General News
Zero Downtime is Possible – Omoniyi
Abiodun Omoniyi is the managing director of VDT Communications, a corporate telecommunications company. Omoniyi studied Electrical Electronics Engineering with Communication and Computer Option. He started his foray into entrepreneurship with the sales and maintenance of hardware computers and from there moved on to networking computers, which later gave birth to VDT Communications. Omoniyi spoke to chike onwuegbuchi and funmi ilesanmi
Wireless Backhaul
I wouldn’t say we are just a wireless backhaul provider, our services encompasses proving access into the central communication infrastructure which we manage. One of the means of granting access happens to be through wireless. VDT prides itself as a broadband communication company but for us to be properly called a broadband communication company, we need to provide access into the broadband infrastructure. One of the ways by which we provide access into this broadband infrastructure is using wireless. That was how we got to win the wireless backhaul provider of the year.
Subscription to MainOne Service
We are all aware that MainOne has landed and services are being sold on it now. We are glad to welcome MainOne but I must say that we are one of those who first supported the idea of the submarine that MainOne was promoting then. I remember we are also part investor in the scheme so that we could all have alternative cable. If you are familiar with SAT -3, it is also a submarine cable. So how would this enhance our services? Like I mentioned, the services we provide are mainly corporate communication services and this could be point to point within a metro city or an inter-city communication service. MainOne cable brings in a third dimension to the line of services that we provide and that brings internet into our infrastructure. MainOne cable landed at the shores of Nigeria so this needs to be brought to the inter-land. If MainOne landed at the Bar Beach for instance, how would you move it to Ikeja, how would you take it to Ibadan and Kano? Obviously, you will see the inter-play of our infrastructure in there. Before now, we had the metro service which we use in interconnecting our customers and we have these infrastructure built out in every city where we have presence. If we immediately partnered with MainOne, it means that we will take MainOne from the shores of Lagos and from there distribute it inland to our different customers. This is how the MainOne service complements what we are currently offering and of course this is a good investment for us because it further deepens our service offering.
Challenges
You know the environment is quite challenging and we all are aware of it. It is not just vandalization, it is a whole gamut of issues that we have but as a service provider, we need to be focused. Our customers are patronizing us because they know we would be able to deliver this service irrespective of the challenges. Though challenges exist, if we are mission focused, this should not be a deterrent. Yes, there are cable cuts but it is not only fibre cable that moves the traffic to its destination; there are other alternatives that can be used. We use fibre a lot especially for our inter-city operation, we have some fibre cable infrastructure laid in Lagos and in some parts of Abuja but in other cities, we use wireless to grant access into our main infrastructure, majority of which are leased from major carriers.
Nature of Relationship with Partners
Triangle is a major wireless backhaul equipment supplier. I would say that we are its customer and if you made a customer a partner, that means you are taking him to the next level. Triangle has introduced and deployed a number of its equipment in our infrastructure both at the access level and also at the backhaul level to different customers. Triangle is a leading company that offers various equipment that allow high bandwidth to be transmitted wirelessly. We are also into partnership with other wireless equipment manufacturers as well but we found out that Triangle does the backhaul a lot better than most and when we talk of real microwave backhaul on the licensed band, Triangle is actually the force to reckon with. Yes, we have other equipment manufacturers that we use for the distribution network, we have Apertio Network, Transio Broadband and we also have Accelera but we reserve the space for carrying the backhaul for Triangle and its equipment has been qualitative and has allowed us achieve the quality aim that we won an award for.
Customer Interactive Forum
We wanted to interact with our customers, we wanted to appreciate them, we wanted to update them on developments within our company; the changing landscape, the changing services and the unique way by which we want to continue to provide it. Generally, the Customer Forum was interactive and we also wanted to get some feedbacks from customers so that we would be able to know how to improve on our service delivery to them. Given the success of what has happened, it was of immense benefits, all our customers turned out in large quantity and we are actually thinking of making it a quarterly affair. It is not going to be yearly, it is not going to be a one-off thing, we truly enjoyed it, we enjoyed the camaraderie and also the learning point that each of us was able to take out of it.
Possibility of Zero Downtime in IP Communication in Nigeria
One of the things we need to realize is that nothing is impossible if one sets his mind to achieving it and we may then start talking of it been very costly. Is it possible or impossible to have constant power supply in Nigeria for one year without the power going down? If our government can put their mind to it, this is possible. In the case of Nitel, there are several things happening now that we thought were impossible then. If you listened to the guest speaker, Mr. Dare Adeyemi, he said for them, they would take nothing less than having a zero downtime at GT Bank. We are looking at delivering service such that the customer communication link does not go down. This means you have to provide alternative routes. One link may go down but you need to switch to another route. If that route also went down the same time as the primary route goes down, then you need to provide a tertiary route. What are the things that could cause these downtimes? One of it is power, if you knew it is power then you need to make sure your generator is always on, you need to provide alternative power supply and also backups. These are things providers need to put their minds to and they need to do to be able to achieve zero downtime. In VDT, it is not just a slogan, it is something that we do, it is something that is more like a creed for us to provide zero downtime in our infrastructure. We may now start talking about individual customers. We also want to understand why they are experiencing that downtime and be able to make it a point that is not due to our own doing but simply due to what the customer understands. Of course, we may not be able to come in to power the customer’s infrastructure. If the customers has a generator problem, there may be a downtime, if the customer has environmental issues that goes against the specification by which our equipment can operate smoothly, there also may be a down but this would be isolated cases at the edges.
