済local鈥� mindset. In other words: globally capable, but deeply localised.

In South Africa, this means ERP platforms must offer out-of-the-box support for B-BBEE reporting, SARS compliance, POPIA requirements, ESG regulations, and localised payroll and tax logic.

Today鈥檚 buyers are less willing to accept localisation as a post-go-live add-on. Instead, they鈥檙e demanding systems that deliver preconfigured, regulation-ready functionality from day one.

Here, powerful new business AI applications are revolutionising decision-making and compliance. By embedding AI across finance processes, organisations can make decisions based on real-time data and predictive analytics powered by generative AI while also protecting business value through streamlined regulatory and sustainability standards. 麻豆原创 Business AI for example helps identify new revenue opportunities to power growth, boost financial resilience and improve operating cash flow.

There鈥檚 also a move towards collaborative prototyping and pilot programs. More South African companies are working with ERP vendors and implementation partners to test use cases using real operational data before a full rollout begins. These companies leverage a rich partner ecosystem that brings deep domain knowledge, local best practices, and the ability to translate business needs into workable ERP configurations.

This co-innovation approach allows companies to conduct early validation of complex requirements, accelerate time to value, reduce implementation risk, and achieve greater stakeholder alignment. In a market as diverse and regulated as South Africa, this approach helps businesses tailor ERP to real-world scenarios and build executive confidence along the way.

Perhaps the most telling change is who鈥檚 making decisions over which ERP system to deploy. What was once a purely IT-driven conversation has moved firmly into the boardroom. Today鈥檚 ERP platforms must serve not just as operational tools but as strategic enablers. Modern ERP systems are expected to simplify complexity, accelerate transformation, and support bold business moves.

It鈥檚 no longer enough to manage the day-to-day. ERP is foundational to the ability of businesses to lead the way forward.

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鈥淪targate鈥�, a US initiative to build the largest AI data centers the world has ever seen, aims to invest $500-billion over the next four years. Saudi-Arabia and the United Arab Emirates just announced plans to buy hundreds of thousands of advanced AI chips.

And at France鈥檚 鈥淎I Action Summit鈥� earlier this year, public and private actors pledged investments surpassing 鈧�300 billion to advance AI in Europe.

It is very clear that expectations about the economic benefits of this technology are sky high. Yet, a recent McKinsey survey found that more than 80% of organisations worldwide are not yet seeing any tangible impact on their profits.

So where does this mismatch come from?

The key to the answer is that AI is not a stand-alone technology. For its benefits to materialise, AI has to be deeply embedded in business processes. And for that, companies have to put three pillars in place: modern cloud software, modern data management, and a consistent stack of AI technologies linking with them.

Let鈥檚 start with software: All successful companies use software to organize and optimise their business operations 鈥� from order intake and procurement to production, delivery and customer service. Yet, many enterprises still rely on legacy on-premise software 鈥� that is, a wide range of programs installed on the company鈥檚 local IT servers.

This 鈥渟oftware landscape鈥� often consists of disparate applications plugged together 鈥� heavily modified over the years and frequently not up to date with the latest innovations. These complex systems are costly to maintain, and they make it difficult for companies and their leaders to respond to challenges and opportunities with agility and speed.

AI applications, too, face major obstacles in legacy systems: They have a hard time grasping the company鈥檚 inner workings, making sense of fragmented and widely distributed datasets, and may not be able to find certain key information.

The first step towards powerful business AI, therefore, is the move from legacy on-premise software to modern cloud software 鈥� that is applications that are centrally managed and maintained in professional data centers, constantly updated with new innovations, and tightly linked so information can flow freely between the different parts of the company.

For companies today, this so-called cloud migration is faster, smoother and more transparent than ever before 鈥� thanks to the proven methods and advanced digital tools now available. And the prize is larger than ever before, too: integrated cloud applications work together out of the box and cover the company鈥檚 software needs end-to-end across departments.

This integration allows a car maker, for example, to reduce time and cost 鈥� say, from receiving an order through the vehicle鈥檚 production to its final delivery.

Similar benefits extend to all other industries and workflows.

