Aramide:Cross-Functional Technical Initiatives Critical to Shaping The Future of AI Ambition In Nigeria

Oluwatosin Aramide is an Electronics and Electrical Engineering graduate of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Ogbomoso, Over the years has demonstrated ability to lead and deliver intricate projects, troubleshoot advanced issues, and optimize network performance. Also studying at Politecnico di Milano, Italy, to acquire his Master of Science in Telecommunication Engineering, is skilled in a broad range of technologies and networking protocols, In this interview ARAMIDE highlights that cross-functional technical initiatives are critical to shaping the future of AI. Oluchi Chibuzor Present excerpt.

Please can we meet you?

My name is Oluwatosin Oladayo Aramide, I graduated from the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology and had my masters at the Politecnico di Milano, Italy, to acquire my Master of Science in Telecommunication Engineering.

Considering your journey in tech, what are the certifications you have in the industry?

With 16+ years of experience spanning data center, enterprise, and cloud networking, why are your focus on enabling seamless integration of Ethernet and InfiniBand for AI workloads, pioneering lossless RDMA over Converged Ethernet (RoCEv2) tuning, and driving innovation in high-availability storage fabrics. Just to mention a few i have Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Enterprise Infrastructure; Cisco Certified Network Professional Service Provider(CCNP); Cisco Certified Network Professional Security( CCNP); Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer( PCNSE); AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty; ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity and ISC2- Certified Information System Security Professional – In View.

What is your current research and engineering work that you are involved with now?

Right now, I’m part of the R&D team at NetApp, focusing on building and improving the networks that help power the AI and machine learning systems our customers rely on.

Much of my work is about making sure these networks are not just fast, but also reliable and flexible—so they can handle all kinds of data and workloads that modern AI needs. For example, I’ve helped deliver new ways for our storage systems to connect with different technologies, making it easier for customers to use the tools that work best for them.

I’m also really focused on keeping things running smoothly, even when demands are high. My goal is for our networks to “just work”—with hardly any downtime, even during the most intense AI training jobs. Along the way, I’ve worked on planning tools that help our teams and partners design the right setup from the start, so we don’t waste resources or overbuild.

Another part of my job is making sure that when customers want to use their own equipment—like switches from different vendors—we can help them get up and running without any hiccups.

Beyond the technical side, I’m passionate about mentoring others and working with teams across the company. Whether I’m helping onboard new engineers, leading group projects, or sharing what I’ve learned, I love knowing that I’m playing a part in shaping how we build the future of AI infrastructure together.

Most importantly, my work is about helping people—making complex technology accessible, reliable, and secure for everyone who depends on it.

Why are you deeply committed to pushing the boundaries of security and network engineering?

I am particularly at the intersection of high-performance computing (HPC) and secure, scalable storage. This intersection is critical because HPC systems, due to their complexity and the sensitive data they handle, are increasingly targeted by cyberattacks. Balancing performance with security requires careful consideration of various factors, including system architecture, threat modeling, and appropriate security controls. I am of the opinion that the more we get more people to be skilled in the areas especially young people the more the ability to combat these threats emanating from HPC. So, my goal is to continue innovating and building robust, intelligent network systems that empower the next generation of AI/ML applications.

Can you highlight some of your career milestones to us?

Over the past 16 years, I’ve had the chance to work on some really exciting and challenging projects that shaped my journey as an engineer and a leader.

One of my most rewarding experiences was leading the effort to modernize how we connect NetApp controllers—essentially helping teams transition from old, traditional setups to much more flexible and scalable network environments. This meant working closely with people from different companies, bridging gaps between technologies, and making sure everything worked smoothly together, no matter which vendor or system was involved.

I’m especially proud of a project where we moved critical customer traffic from expensive, legacy equipment to smarter, more cost-effective solutions—without any disruption to users. That was a huge team effort and taught me a lot about collaboration, communication, and creative problem-solving.

More recently, I managed the migration of an entire data center to the AWS cloud. This wasn’t just about moving equipment—it was about helping people adapt, designing solutions that made everyone’s work easier, and ensuring the business stayed connected every step of the way.

I’ve also spent time finding ways to automate tedious, manual tasks for my team, even when we were working with older equipment that didn’t make automation easy. It’s been gratifying to see how these changes freed up people’s time to focus on more meaningful work.

Another highlight was building out two new transit hubs from the ground up, connecting hundreds of devices and making it possible for new data centers to come online quickly and reliably.

Throughout my career, I’ve always tried to document what works (and what doesn’t), so others can benefit from these lessons in the future. One project I’m particularly proud of involved setting up the first test environment for a major cross-region cloud service—helping ensure a smooth launch at one of the industry’s biggest events.

Looking back, what stands out to me isn’t just the technical achievements, but the relationships I’ve built and the teams I’ve helped grow along the way.

How does leading cross-functional technical initiatives help you contribute to societal improvement and shape AI globally?

I truly believe that bringing people together from different backgrounds and areas of expertise is essential for making real progress—especially with something as big as artificial intelligence. When you lead cross-functional teams, you’re not just working on the technology itself; you’re making sure it’s relevant and accessible to a broader range of people.

In Nigeria, for example, AI is still finding its footing, but the momentum is growing. We’re seeing more awareness, more investment, and a real desire to use intelligent technology to solve local problems and boost economic growth. The government has made some important moves, like launching the Nigeria Artificial Intelligence Research Scheme and the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. These programs are giving people the tools, resources, and support they need to get innovative projects off the ground.

But for all these great ideas to have an impact, we need teams that can work across disciplines—combining technical know-how with insights from business, policy, and education. By leading these kinds of initiatives, I aim to help bridge the gap between what’s possible with AI and what actually benefits people in their everyday lives. It’s about making technology work for everyone, not just the tech world.

What are some of your career highlights?

Since graduating, I’ve had the privilege of working on a number of projects that I’m genuinely proud of. For example, I helped lead the transition to new network platforms for a major cloud provider, making sure everything ran smoothly as we moved from old systems to more modern, flexible ones. I also worked on projects that connected different types of equipment, ensuring our solutions were cost-effective without compromising on quality or performance.

One of my most memorable experiences was managing the full migration of a data center to the cloud, which meant planning, coordinating, and supporting people throughout the process—not just dealing with the technical details. I’ve also spent time automating manual work, helping my team focus on higher-value tasks and making our operations much more efficient.

Other highlights include building new transit hubs that connected hundreds of devices, writing documentation to make life easier for the teams that came after us, and leading the setup for major cloud launches that supported cross-region services. Through all these projects, the part I value most is the opportunity to work with great people and help solve real-world problems.

With your experience, what can the Nigerian education sector do to build stronger technical skills for students?

I think the first step is to make sure that students are exposed to the latest developments in areas like networking, data centers, and AI—not just through textbooks, but with hands-on learning and real-world challenges. Universities and research institutions should partner more closely with industry, setting up labs where students can experiment, innovate, and see how their work applies to everyday life in Nigeria.

It’s also important to nurture talent early by providing mentorship, internships, and opportunities for students to collaborate on meaningful projects. By building these bridges between education and the real world, we can help the next generation of engineers and tech leaders develop the skills—and the confidence—to make a real impact both locally and globally.