Global software solutions developer SAP has emphasised the importance of Africa in its strategy and believes now is the best time for African mobile app developers, partners and technology companies to engage the company.
As reasons executive leadership at the company cited its extensive solution stack incorporating the cloud, business analytics and mobility, as well as its reselling of its realtime ERP database with rapid deployment methodology.
“We do not want to be the sole provider of applications for the mobile devices. There is a significant opportunity here, for African partners and African tech companies,” explained SAP is a great platform provider and if we have a platform that can manage devices, to build and develop applications,” said Derek Kudsee, COO, SAP Africa.
SAP has developed an ecosystem comprising 150 partners and 1500 customers across the continent.
The company believes that the combination of mobile applications and its realtime platform represents a genuine game changer.
SAP Executive Vice President and CIO SAP AG Oliver Bussmann explained the company’s position on the eve of the first official day of the Saphila 2012 Conference, the largest of the SAP events in Africa.
Bussmann told a media delegation that part of the company’s strategy is to build up Africa’s current 25% contribution to the overall business to 40% – and partnerships are the way the company aims to do this.
“On a global level we want to transact 40% of our business through partners within the next two years, it is currently at 25%. Our view is that Africa is a highly strategic region,” Bussmann
“This is a bold move, but it extends our reach as a provider with five distinct solution portfolios. Partners are the only way to get reach and coverage,” Kudsee added.
To reiterate its position, SAP is of plan to bring in the role of partners in a major way with its Hana database offering and integration with mobile.
In January 2013, SAP is going to host a startup forum to attract startup companies and entrepreneurs to partner with SAP. The company will provide the platform and will encourage companies to develop on the front end.
Chris Tredger, Online Editor