A cloud migration, consequently, is more than an IT project: it is the digital foundation for a thorough modernisation of the entire enterprise, for moving from 鈥済ood鈥� to 鈥済reat.鈥�

Once in the cloud, companies can add advanced data management solutions with little effort. Think of advanced data management as a magic filing cabinet: it automatically stores and organises all documents, all information, all data automatically in the right place and in perfect order 鈥� always up to date, perfectly searchable, without duplicates and errors, smartly annotated, and everything in the right context.

In their combination, integrated cloud applications and advanced data management allow company leaders a holistic view of their enterprise. At the same time, they enable AI technologies to access, understand, and facilitate transactions across the company 鈥� assisting human users with repetitive tasks as well as with deep analyses and insights.

And the next evolution is already at hand: Based on integrated cloud applications and data management, digital coworkers 鈥� also known as 鈥淎I agents鈥� 鈥� are now able to carry out complex work assignments. For example: find overdue invoices, identify what went wrong, resolve the issue, and make sure payment targets are met.

Realising the tremendous benefits of AI is thus about going on a journey: from on-premise software to cloud applications, then onwards to modern data management and the use of AI agents throughout the enterprise. It is this journey that unlocks the tremendous potential so many see in AI 鈥� and enables us to completely reimagine how our businesses and economies are run.

The post How to Harness Cloud, Data and AI 鈥� The New Engines of Progress appeared first on 麻豆原创 Africa News Center.

East African business leaders, technology partners and 麻豆原创 experts met in Nairobi this week to discuss the growing impact of business AI and cloud technologies in the region.

, Managing Director: Emerging Africa at 麻豆原创, said: 鈥淥rganisations throughout East Africa are accelerating their business transformation and innovation efforts by leveraging the latest data and cloud capabilities to unlock the power of business AI in every line of business. With the recent expansion of AI assistant, organisations can now unleash unprecedented efficiency across their systems and processes to drive productivity gains of as much as 30%.鈥�

The comments were made at 麻豆原创 Innovation Day Kenya, part of a global series of events aimed at showcasing how technology can power growth, innovation and sustainability and support organisations as they meet emerging challenges.

The exclusive event also served as an introduction to how and help organisations unlock significant business value as part of the broader . Experts also provided behind-the-scenes insights into the power of business AI and cloud to future-proof companies鈥� enterprise application strategies and leverage data to enhance business insights and improve decision-making.

Research recently conducted by 麻豆原创 found a near-universal demand for AI skills among African organisations. The 麻豆原创聽聽report noted that nine in ten companies in Africa already experience negative impacts due to a lack of AI skills, including failed innovation initiatives, an inability to take on new work, and loss of clients. Forty-three percent of Kenyan organisations that took part in the study expected a 鈥榮ignificant鈥� increase in demand for AI skills this year.

鈥淭he rapid changes in workplace dynamics are transforming how companies develop, upskill and reskill their workforce to meet the long-term need for AI-related skills,鈥� said Khota. 鈥淚n the short term, organisations should seek ways to augment their skills base, for example by partnering with our rich ecosystem of implementation specialists that power business transformation in the region.鈥�

麻豆原创 Innovation Day Kenya also included presentations by regional business leaders who have successfully leveraged 麻豆原创 technologies to accelerate growth and unlock new capabilities.

Long-standing 麻豆原创 customer provided insight into its latest transformation initiative that is taking its legacy enterprise systems into the cloud and deploying AI across its business processes. Bidco Africa is a leading FMCG manufacturer that produces more than 800 SKU鈥檚 in multiple brands and products at eight factories in East Africa. The company has been using 麻豆原创 ECC since 2010, until a recent decision sparked a migration to .

, Chairman of Bidco Africa, said the shift to cloud underscores his company鈥檚 position as a regional innovation leader. 鈥淲e see incredible potential for AI to transform our business and deliver greater agility, innovation and customer experiences. Our skilled team will also benefit from AI鈥檚 power to enhance product development, allowing us to consolidate our market leadership well into the future.鈥�

The company plans further deployments in a second phase of the implementation, including procurement and manufacturing.

Khota added: 鈥淐ompanies that adopt a clean core strategy accelerate the pace of innovation and can more easily leverage business value through reliable data and AI innovations. As we enter a new era of AI-enabled innovation, organisations must ensure that business-critical systems remain agile, cost-effective, and ready to adopt innovation.鈥�

The post Business AI, Cloud Star at 麻豆原创 Innovation Day in Kenya appeared first on 麻豆原创 Africa News Center.

