Digital pedagogy has significantly been enhanced with the advent of cloud storage, which gives effective and collaborative access to learning resources in ways that were impossible before. It has changed the face of learning through its ability to provide an on-demand, easily adjustable framework for warehousing academic content, learners’ records and other relevant materials.
In a country like Nigeria, where many learning institutions and organisations have varying issues that range from a lack of infrastructure to a sterile learning environment, technology such as cloud storage becomes imperative to enhance the quality and inclusiveness of learning. This article examines the critical role played by cloud storage in enhancing online learning in Nigeria, looking particularly at cases of Nigerian organisations that implement cloud technology while identifying the drawbacks of not using cloud technology for deploying learning platforms.
A Brief History of Cloud Computing and Storage
Cloud storage is the dispersion of data across several far-off servers. The notion was conceived by JCR Licklider in his vision of an “intergalactic computer network” during the 1960s, which later evolved into what we know as cloud computing and storage today. However, it took a long time for these concepts to gain ground in formulating a basis for the actual application of cloud storage. It was not until the late 1990s and early 2000s that this idea started taking any practical shape.
Though the basic ideas had been outlined in the 1960s, realistic utilisation and popularisation of cloud storage started in the early 2000s, with Amazon’s S3 service in 2006 being a pivotal turning point in the history of Cloud Storage.
Eventually, AWS (Amazon Web Services) was birthed, creating a platform for offering numerous services on an adoption basis, known as pay-as-you-go services, bringing about a significant transformation from traditional computing systems.
A study by MarketsandMarkets (2023) found that the global cloud computing in education market is projected to grow from USD 15.3 billion in 2023 to USD 36.2 billion by 2028, with Africa contributing a growing share of this adoption. This statistic underscores the increasing trend of cloud adoption in education and emphasises Nigeria’s potential growth in this sector.
How Cloud Storage Transforms Digital Learning
Cloud storage is reshaping digital learning by making educational resources more accessible, scalable, and collaborative. More institutions in Nigeria are adopting cloud-based platforms to overcome infrastructure limitations, ensuring learners can access materials anytime and anywhere. With the increasing need for flexible and cost-effective learning solutions, cloud technology is driving a shift towards more interactive and inclusive education.
Here are three key ways cloud storage is transforming digital learning in Nigeria:
1. Enhanced Access and Collaboration: The cloud offers the higher learning sector the possibility of efficiently storing, managing, and distributing learning materials available from anywhere in the world with an internet connection. This is particularly crucial for Nigeria, where learners in remote or under-resourced areas often lack access to quality Learning materials. Tools such as Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and Dropbox allow learners and teachers to collaborate on projects, assignments, and research with real-time synchronisation.
According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU, 2024), Nigeria’s internet penetration rate was approximately 47%, with rural areas still lagging in connectivity. This highlights the critical need for cloud-based solutions to bridge the digital divide in education.
2. Cost-Effectiveness and Scalability: Cloud storage allows for the implementation of full systems without the expensive physical structures and servers. This is more so in Nigeria’s schools and universities, which usually have limited budgets for technology investments. Cloud storage helps to alleviate the bottlenecks caused by costs incurred by buying hardware, upgrading software, and even maintaining the systems. Instead, organisations only incur costs based on what they consume on platforms AWS (Amazon Web services) or Google Cloud, where storage and processing capabilities are elastic.
For example, pcl. LMS, a Nigerian-owned platform, relies on cloud-based storage to deliver interactive video lessons and learning assets to learners across Africa. By using cloud storage, pcl. can efficiently manage large volumes of content without needing physical servers, allowing it to scale its platform resources as its customer and user base expands.
3. Improved Collaboration and Real-Time Interaction The use of cloud storage encourages cooperation by allowing learners and tutors to work together in real-time from anywhere on the globe. For instance, in Nigeria, where there is a penchant for distance learning, there’s a need for cloud storage as it allows learners who are miles or continents apart to work on projects, brainstorm, and turn in the final projects.
Organisations like Skillsoft, who developed the Precipio learning experience platform, also use cloud storage to deliver personalised video lessons and assessments to learners via computers and mobile apps. Skillsoft employs cloud technology in its platform (Precipio) to ensure that the learning process is more interactive for the learners, where they can ask questions, respond to quizzes and track their progress within the learning process in real-time.
The Effects of Not Using Cloud Storage in Digital Learning
Neglecting cloud storage in digital learning creates significant challenges. In Nigeria, where infrastructure gaps already hinder education, the absence of cloud solutions further widens the digital divide and reduces the efficiency of learning institutions. Schools and organisations that fail to integrate cloud storage face difficulties in scaling their services, maintaining updated learning materials, and protecting valuable data.
