Telecom
AfriTECH 2.0: Agada Lists Factors That Could Kill Startups
Immediate past Chief Executive Officer, CWG PLC, and Founder, Ixzdorelabs, an innovation hub and consultancy focused company, Mr. James Agada, has listed some factors that could lead to the premature death of a Startup.
James Agada, Immediate Past CEO, CWG and the Founder, Ixzdore Laboratories Limited delivering keynote address at AfriTECH 2.0
Agada, who spoke to the theme: Sustainability and the company of the future, at Africa Tech Alliance Forum (AfriTECH 2.0) held in Lagos on Wednesday, listed the factors to include non-reporting of sales figures, issues around corporate governance, Court or Government interference, and inability to create new business.
A well-regarded, innovative, and versatile technology expert, Agada, while aligning with the views of economists said in his keynote address at the event that the only way to determine whether a company is alive or dead is to check whether they are reporting their sales figures.
“When a company stops reporting its sales figures, it means the company is dead. For a startup, three things are obvious: Sales, Cash and Profit. At maturity, the company’s sales, or what they call cash cow, typically flatten out. Before then, you see a steep growth in sales or what you call exponential growth.
“That sale has to translate into profit, and profit must have cash. The only thing that can kill a company is when it runs out of cash. Another thing though is that sales do not necessarily translate to cash; if you sell, you must also collect the money and make a profit. At any point the company starts declining because it’s not able to generate enough cash from the declining sales to maintain itself, death beckons,” he said.
He said that at any point a company decides to do a life extension, that’s what is at the core for the sustainability of the company, noting that between the sales a company generates and the cash it gets, it is the funding that determines where the company is going.
“At maturity, you have a lot of debt funding because you are generating enough cash and trying to minimize business risk. Kodak had misjudged where the technology it developed was leading to, leading to its decline. Customers left Blackberry and went for iPhone and Android, and that left Blackberry behind if not dead.
“Therefore, the issue of corporate governance is another thing that can kill a company. The court or government can also decide to close your company. And the inability to create new business even when you are struggling with that company can as well lead to the death of a company,” he further explained.
Agada stated that a sustainable company is one that has figured out how to balance its business risk and sales to ensure that decline does not put it in a situation where it is no longer sustainable, contending that once a company is not growing, it is dying.
In providing a solution to this, Agada opined that “the real thing is that you are looking for increased profit and increased cash flow. You have to look at what is happening around you and take those defensive and offensive actions to prevent collapse and eventual death.
Airtel Nigeria, telecom service provider, has announced that its AI-powered Spam Alert Service issued over 9.6 million spam alerts between March 13 and May 20, 2025.
As part of its ongoing commitment to protecting customers from unwanted and potentially fraudulent communications, Airtel designed the AI Spam Alert service to analyze traffic patterns and detect anomalies.
In the period since launch the AI pinpointed a total of 9,667,008 SMS as potential spam messages in the two months after its launch.
Of these, the system identified 528,080 on-net (Airtel-to-Airtel) and 9,138,928 off-net (from other networks) numbers as suspected spam messages, demonstrating the scale of the threat and Airtel’s advanced processing capability.
Airtel Nigeria is a subsidiary of Airtel Africa.
Commenting on this development, Dinesh Balsingh, CEO, Airtel Nigeria, restated Airtel`s commitment to protecting its customers.
“This milestone demonstrates the strength of our AI-driven infrastructure in combating the growing menace of spam and scam calls. At Airtel Nigeria, we are focused on connecting Nigerians and ensuring their safety and confidence while using our network.
“We understand that trust is the cornerstone of digital communication. That’s why we’ve invested heavily in intelligent systems that not only detect potential threats but also learn and evolve with data. As threats become more sophisticated, so will our solutions. As a company, we remain focused on leading the industry in innovation and customer satisfaction, ensuring that every Nigerian can enjoy a safer and smarter digital experience,” Mr. Balsingh said.
The Spam Alert Service is part of Airtel Nigeria’s broader strategy to integrate artificial intelligence into its core offerings to deliver smarter and safer experiences for its customers across the country.
