Foremost
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) company, Zinox Technologies,
has attracted $25m counterpart funding investment to establish three digital
hubs in Nigeria, which will pave way for employment of some 500 Nigerians,
reports ITRealms.
Revealing
these while receiving Acting Director General, National Information Technology
Development Agency (NITDA), Dr. Vincent Olatunji, on Thursday in Lagos, the
Chairman, Zinox Group, Dr. Leo Stan Ekeh, said the latest investment would increase
the share of contribution from the Information and Communications Technology
(ICT) sector to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He
explained that work has commenced in one of the digital hub in Port Harcourt, Rivers
State capital, stressing that among other things, will create employment and
empower thousands of digitally-minded Nigerian youths in search of the right
platforms to develop their skills.
Ekeh
also said with the one located in Abuja which is nearing completion and all
things being equal will become active by early 2017. With the current improvements raising hopes
of stability in public power supply by first quarter of 2017, the company plans
to install the digital plants and commence production thereafter.
Nigerian
economy, he said, is in dire need of an alternative to crude oil a role which the
ICT sector could effortlessly play in boosting the nation’s dwindling earnings.
In the view of the Zinox boss, Nigeria has millions of young Nigerians of
digital mindset with the potential to become dollar billionaires.
He
cited instance with the case of Nigerian start-up and pioneer composite
e-commerce outfit Yudala which received little funding from investors and within
one year is a leading e-commerce brand in Nigeria employing over 400 graduates.
Ekeh
equally disclosed that their strength is not cash but knowledge of the business
backed with strong front and back-end technologies. Just as he affirmed that
thousands of such brilliant kids exist in the country, even as he urged the
government to partner with technologically-minded companies in unearthing such
raw digital diamonds in the country.
“A
simple app developed by a Nigerian which achieves global acceptance could usher
such an individual into the league of billionaires while putting the country on
the world map.
“I
had a similar experience when Zinox acquired an Ibadan-based software company
Xputer. The young chaps behind Xputer were so talented and had huge capacity to
develop amazing content but no individual, corporate or government saw any potential
in them. Some of the apps developed by these young Nigerians are being used
today by e-commerce companies in Nigeria which they would have paid millions of
dollars for, had it been developed by foreign companies,” he enthused, assuring
that Zinox will not retrench quality Nigerian staff.
Speaking after a guided tour of the
various infrastructure and facilities within the premises including the digital
computer hardware manufacturing and assembly plant, telecoms e-Hub unit, Data Centre,
bandwidth aggregation, digital security infrastructures and warehousing
facilities as well as integrated after-sales service and support centre, among
others, Dr. Olatunji affirmed the commitment of the agency in partnering with
Zinox Technologies in the task of empowering the youth through the provision of
requisite capacity-building programmes and initiatives.
Dr.
Olatunji who expressed delight with the infrastructure and facilities on
display at the Zinox headquarters during the tour of the company premises,
disclosed that NITDA is keen to empower tech start-ups as a means of promoting
opportunities in non-oil sectors, noting that a partnership with Zinox
Technologies will go a long way in helping to achieve this aim.
“We cannot talk about the ICT sector in Nigeria and
indeed in Africa without mentioning Zinox. Zinox has been in the forefront of
the digital revolution on the continent and has continued to play a major role.
You have shown extreme world class capacity and passion as a leader in the
sector and this is why we have come on this visit to restate our commitment
towards working with Zinox to achieve our objectives of empowering tech
start-ups and boosting the revenue profile of the ICT sector" he said.
Olatunji
noted that the government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari was
committed to supporting local entrepreneurships, particularly in the ICT
sector, he further solicited the support of Zinox Technologies in partnering
with the agency ahead of GITEX 2016 Technology Week slated for October.
ITRealms recalls that GITEX 2016 is organized by the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), and
will feature local technology start-ups, with NITDA facilitating Nigeria’s participation at
three levels including the Nigerian Pavilion, Nigerian Startups cobs inside the
Innovation Hub, and the Gitex Africa Investment Forum being co-managed by the
NITDA and the DWTC.
Chuks Egbune/GEE
ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!
Pix: Zinox chairman, Ekeh showing off facilities to Dr. Olatunji of NITDA and his team
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