The absence of cloud storage in digital learning leads to several challenges, including the following:
1. Limited Access to Resources: Without a cloud storage solution available, the educational sector in Nigeria will continue to suffer due to an imbalanced learning environment, where some people may have access to quality education while others won’t. The limitation of physical infrastructure, especially in the countryside, will mean many learners cannot access more recent learning content. For instance, schools that use only physical materials (textbooks and printouts) do not efficiently enhance learning since those resources cannot be easily shared, updated and worked upon in collaboration with others.
According to UNESCO (2023), only 20% of schools in rural Nigeria have access to digital learning materials, highlighting the urgent need for cloud-based solutions to bridge this gap.
In Nigeria, it is becoming increasingly difficult to close the learning gap between the urban and rural areas without cloud solutions. This is especially true for learners in remote areas, as they may not have access to modern learning materials or even be exposed to global learning environments.
2. Increased Costs and Inefficiencies: The financial resources needed to maintain physical infrastructure for learning are not only expensive but also prove to be unproductive. Organisations that do not employ cloud data storage systems are forced to obtain servers, data centres, and human resources as IT experts to run their operations. This translates into a high operational cost, especially in Nigeria, where the funding towards learning from the government is extremely low. In addition, the absence of cloud-based storage facilities hampers institutions from expanding their operations promptly, thus causing gridlocks in service provision.
The educational sector in Nigeria is experiencing unprecedented stress due to inadequate facilities. Moreover, adopting cloud computing helps resolve some of these issues as it allows the transfer of digital content to many learners without physically expanding the institution.
3. Vulnerability to Data Loss: The failure to embrace cloud storage technologies exposes organisations to the risk of data loss associated with system crashes, hardware malfunctions, or, in some instances, natural catastrophes.
The World Bank (2024) reported that 60% of Nigerian institutions using traditional on-premises infrastructure experienced data loss due to power outages and system failures. In Nigeria, which suffers from frequent power cuts and erratic infrastructure, learning institutions dependent on on-premises infrastructure are more exposed to such risks. With cloud storage, those risks are reduced as it offers automatic backup systems and disaster recovery services.
How Nigerian Organisations Are Transforming Learning with Cloud Storage
Before diving into specific organisations, it’s important to recognise that several forward-thinking Nigerian organisations have embraced cloud storage to enhance learning accessibility, improve operational efficiency, and support digital transformation. These organisations serve as practical models, showcasing how cloud technology can bridge educational gaps and drive impactful learning experiences nationwide.
Many organisations are utilising cloud storage, demonstrating its role in transforming education across Nigeria.
1. pcl.: Utilises cloud storage as its platform for learning management systems (pcl. LMS). This system further allows the provision of learning videos, articles, videos in eBook formats, audio tapes, and other engaging materials for both small and large businesses and organisations to further improve and enhance employees’ skills to enable efficiency.
2. EduTech Nigeria: This organisation collaborates with institutions to offer cloud-supported digital learning solutions. With the advent of technology, learners can access learning resources, submit tasks, and interact with one another, enhancing learning in Nigeria.
3. Skillsoft (Precipio): Develops and provides a range of cloud learning solutions targeted at organisations and graduates looking forward to going into the workforce, a series of video lessons and quizzes along with interactive materials that can be accessed at any time and from any location, thus making it easy for anyone to learn more inclusively.
Conclusion
Cloud storage is no longer a matter of choice but a fundamental requirement in the quest to modernise and democratise learning in Nigeria. Through the adoption of these cloud-based services, Nigerian institutions will be able to cut down costs, improve access to learning materials, and level the playing ground within the learning ecosystem all over the country. The future of learning is in the digital realm, and cloud storage is a major requirement that lays the foundation for that future.
Cloud storage makes learning limitless—let’s harness its power to transform learning in Nigeria! This is where pcl. comes in!
Discover expert insights into choosing the best cloud learning solutions tailored to your learning needs. Whether you are an educator, a recent graduate, or an institution, pcl. will guide you through the transformation process.
Are you ready to embrace the future of digital learning? Visit pcl. today and discover how the right cloud technology can break barriers and unlock limitless learning opportunities! For enquiries, contact us at dl@phillipsconsulting.net or call 09060000804.
Written by:
David Uwadiale
Digital Learning Designer and Animator
References
EduTech Nigeria. (2023). Cloud-Based Learning Solutions in Nigerian Universities.
Forbes. (2019). How Udemy Became The World’s Largest Online Learning Platform.
Amazon Web Services (AWS). (2023). AWS in Education.