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Digital Encode at 20: The House Adewale Obadare and Seyi Akindeinde Built
By: Peter Oluka
Digital Encode Limited, a multi-award-winning consulting and integration firm based in Lagos, Nigeria, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month.
Founded in 2003, Digital Encode specializes in designing, managing, and securing business-critical telecommunications environments and IT infrastructures.
Recognized in the industry for its vendor-independent perspective, the firm excels in solving multifaceted, complex enterprise network security and audit problems.
With 20 years of sustained business success, Digital Encode stands as a testament to their innovation and unwavering commitment to excellence.
In Nigeria, where failed startups are commonplace, Digital Encode has defied the odds and emerged as a successful organization. While many startups faced closure due to resource limitations or lack of returns on investment, Digital Encode’s resilience and customer-centric approach have allowed them to thrive.
In less than 2 years into its operations, GoMyWay, the ridesharing platform announced in September 2017, that it would be shutting down. (Followed by others)
Failed startups litter the streets of Nigeria – in less than 2 years into its operations, GoMyWay, the ridesharing platform announced in September 2017, that it would be shutting down. Citing lack of resources to run the business, the shareholders/Investors came to a conclusion to shut down operations.
Efritin.com; the classified ads platform also shut down its operations in Nigeria. In fact, I can recall vividly Nils Hammar, Saltside Technologies founder and CEO, saying that it was because the platform didn’t generate desired returns on investment (ROI); hence, the decision to scale back on its investments in Nigeria. He also noted the high cost of data and internet use as a major hindrance to the business.
How about Showroom.ng. This platform came on board with the aim of making millionaires of up to 100,000 Nigerian carpenters and try it did. The showroom platform for carpenters to display their works and get connected to customers also shut down business. After 12 years of hustling, CEO, Sheriff Shittu, announced in 2016 that it was closing up shop.
Easy taxi – the first Rocket Internet hordes to launch in Africa in 2013.The platform which began operations in Brazil connects taxi drivers and passengers; it had over 1.5million app downloads and 45,000 taxi drivers on its platform. Despite an additional funding of over $10million from Rocket International for its expansion into Asia and Africa, the news of its exit from the African market came as a surprise to many.
The list continues. However, it is gladdening to see Digital Encode as one of the companies that stood the test of time. Today, it is a successful organization.
Of course, Digital Economy Encode is a company that puts customers and stakeholders at the heart of its business.
For these 20 years of its existence, the co-founders – Dr. Adewale Peter Obadare (Chief Visionary Officer – CVO) and Dr. Oluseyi Akindeinde (Chief Technology Officer – CTO), have focused on providing excellent services to meet the needs of the esteemed customers.
They have continued to improve on the services and also create new ones that suit modern day workplace. For instance, Digital Encode is among the first set of DPCOs – Data Protection Compliance Organizations in Nigeria that, inter alia, carry out: Data Protection Regulations Compliance and Breach Services for Data Controllers and Data Administrators; Training and Awareness Services; Privacy Breach Remediation Planning and Support, etc.
Digital Encode’s co-founders, Dr. Adewale Peter Obadare (Chief Visionary Officer – CVO) and Dr. Oluseyi Akindeinde (Chief Technology Officer – CTO), are the brains behind the company’s success. With a focus on providing excellent services and continually improving and expanding their offerings, Digital Encode has established itself as a leader in data protection compliance, information security management, vulnerability assessment, and risk management.
At Digital Encode, technology serves, critically, to save money and solve a problem. Digital Encode also provides advisory services toward improvements in Information Security Management, network security, vulnerability management, penetration testing, computer forensics, risk management and Business Continuity Management.
The company’s unique methodology is rooted in the concept that a company should run its IT organization as a business. Throughout the well-defined process, Digital Encode translates strategic business objectives into sound, achievable technology solutions. This approach ensures that the technology never obscures the business goals.
Digital Encode’s unique methodology emphasizes aligning IT organizations with business objectives to ensure technology solutions support and enhance overall goals. By maintaining a balance between taking calculated risks and protecting business resources, the co-founders have built a strong and trusted brand.
Digital Encode Staying Power
Digital Encode’s staying power is attributable to the co-founders balancing act between taking bold risks and protecting their business resources. They have hired the best team, growing at a manageable pace, trusting their gut and listening to customers’ reviews.
