Airtel Business Uganda yesterday unveiled Network as a Service (NaaS), a digital solution powered by Cisco that it says will help businesses scale efficiently and securely.
The event, hosted at the Serena Hotel, brought together key players in Uganda's technology and enterprise sectors.
Rajesh Agrawal, networks director, delivered the keynote and highlighted NaaS as a game-changing technology designed to suit the needs of organisations at every stage of their growth.
“Whether you’re a startup in Bugolobi, a retail chain in Gulu, or a financial institution with operations across East Africa, this service meets you where you are and grows with you,” he said.
Agrawal emphasised the service's flexibility and scalability, saying that NaaS includes built-in security (firewalls, encryption, and compliance), global reach, local reliability, and 24-hour support.
He added: “This solution combines the technical excellence of Cisco with Airtel’s global infrastructure and deep understanding of Ugandan businesses.”
Charles Mugasa, acting director of Airtel business, reiterated this view, noting that the company is committed to redefining Africa's business landscape with smart, modern infrastructure.
“We want to become the preferred digital partner for African businesses within our Airtel footprint—the pride of our people and customers,” he said.
This was followed by a panel discussion about NaaS' role in digital transformation.
The panel, moderated by David Birungi, Airtel Uganda's public relations manager, included Shobhit Agarwal, Javed Johar (Networks Architecture), Lameck Ochola (Airtel Africa Group), and Andrew Katwere Semwezi (senior data centre and networks engineer at Absa Bank Uganda).
During the panel, Lameck Ochola said: “The future is here. This service is designed to help small businesses grow and access cloud infrastructure.”
On the security aspect, Johar assured guests: “This service is very secure. We understand that not every customer will have a cybersecurity team. That’s why we’ve built the protection right in.”
Agarwal noted that one of their goals is to remove technical pain points so businesses can focus on strategic growth. “We’re giving customers simplified tools that allow them to focus on strategy, not struggle with systems,” he said.
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