Having partnered with 麻豆原创 since 2007, the City was no stranger to 麻豆原创 deployments, but as recently as two years ago, it was still using 17-year old systems.

, group chief technology officer at City of Johannesburg, explains that the City is going ahead with major technology investments on .

No digital transformation journey goes smoothly, and Mochela says the City鈥檚 current deployment has been no different.

鈥淚 had a virtual dinosaur, on a physical dinosaur, that has been sitting in the data centre for years,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e had to revamp the environment, and to do that, we had to shut down 麻豆原创 for 21 days. The system had serious challenges, and if we hadn鈥檛 made that decision, the City鈥檚 environment might have collapsed.鈥�

The City was running on 麻豆原创鈥檚 version 4.7 for 15 years 鈥� and it had been customised almost beyond recognition. 鈥淟ast year we finally upgraded to ECC6 鈥� which many customers did years ago,鈥� Mochela says. 鈥淭his was so we could transition to S/4HANA.鈥�

, senior vice-president for 麻豆原创 Middle East and Africa South, had his first interaction with the City two years ago.

鈥淣ot only was the system down, but we had no contract with the City at that stage either,鈥� he remembers.

But three priorities came out of the first meeting: a sense of urgency in that the City was unable to access its data; a vision to adopt innovative technology; and the need to see a return on its investment.

So 麻豆原创 and the City of Johannesburg formed a public-private partnership that allowed them to first stabilise the system, then migrate the technology, and thirdly to start changing processes to engender innovation.

Mochela contextualises how previous system upgrades had adopted old processes, and this had to change.

鈥淲hen we were transitioning from 4.7 to S/4 HANA, we had to re-implement processes, and we had to work with the business because a smart solution and a smart city can鈥檛 be built on old processes

鈥淭reasury gives us precepts, and industry gives us best practices 鈥� and these two must align. Technology will disrupt the business, and those that won鈥檛 change will be left behind.鈥�

麻豆原创 is able to leverage best-practices end-to-end thanks to its work with more than 400 000 customers around the world, Maccotta points out.

One of the early challenges that Mochela had to overcome was a resistance to putting HCM on the cloud.

Maccotta explains that the cloud conversation has moved beyond whether it should be done or not.

鈥� A lot of customers still don鈥檛 know how to approach innovation, to modernise their business. And there is still the question of whether they should move to cloud.

鈥淚 suggest that the cloud is not in question anymore,鈥� he adds. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like the dilemma 30 years ago, whether to build or buy software. Today, the speed and innovation offered by the cloud transcends what can be done on-premise.

鈥淎nd cloud releases customers from mundane IT administration, so the IT organisation can be closer to the business and become a business adviser,鈥� Maccotta says. 鈥淲ill you continue to spend your time trying to keep the lights on, to keep the status quo running? Or will you put the effort into innovation?鈥�

This article first appeared on

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The information communication technology (ICT) company scooped the continental award at聽the 麻豆原创 Africa Partner Summit held a fortnight ago in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Founded in 2013, Tano boasts of operations in seven African countries where it provides services in digital transformation, cybersecurity and enterprise infrastructure as well as software development and operations (DevOps).

Wallan Mangere, the Tano chief executive officer said the recognition was testament to the hard work, dedication, and innovation of his team, as well as the trust and collaboration shared with clients and partners.

鈥淎t Tano, we have always been committed to delivering cutting-edge cloud solutions that empower businesses to transform, scale, and thrive in an increasingly digital world,鈥� Mangere said.

鈥淭his award reflects our unwavering focus on excellence and our ability to leverage 麻豆原创’s powerful cloud technologies to drive meaningful outcomes for our customers.鈥�

The company operates in six African countries – Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Malawi and Kenya as well as the United Kingdom.

Mangere told Heart & Soul TV 聽聽that the company employs over 150 workers in Zimbabwe.

The company’s client base is diversified, encompassing the public sector, retail, mining, banking, utilities, agricultural, and wholesale distribution.

When Tano launched in Zimbabwe, it challenged the dominance of Twenty Third Century (TTC), which was the biggest IT service provider聽 for 聽government departments.