How Obadare and Akindeinde Made it Happen
The simple explanation to how Dr. Obadare and Dr. Akindeinde built ‘this house’, by first building themselves. Digital Encode draws strength from their resilience.
Dr. Obadare is one of the early entrants into the information technology sphere at its advent in Nigeria, with over twelve years’ experience in the field of Internetworking and return on security investment.
He also has in-depth knowledge of security systems, remote access, routing and switching technologies. He is also experienced at Packet filtering, HTTP, IPSEC and SSL VPN, authentication and encryption, Cryptography (hash functions, PKI), Digital Certificates, Firewalls, IDS, QoS Management, vulnerability and risk assessment, penetration testing, OSSTMM and OWASP.
Dr. Obadare has worked as Network security auditor and vulnerability expert at various organizations. His professional qualifications include: Microsoft Certified Professional MCP, Cisco Certified Network Professional CCNP, Cisco Certified Design Professional CCDP, and Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert CCIE written, Certified Ethical Hacker CEH, EC-COUNCIL SECURITY ANALYST ECSA, LICENSED PENETRATION TESTER LPT.
He is also an ISO 27001 ISMS Lead auditor as well as the Business Continuity Management BCM Lead Auditor from the British Standards Institute (BSi).
He is a Gold Team Member of OpenSource Security Testing Methodology Manual (OSSTMM) and the Institute of IT Compliance (ITCi).
Dr. Akindeinde on the other hand, also has more than 13 years’ experience working in the IT and information security arena.
In fact, he has spent the better part of the last few years exploring the security issues faced by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) and Financial Transaction Systems (FTS).
He has presented the outcome of his research work at several conferences; including the Information Security Society of Africa (ISS), the forum of the Committee of Chief Inspectors of Banks in Nigeria, the apex bank – Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as well as 13 of the top 15 financial institutions in Nigeria.
In his professional life, Seyi, as he is otherwise called, sits on the board of two companies. In addition to being the technical director, he holds a vital position as the head of Security Assurance and Information Risk Management at Digital Encode Limited an information security advisory and assurance company, not only performing various technical security assessments and digital forensics but also providing technical consulting in the field of security design and strategic technology reviews for top notch local clients.
He has over the years developed an in-depth knowledge of security modeling which has hitherto improved his ability to initiate, perform and deliver world class enterprise security services that add veritable value to the corporate goals and objectives of organizations.
Dr. Akindeinde is the author of the Open-Source Security Assessment Report (OSSAR) – a model framework for reporting and presenting enterprise security assessment findings. He is a speaker on matters bordering on information security, and has presented technical papers on a wide range of IT security and risk management topics for a number of high-profile financial service providers at different retreats and forums.
He has delivered several information security and ethical hacking training courses to delegates from diverse industries including finance, manufacturing, oil and gas, telecoms as well as State and Federal Government Agencies.
The Digital Encode co-founder has administered security analysis and penetration testing courses to representatives of the National Assembly, DefeFidelity Bank Intelligence Agency (DIA) and Office of the National Security Agency (NSA) through the annual Hacker Counterintelligence Program (HACOP) where he’s been involved as a resident trainer and technical consultant for the last couple of years.
It is accurate to describe Dr. Obadare and Dr. Akindeinde as global icons. They are Nigeria’s shinning lights in the cybersecurity space. Their outstanding performances earned the duo Honorary Doctorate Degree in Cybersecurity from Trinity International University of Ambassadors Atlanta Georgia, United State of America.
In recognition of their expertise and contributions to the cybersecurity field, Dr. Obadare and Dr. Akindeinde were honored with Honorary Doctorate Degree in Cybersecurity from Trinity International University of Ambassadors Atlanta Georgia, United States of America.