Recall that the Spam Alert Service was launched on March 13, 2025. A groundbreaking and free solution from Airtel, it notifies users in real-time of suspected spam SMS messages by analyzing over 250 parameters.
The Airtel AI Spam Alert Service is available to all Airtel subscribers on smartphones and feature phones.
Vitel Wireless Limited, pioneer mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in Nigeria has made another history by announcing the successful completion of interconnectivity with all major Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in Nigeria.
Kenneth Nwabueze, Chairman and CEO of Vitel Wireless
Recall that Vitel Wireless, became the first Mobile Virtual Network Operator to receive a dedicated number series (0712) from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
This breakthrough enables Vitel Wireless subscribers to make and receive calls with users on MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom (Glo), and 9mobile Nigeria.
It also marks the first time an MVNO in the country has successfully interconnected with all the major MNOs, setting a new precedent for Nigeria’s telecom sector.
Following the NCC’s licensing of 46 MVNOs, Vitel Wireless continues to lead the way in establishing a dynamic MVNO sector in Nigeria—Africa’s largest market and most populous nation.
The company has already achieved several historic firsts: the first MVNO issued a numbering plan and national and international routing codes, the first to launch a location awareness network in Africa, and the first to unveil a strategic nationwide rollout plan.
“We are gathering momentum for our big launch,” said Kenneth Emeka Nwabueze, chairman and CEO of Vitel Wireless.
“We are proud to be showing what’s possible for MVNOs, while also creating a path for others to follow. By leveraging our years of experience in Nigeria’s telecom industry, we are opening up new possibilities where there used to be none.”
Interconnectivity was achieved through a combination of direct fiber connections with some MNOs and indirect routing via third-party providers.
This milestone was the result of a collaborative effort involving engineers from Vitel Wireless, Wireless Technology Labs (WTL), and Interconnect Clearinghouse Nigeria (ICN), working closely with engineers from MTN, Airtel, Glo, and 9mobile.
“We wish to thank the regulatory agency, the Nigerian Communications Commission, for their timely interventions and guidance, which were instrumental in achieving this interconnectivity and bringing the formal launch of the Vitel Wireless nationwide network one step closer to reality,” said Nwabueze.
The company entered a nationwide pilot phase in May 2025, with plans for a full rollout in July 2025, aiming to deliver next-generation mobile services to millions across Nigeria.
Layer3 Limited, One of Nigeria’s foremost ICT solutions providers, has once again solidified its place as a trailblazer in Africa’s technology landscape, emerging as the Enterprise Solutions Provider of the Year and Leadership Award in Cloud Services at the prestigious African Beacon of ICT Leadership and Awards held on May 24, 2025, at the Four Points by Sheraton, Lagos.
This year’s event brought together leading tech innovators, policymakers, and thought leaders to recognize organizations making extraordinary contributions to Africa’s digital transformation.
Among the many luminaries in attendance, Layer3 stood out for its 19+ years of consistent innovation, technical excellence, and client-centered service delivery.
Speaking at the event, the organizers praised Layer3’s pioneering work in delivering robust enterprise solutions across sectors, as well as its bold leadership in advancing cloud infrastructure and services across Nigeria and beyond.
“These awards are more than recognitions, they are a reminder of the fulfilment to our mission to deliver peace of mind to our customers,” said David Ita, the Head of Strategy and Business Development of Layer3.
“They speak to the impact we’ve made and the promise we hold for the future of the cloud and enterprise technology business in Africa. We dedicate this honor to our clients, partners, and the hardworking Layer3 team who continue to redefine excellence every day.”
Since its founding, Layer3 has championed a future-forward approach to ICT services offering cutting-edge solutions in enterprise networking, cybersecurity, broadband, cloud computing, managed services, and IT advisory. The company’s Layer3Cloud platform and managed service offerings continue to power the digital ambitions of Nigeria’s leading businesses.
These accolades underscore Layer3’s unwavering commitment to driving transformation and supporting digital economies through smart, secure, and scalable technology.
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