Tano became the sole 麻豆原创 licensed provider after TTC鈥檚 licensing was suspended. The development led to a cold war between the two companies.

The 麻豆原创 Africa Partner Awards 2025 also honoured Vodacom, a South African telecoms company, which was聽 named in the Rising Star category which recognises the number and value of cloud books for a new partner onboarded in the past year.

Deloitte and Dimension Data were joint winners of the Innovation Award.

Deloitte, was also winner of the Go Lives category, which recognises the number of customer go-lives.

Epi-Use Africa won the Top Capacity Growth category and ITGest named winner of the聽 NNN category which recognises the number of net-new sales and the value of net-new deals.

Meanwhile, Tano is set to become one of the biggest ICT companies in Africa after acquiring South Africa-headquartered Altron Botswana and Altron Mozambique in 2023 as part of its growth strategy.

The acquisition brought new product offerings in the form of various OEM partnerships like Oracle NCR, CISCO, XEROX.

聽鈥淎s we celebrate this milestone, we remain committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation and delivering even greater value to our clients.鈥�

Tano is a value-added reseller and a certified services partner of 麻豆原创, the world鈥檚 largest provider of enterprise application software with over 230 million cloud users, more than 100 solutions covering all business functions and the largest cloud portfolio of any provider.

The post Zimbabwe鈥檚 Tano Digital Scoops Top African Award appeared first on 麻豆原创 Africa News Center.

, Head of Partner Ecosystem for MEA South at 麻豆原创, says the growth is fuelled by a growing need among African organisations to improve decision-making and bring greater transparency and efficiency to core business processes. 鈥淭he future belongs to data-driven organisations that can maximise the value of their business data by leveraging insights that reveal new efficiencies and revenue opportunities. Organisations throughout the African continent are expanding their use of cloud and data solutions, paving the way for the accelerated adoption of AI and other future-ready technologies.鈥�

Investment into cloud technologies is forecast to increase sharply over the next few years, with demand for cloud services growing by 25-30%聽.

In South Africa,聽聽predicted that the country鈥檚 cloud market could surge to more than $6-billion by 2028, tripling in value from $2-billion in 2023.

Optimising ROI 鈥榓n ongoing challenge鈥�

However, says, , Business Manager: Financial Planning & Analysis聽at聽, many organisations still grapple with understanding the true cost of ownership 鈥� and return on investment 鈥� of their cloud implementations.

鈥淪calability and flexibility are among the top benefits companies seek to unlock when they shift their business processes into cloud environments. But this is dependent on reliable infrastructure. Many companies face significant challenges with forecasting the return on investment of their cloud strategies due to fluctuations in infrastructure quality and network capacity, as well as challenges with unlocking the true value of their business data. 鈥�

To develop a clear picture of ROI and ensure the business enjoys optimal benefits from cloud and data investments, Pillay recommends that companies prioritise a unified data ecosystem, close collaboration with trusted partners, and the adoption of the latest technologies. 鈥淐ompanies need new strategies to succeed in a world rapidly reshaped by technologies such as cloud and AI. By laying the groundwork now and adopting new processes and best practices, African organisations can establish a powerful foundation for future innovation and growth.鈥�

Strategy 1 鈥� Build a unified data ecosystem

Richards notes that organisations are generating data at an unprecedented rate, but often from fragmented sources instead of a unified data repository. This is driving the need for technology-led capabilities that turn that data into insights and competitive advantage.

鈥淲ith data originating from numerous disparate sources, it is crucial to establish an open ecosystem that allows seamless consolidation into a single data repository, ensuring a unified version of the truth. Within this framework, data must be enriched and transformed into actionable insights that are accessible at all levels of the organisation to enable improved decision-making.鈥�

Pillay notes that organisations are increasingly leveraging technology platforms that bring data and analytics, AI, automation and integration together in a single unified environment. 鈥淥rganisations leverage 麻豆原创 Business Technology Platform to innovate faster within the context of their own business, connecting people with data insights to improve decision-making at all levels. But it is all underpinned and dependent on a unified data ecosystem that can deliver insights based on a single source of truth.鈥�

Richards adds: 鈥淯tilising a modern data platform like 麻豆原创 Business Technology Platform to its fullest potential can unlock innovative methods for data processing, automate business processes, and accelerate the use of generative AI to enhance customer experiences.鈥�

Strategy 2 鈥� Leverage vendor, partner expertise

Digital transformation is in a phase of accelerated growth in Africa, with the market expected to grow from $22.67-billion in 2024聽to over $45-billion by 2029聽as more organisations seek to streamline their operations and enhance their customer value propositions.