Introducing a Captivating Transformation: Digital Encode’s new Logo
As part of its week-long 20th Anniversary activities, Digital Encode unveils a stunning transformation that is set to redefine its brand’s identity: From Information Security Made Simple to Your Trusted InfoSec & GRC Advisor.
https://twitter.com/DigitalEncode/status/1676655059373793288
While still focusing on information security, the company now positions itself as a trusted advisor in governance, risk, and compliance (GRC). They are now keen on helping your organization’s strategy for handling the interdependencies between the following three components:
Whereas they have not totally pivoted rather a redefinition of their business scope, Digital Encode has again demonstrated great understanding of the times we are in. As a Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) consultancy firm, they are now keen on helping your organization’s strategy for handling the interdependencies between the following three components:
- corporate governance policies,
- enterprise risk management programs and
- regulatory and company compliance
GRC emerged as a discipline in the early 21st century when companies recognized that coordinating the people, processes and technologies they used to manage governance, risk and compliance could benefit them in different ways.
Any size organization can use GRC. Developing a GRC discipline is especially important for large organizations that have extensive governance, risk management and compliance requirements and where programs to meet these requirements often overlap.
“Digital Encode has been successful because of the team’s ability to invent and reinvent ourselves. You can only be successful like that when you put your customer at the centerpiece of all your actions. We are very clear on the space we want to occupy,” Dr. Obadare said in a recent chat with TechEconomy.
“If we look back to 2003, we can say that starting a business is one of the most thrilling, yet challenging endeavours one can embark on. The excitement of turning an idea into a successful company is often dampened by the numerous obstacles, but Digital Encode has stood the test of time. We are fortunate to have a team of young people who share our values and have the skills and experience needed to help us achieve our goals. Our eyes are set on the next 20 to 50 years and beyond,” said Dr. Akindeinde.
We kick-started Digital Encode's 20th anniversary on Saturday the 1st of July, 2023 by visiting Hearts of Gold Children's Hospice to share love and celebrate 20 years of God's goodness and immense favor.#GivingBack #CSR #HeartofGoldChildrensHospice #ThankYouJesus pic.twitter.com/j5Tkpj1a2l
— Digital Encode (@DigitalEncode) July 3, 2023
The lessons from Dr. Peter Obadare and Dr. Oluseyi Akindeinde for budding entrepreneurs are: Be patient, keep trying, and invest in your business. Rome, they say, wasn’t built in a day. It takes time and money to build a business and make it successful. Be prepared for a few years of hard work, double shifts, and no money while your business is growing. It will be worthwhile in the long run.
Happy 20th anniversary to Digital Encode
Celebrating 20 Years of God’s Engracement! pic.twitter.com/fMvsJdRDZx
— Digital Encode (@DigitalEncode) July 3, 2023
*Peter Oluka is a media practitioner and the Editor of TechEconomy. He writes from Lagos
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Dr. Cairo Ojougboh Foundation Bolsters Nigeria’s Education Drive with ₦2.7m Student Support
Dr. Cairo Ojougboh Foundation has reinforced government’s educational development efforts in Nigeria through a targeted initiative honouring the late medical doctor and House of Representatives member, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh.
L-R: Son of the late Dr, Cairo Ojougboh, Mr. Nkem Ojougboh; Chairperson, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh Foundation, Mrs. Bose Ojougboh and another son, Mr. Orieka Ojougboh, during the event in Agbor, Delta State recently.
The foundation recently hosted a programme themed “Your Future, Your Choice” at St. Columba’s Grammar School in Agbor, headquarters of Ika South Local Government Area, Delta State.
It presented a cheque of ₦2,700,000 to cover examination fees for students preparing for West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Examinations Council (NECO), and Junior Secondary School (JSS) 3 exams.
Academic excellence received further boosts with cash rewards for top students across the school’s nine academic arms, alongside distributions of notebooks and writing materials to enhance learning.
Chairperson Mrs. Bose Ojougboh, joined by her sons Mr. Nkem and Mr. Orieka Ojougboh, urged students to view challenges as stepping stones, embrace discipline, consistency, and focus, and make intentional choices shaping their futures.
“The school that moulded Dr. Cairo’s values deserves our support,” she said, highlighting the foundation’s commitment to inspiring hard work and personal growth.
Old Boys of St. Columba’s Grammar School, led by Elder Ndudi Agholor, attended in force, sharing nostalgic reflections and praising the school’s sustained high standards under current leadership.
School Principal Rev. Fr. Joseph Ugboh and Ika South LGA Chairman Engr. Jerry Ehiwarior lauded the initiative as “commendable and impactful,” calling for its continuation to preserve Dr. Ojougboh’s legacy of discipline, excellence, and service.