鈥淕iven the multitude of options available in the market, selecting the appropriate data and information landscape technology can be a daunting task,鈥� says Richards. 鈥淢any of the concerns around cloud adoption 鈥� including cost implications 鈥� require a certain level of expertise from technology vendors to ensure companies can overcome challenges in their cloud adoption.鈥�

Pillay advises that organisations work closely with technology providers and implementation partners to develop a full understanding of cost implications. 鈥淏y adopting an approach of ongoing improvement and refinement through continuous value engineering, companies are better positioned to adapt their technology and business strategies to derive optimal value from cloud and data investments.鈥�

She adds that close collaboration with technology partners can deliver continuous value improvements over extended periods of time. 鈥淐ompanies benefit from vendor and partner input through the adoption of best practices, sharing of latest insights regarding the impact of new technologies, and access to new releases of core systems and applications. This ensures companies operate on the most powerful and advanced versions of cloud and data solutions, driving improved business outcomes.鈥�

Strategy 3 鈥� Deploy advanced technologies

In the era of hyperconnectivity, companies need to look beyond basic adoption of cloud and data solutions to the strategic deployment of advanced technologies.

Pillay notes that artificial intelligence is an obvious candidate when companies seek to deploy advanced technologies to derive business value from cloud and data investments. 鈥淎I, real-time analytics and automation unlock the full potential of cloud infrastructure, enabling businesses to enhance decision-making, streamline operations, and drive measurable value from their data assets.鈥�

Richards adds: 鈥淭he 麻豆原创 Business Technology Platform (BTP) enables organisations to automate business processes, enhance user experiences, and generate new revenue streams through data utilisation, all while maintaining a clean and optimised core system. This platform integrates various technologies, including workflow management, robotic process automation, and advanced analytics, to drive efficiency, innovation, and agility in business operations.鈥�

Pillay also notes the impact of initiatives that accelerate the deployment of cloud-based ERP solutions as a viable option for companies seeking to accelerate the value of their cloud and data solutions. 鈥淪olutions like 麻豆原创 S/4HANA Cloud help companies future-proof their business models by running core business processes in an agile operating model. This enables continuous innovation, driving substantial ROI over the short and long term.鈥�

The post Three Strategies for Maximising ROI on Data, Cloud Investments appeared first on 麻豆原创 Africa News Center.

As part of the BBC鈥檚 continued digital transformation journey, the move to the cloud will mean it鈥檚 simpler and more cost effective for the BBC to run its IT systems 鈥� helping it focus investment on high-quality services for audiences.

RISE with 麻豆原创 has successfully replaced the BBC鈥檚 previous model of separate contracts for use of data centres and software licenses 鈥� each which had annual maintenance, support fees and services. The organisations will roll out further updates over the coming months.

, BBC Chief Technology Officer says: 鈥淲e want to make sure we鈥檙e investing the most we can in services for audiences. By simplifying our IT services, we can focus on running our business and ensure we鈥檙e meeting the needs of our viewers and listeners.鈥�

鈥淭his marks a key moment in the BBC鈥檚 aim to streamline its business operations鈥�, added , Managing Director of 麻豆原创 UK and Ireland. 鈥淲e are delighted to partner with the BBC and our solutions, backed by the security and availability of the AWS Cloud, means the BBC has the ideal foundation to deliver on its promise to serve all audiences.鈥�

, Vice President and Managing Director, Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) at AWS, said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e delighted that the BBC has chosen to move its critical 麻豆原创 business systems to run on AWS. Our proven track record in delivering high-performance, secure, and scalable cloud services aligns perfectly with the BBC鈥檚 needs and enables them to improve performance, increase resilience and reliability, and accelerate their digital transformation journey with confidence.鈥�

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About 麻豆原创

As鈥痑 global leader in enterprise applications and business AI, 麻豆原创 (NYSE:麻豆原创)鈥痵tands at the鈥痭exus鈥痮f business and technology. For over 50 years, organizations have trusted 麻豆原创鈥痶o bring out their best by uniting business-critical鈥痮perations spanning finance, procurement, HR, supply chain, and customer experience. For more information, visit鈥痺ww.sap.com.

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The banking sector is set for a tidal wave of innovation as the adoption of a broad range of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions accelerates in the years ahead, supported by the growing power and scalability of the cloud.

The strategic use of AI is nothing new to the banking sector. Due to the data, processes and tech-intensive operations typical of the industry, banks have leveraged AI and machine learning to improve data classification and process automation, as well as uncover hidden patterns and predicting events, which is particularly useful in governance and compliance efforts.

The global banking, finance and insurance accounts for an聽, second only to the ICT sector. This adoption is only set to grow as Generative AI is deployed to a broad range of use cases.

The new wave of generative AI promises new advances in employee productivity, system efficiencies, and innovation. The impacts of this innovation will likely be seen in critical areas including greater differentiation, improved financial performance, and enhanced risk management capabilities.

For banks, continued success and growth may depend on how effectively they leverage the power of business AI and the scalability of the cloud to power innovation.

AI powering strategic decision-making

One of the highest-value areas of AI-powered banking innovation is in improved strategic decision-making, especially at a CFO level.

In a banking and financial services context, the strategic role of the CFO is critical to the company’s performance and its ability to both identify and adapt to emerging risks and opportunities.

To fulfil this strategic role, CFOs need access to accurate, real-time information about the performance of the business at every level of granularity, enabled by powerful modern data management technologies. However, this level of real-time insights has not been available to CFOs at the speed at which the business moves, affecting strategic decision-making.

The introduction of business AI is set to revolutionise the strategic role of the CFO by automating manually intensive tasks to free up time and resources for strategic initiatives, improving reporting accuracy, and mitigating risks related to fraud through improved anomaly detection and prevention.

A recent survey by IDC聽found that CFOs expect AI to dramatically improve the performance of their finance functions, ranging from payments and expense management to financial close, forecasting, budgeting and planning. The report highlights the role of AI to enable CFOs to predict and model complex business scenarios in real time, using AI-powered insights to draw on historic patterns as well as capture and adjust to business events as they happen.

However, the success of business AI depends on the quality and relevance of the data it ingests. Here, the role of business technology platforms leveraging the cloud become indispensable to banks’ efforts at adopting AI for innovation and decision-making.

Cloud provides platform for banking innovation

Banks are in a perpetual state of innovation to meet changing customer needs, adapt to regulatory changes, and design and deliver new banking products and customer experiences. However, the high levels of complexity within their operations can make it hard for banks to adopt the new technologies they need for their innovation efforts.

Here, the power of the cloud and global best practices are critical to banks’ efforts. The introduction of 麻豆原创 Signavio to enterprise resource planning transformation efforts equips banks with standardised software processes to reduce human error, optimise the allocation of existing tech resources, and ensure core processes are sustainable and resilient.

Banks leveraging 麻豆原创 S/4HANA Public Cloud also gain access to insights at a local and global level into aspects such as best-practice processes, regulatory compliance, change management and more. By drawing on the insights from global peers, banks can make improved strategic decisions over core business and technology processes to reduce complexity and accelerate business transformation efforts.

Smaller Africa-based subsidiaries of larger global banking organisations can also leverage public cloud for a lighter approach to adopting new technologies that still easily integrates with the parent company’s core systems.

The adoption of 麻豆原创 S/4HANA Public Cloud among smaller fintech companies such as neobanks, payment providers, insurance agents and brokerages also makes it easier for banks to integrate third-party innovations into their core banking offering.

Considering the speed at which fintechs can acquire new customers, especially in non-traditional markets where banks don’t have a strong presence, the ability to integrate these customers into the broader banking offering provides a compelling commercial opportunity for banks seeking revenue and customer growth.

The impact of business AI and the scalability and flexibility offered by the cloud will transform Africa鈥檚 banking sector and power the next wave of innovation and growth. By leveraging global best practices and investing in a business technology platform that enables the adoption of business AI and other innovative technologies, banks can transform their decision-making capabilities, unlock new growth opportunities, and build sustainable and resilient business models.