They noted the support had motivated students to pursue their goals with renewed determination, ending the event on a hopeful note.
In a landmark educational innovation, New Horizons Nigeria has become the first institution to integrate the Chinese (Mandarin) language into its ICT curricular as an elective, thereby positioning Nigerian students for relevance in the rapidly changing world order.
Mr. Tim Akano, Managing Director and CEO of New Horizons Systems Solutions Limited
New Horizons Nigeria is a leading ICT training and solutions provider committed to provide individuals and institutions with future-ready skills. Through innovative program, global partnerships, and strategic foresight, the organization continues to redefine education, workforce development, and global competitiveness.
With over 80% of global consumer products manufactured in China and China’s growing dominance in global supply chains and labour markets, New Horizons Nigeria recognizes the urgent need for the current generation to understand, speak, and engage with the Chinese language and culture. As global economic power dynamics evolve, the labour market is increasingly tilting towards China, making Mandarin proficiency a critical competitive advantage.
According to Mr. Tim Akano, Managing Director and CEO of New Horizons Systems Solutions Limited, Nigeria, the program represents far more than a language course.
He asserted that very soon, the global labour market is likely to increasingly reflect China’s influence rather than the predominantly western orientation it currently exhibits. Language will be a major differentiator and the first Chinese-speaking technology experts in Nigeria will have a significant advantage, especially in integration into Chinese companies operating locally and globally.
Therefore, New Horizons Nigeria has officially launched a Mandarin Scholarship Program with China Advancement Opportunity, selecting 100 outstanding students from five prominent Nigerian secondary schools. This initiative marks a major milestone in Nigeria–China educational cooperation and reflects a forward-thinking response to shifting global economic realities.
Furthermore, the scholarship program has commenced with an intensive three-month online Mandarin training and at the end of the program, the top-performing students will be selected strictly on merit. 20 outstanding students will receive an additional scholarship valued at $2,500 per students to participate in a one-year pre-degree Mandarin and cultural immersion program in China. From this group, the best candidates will progress to fully funded admission scholarships into top universities in China. This initiative is designed not only to build language proficiency but also to enhance global competence, international exposure, and cultural intelligence among Nigerian students.
Also, to maintain international academic standards, participating schools are required to comply with strict guidelines. They will be obligated to join the online classes ten minutes earlier, they must have a minimum of 85% attendance throughout the program, and must ensure they have a stable internet connectivity, reliable power supply and a conducive learning environment.
Therefore, School owners and administrators have been formally congratulated and strongly encouraged to nominate their most disciplined, and committed students, as advancement to the China program will be strictly merit-based.
However, apart from students, internation business men are equally encouraged to attend New Horizon’s Mandarin executive lessons which will equip them with basic Chinese language to enhance their business communications.
Additionally, while the pilot phase begins with selected secondary schools which includes Startrite School, Lightway School, British Nigerian Academy School, Honeyland Schools and Great Heights School, the Mandarin program will be available as an elective ICT course at all New Horizons retail centers.
This is done to extend access to students and learners beyond its partner schools and within one year, committed learners will be able to communicate effectively in Mandarin, which will open doors to global employment, trade, and cultural exchange.
In conclusion, a Mandarin Cultural Fiesta will be hosted, bringing together educators, students, institutional partners, and distinguished guests from China and Nigeria. The event will celebrate outstanding performance, cross-cultural exchange, and the strengthening of bilateral educational ties.
For enquiries and participation details, interested individuals are encouraged to contact New Horizons Nigeria via 08125541750
By Moliehi Molekoa, Managing Director of Magna Carta Reputation Management Consultants and PRISA Board Member
The start of a new year often brings optimism, new strategies, and renewed ambition. However, for the public relations and reputation management industry, the past year ended not only with optimism but also with hard-earned clarity.
Moliehi Molekoa
2025 was more than a challenging year. It was a reckoning and a stress test for operating models, procurement practices, and, most importantly, the foundation of client–agency partnerships. For the C-suite, this is not solely an agency issue.
The year revealed a more fundamental challenge: a partnership problem that, if left unaddressed, can easily erode the very reputations, trust, and resilience agencies are hired to protect. What has emerged is not disillusionment, but the need for a clearer understanding of where established ways of working no longer reflect the reality they are meant to support.