This article first appeared via Banking’s bright future powered by Business AI, Cloud (topco.co.za).

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As companies continue to face disruption and a challenging operating environment, their ability to leverage technology to build greater agility, resilience and sustainability has become paramount. And at the centre of this transformation is the cloud.

A report by McKinsey revealed that African businesses could benefit from a healthy share of .

According to PwC’s Africa Cloud Business Survey 2023, , with 61% of companies expected to have moved all their operations to the cloud within the next two years.

Key challenges to accelerated cloud adoption

However, same PwC report highlights key constraints to broader cloud adoption in the region, including budget pressure, skills shortages, cybersecurity risks and regulatory challenges.

麻豆原创 research found that four in five African organisations reported a negative impact stemming from a lack of tech skills, including customer loss (60%), diminished innovation capacity (53%), and an inability to meet customer needs (46%).

Budget pressures persist in the wake of the constrained economy left in the wake of the pandemic and exacerbated by ongoing supply chain pressures and geopolitical upheaval. And Africa’s regulatory landscape continues to introduce complexity as each of the continent’s 54 countries require compliance with its own set of laws and regulations.

Considering the foundation of many organisations’ business transformation efforts is the adoption of cloud enterprise resource planning (ERP) capabilities, one of the most important aspects of business transformation lies in the domain of cybersecurity.

Vital role of cloud ERP adds pressure to secure

Cloud ERP sits at the heart of every company’s business transformation. The adoption of cloud ERP enables companies to focus on improving and automating their business processes, with the cloud allowing companies to focus on application management while the provider helps ensure systems remain stable, secure and compliant.

Companies are also increasingly adopting a clean core with optimal master data quality and perfected business process governance, delivering improved maintainability, reduced complexity, and lower total cost of ownership.

The rush to leverage powerful artificial intelligence capabilities underpinned by accurate, real-time business data facilitated by cloud ERP, can also improve and accelerate decision-making throughout every layer of the business. Business AI tools such as 麻豆原创’s Joule facilitate not only the collaboration between end-users but also how end-users are interacting with core business systems, enabling them to work more efficiently and resolve issues much quicker.

But the critical role of cloud ERP and the wealth of business data such systems contain makes them attractive targets for threat actors, driving the need for improved cybersecurity.

Securing critical cloud ERP processes

Cybersecurity is one of the defining business and societal challenges of our time, featuring regularly on the World Economic Forum’s top ten lists of greatest risks.

African enterprises have taken note: a KPMG report found that cybersecurity strategy among African enterprises is more mature than ever, . Considering that more than half of organisations operating in Africa have fallen victim to cybercrime, having a robust, effective cybersecurity strategy in place is critical.

Such a strategy should focus on three important aspects, namely:

• Defending against cyberattacks, which can take the form of ransomware, social engineering attacks such as phishing, and distributed denial of service (DDoS). Attack methods constantly evolve, making traditional forms of defence inadequate for most organisations’ needs.
• Compliance with regulations, which can become a cost multiplier when it comes to cybersecurity. Africa is home to 54 distinct regulatory regimes each with varying requirements that companies must keep track of. A robust strategy supported by the latest technologies can greatly simplify this aspect and support companies to operate on the right side of regulatory compliance.
• Mitigating the skills shortage, which is a global issue but one amplified by Africa’s relatively lower skills base. Cybersecurity is a growing field that requires specialised knowledge and training, and many organisations here and abroad simply cannot keep up with recruiting and retaining scarce security skills.

A cloud ERP system alleviates pressure on all of the above three fronts. By providing a consistent and harmonised architecture from the operating system all the down to the network, cloud ERP greatly simplifies and enhances enterprise security efforts.

And with one point of contact, companies can resolve security and resilience issues quickly and with the support of larger cloud vendors’ extensive talent pools and deep skills bases.

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About 麻豆原创
As鈥痑 global leader in enterprise applications and business AI, 麻豆原创 (NYSE:麻豆原创)鈥痵tands at the鈥痭exus鈥痮f business and technology. For over 50 years, organizations have trusted 麻豆原创鈥痶o bring out their best by uniting business-critical鈥痮perations spanning finance, procurement, HR, supply chain, and customer experience. For more information, visit鈥�.

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