The uncomfortable truth we keep avoiding
Public relations agencies are businesses, not cost centres or expandable resources. They are not informal extensions of internal teams, lacking the protection, stability, or benefits those teams receive. They are businesses.
Yet, across markets, agencies are often expected to operate under conditions that would raise immediate concerns in any boardroom:
Unclear and constantly shifting scope
Short-term contracts paired with long-term expectations
Sixty-, ninety-, even 120-day payment terms
Procurement-led pricing pressure divorced from delivery realities
Pitch processes that consume months of senior talent time, often with no feedback, timelines, or accountability
If these conditions would concern you within your own organisation, they should also concern you regarding the partner responsible for your reputation.
Growth on paper, pressure in practice
On the surface, the industry appears healthy. Global market valuations continue to rise. Demand for reputation management, stakeholder engagement, crisis preparedness, and strategic counsel has never been higher.
However, beneath this top-line growth lies the uncomfortable reality: fewer than half of agencies expect meaningful profit growth, even as workloads increase and expectations rise.
This disconnect is significant. It indicates an industry being asked to deliver more across additional platforms, at greater speed, with deeper insight, and with higher risk exposure, all while absorbing increased commercial uncertainty.
For African agencies in particular, this pressure is intensified by factors such as volatile currencies, rising talent costs, fragile data infrastructure, and procurement models adopted from economies with fundamentally different conditions. This is not a complaint. It is reality.
This pressure is not one-sided. Many clients face constraints ranging from procurement mandates and short-term cost controls to internal capacity gaps, which increasingly shift responsibility outward. But pressure transfer is not the same as partnership, and left unmanaged, it creates long-term risk for both parties.
The pitching problem no one wants to own
Agencies are not anti-competition. Pitches sharpen thinking and drive excellence. What agencies increasingly challenge is how pitching is done.
Across markets, agencies participate in dozens of pitches each year, with success rates well below 20%. Senior leaders frequently invest unpaid hours, often with limited information, tight timelines, and evaluation criteria that prioritise cost over value.
And then, too often, dead silence, no feedback, no communication about delays, and a lack of decency in providing detailed feedback on the decision drivers.
In any other supplier relationship, this would not meet basic governance standards. In a profession built on intellectual capital, it suggests that expertise is undervalued.
This is also where independent pitch consultants become increasingly important and valuable if clients choose this route to help facilitate their pitch process. Their role in the process is not to advocate for agencies but to act as neutral custodians of fairness, realism, and governance. When used well, they help clients align ambition with timelines, scope, and budget, and ensure transparency and feedback that ultimately lead to better decision-making.
“More for less” is not a strategy
A particularly damaging expectation is the belief that agencies can sustainably deliver enterprise-level outcomes on limited budgets, often while dedicating nearly full-time senior resources. This is not efficiency. It is misalignment.
No executive would expect a business unit to thrive while under-resourced, overexposed, and cash-constrained. Yet agencies are often required to operate under these conditions while remaining accountable for outcomes that affect market confidence, stakeholder trust, and brand equity.
Here is a friendly reminder: reputation management is not a commodity. It is risk management.
It is value creation. It also requires investment that matches its significance.
A necessary reset
As leadership teams plan for growth, resilience, and relevance, there is both an opportunity and a responsibility to reset how agency partnerships are structured.
That reset looks like:
Contracts that balance flexibility and sustainability
Payment terms that reflect mutual dependency
Pitch processes that respect time, talent, and transparency for all parties
Scopes that align ambition with available budgets
Relationships based on professional parity rather than power imbalance
This reset also requires discipline on the agency side – clearer articulation of value, sharper scoping, and greater transparency about how senior expertise is deployed. Partnership is not protectionism; it is mutual accountability.
The Leadership Question That Matters
The question for the C-suite is quite simple:
If your agency mirrored your internal standards of governance, fairness, and accountability, would you still be comfortable with how the relationship is structured?
If the answer is no, then change is not only necessary but also strategic. Because strong brands are built on strong partnerships. Strong partnerships endure only when both sides are recognised, respected, and resourced as businesses in their own right.
The agencies that succeed and the brands that truly thrive will be those that recognise this early and act deliberately.
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