Yes, we can achieve zero downtime in our core IP infrastructure. For two months running, I would say we have achieved that in our core infrastructure so how do we take it to the edge? To the edge, we’ve also started taking a clue. We have put a process in place and we also have three areas of backups at each of our hubs and then at the access layer. The access layer is the customer’s end of the equipment. If this happens, the customer also knows because we do have a review session with our customers and then we are able to tell them what to do because the whole system needs to come up and that was what the whole Customer Forum tried to achieve.
Awards
I can only say the award was a call to service. I would also say is it a form of recognition and a call for rededication for us to take it to the next level of our service.
Unified Communication in IP Communication
IP Communication is enveloping everything right now. Before now, there was the traditional TDM side of the infrastructure but now some of those are also gradually changing to packets. So if you are changing to packets, nobody would want to stand still because if everything is packetised, the whole system would be more efficient. To this end, that is to me what IP communication is about as this is driven by data centric approach. Going on to unified communication, this is another service that rides on the IP infrastructure. If we have an IP infrastructure that is embedded in our MPLS core right now, it would provide unified communication services to our customers. Essentially, unified communication is bringing your phone, your email, your video together on either an infrastructure or on a device. That is actually happening today but what we are concerned about is building an infrastructure that would be amendable to such services in future. We have a number of our customers that are doing these different things in a disparage way, some do it singularly while some talk on our network across their branches while some use it for video conferencing. Unified communication brings these things together and we are thinking of leaving this in the hands of integrators so that they can offer these services to customers.
Support
In terms of support, we are very close to the customers. We know that we do not have too many of them because we are not really into the retail business. We service corporate organizations and we have dedicated people in every city. In some mega cities like Lagos, we have different service groups that offer support to customers. This is one of the things we have been able to do. We also have a central system that monitors how fast our technicians are able to deliver support in relation to our service level agreement to different customers. We have a number of processes and we have the capacity to support our customers. In terms of support, we have dedicated people who are very close to the customers and we do offer support.
Future of VDT
This technological landscape changes so fast and it’s quite dynamic. One of the things we want to do in the next five years is for VDT to be a recognized name in the corporate communication sub-sector of the communication industry as providing the best service. By that, we would by the grace of God be present in the 36 states of the federation. Right now, we are in 16 of those states so we would be present in all the nooks and crannies of Nigeria and we would be a recognized name known for quality of service.
Federal government has launched Credit for Laptops, Internet, Connectivity and Knowledge Digital Devices (C.L.I.C.K.D.), a new consumer credit initiative, to provide affordable financing for locally assembled laptops and other digital devices.
L-R: Mr Uzoma Nwagba, managing director and chief executive officer, CREDICORP, and Dr Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, at the launch
The initiative by the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDICORP) and the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, is aimed at equipping Nigerians with the tools needed to participate in the country’s growing digital economy.
During the launch, Dr Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, described access to credit as critical to improving productivity and driving economic growth.
Dr Tijani said no nation could achieve sustainable development without a strong credit system that enables individuals and businesses to access resources needed to become more productive.
He noted that in today’s digital age, technology has become indispensable for education, innovation and wealth creation.
The minister explained that many talented young Nigerians possess the skills required to succeed in the digital economy but remain constrained by their inability to own computers and other digital tools.
Drawing from his personal experience, Dr Tijani recalled how his first laptop as a student in the university opened doors to international opportunities and eventually inspired him to establish one of Nigeria’s pioneering technology hubs.
He said the new programme would ensure that more young Nigerians are not denied similar opportunities because of financial barriers.
According to him, the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s vision of building a one-trillion-dollar economy by expanding access to technology, boosting productivity and supporting local manufacturing.
Mr Uzoma Nwagba, managing director and chief executive officer, CREDICORP, described the programme as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future workforce and digital transformation.
Mr Nwagba said that while improvements in internet connectivity and digital skills training have positioned Nigeria for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, access to devices remains a major challenge preventing many young people from fully participating in the digital economy.
He explained that C.L.I.C.K.D. would bridge that gap by providing affordable consumer credit that enables beneficiaries to acquire laptops and other internet-enabled devices while they develop in-demand digital skills
Federal government has launched a N482.4 million investment fund to support 12 tech-enabled Nigerian startups.
The initiative under the federal government of Nigeria’s Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) Programme was implemented by the Bank of Industry (BoI).
The initiative in a statement said applications have been opened for Growth Lab, a 12-week acceleration programme that will select the 12 tech-enabled Nigerian startups, from the six geopolitical zones, for intensive growth support, investment readiness training, and access to up to $350,000 in funding.
According to Ife Adebayo, national coordinator of the Programme, growth lab was designed to support startups that have achieved early traction and are seeking the expertise, networks, and investment required to scale following the implementation of Founders Lab.
“Growth Lab is the Startup Bridge accelerator programme, designed for startups that have developed an MVP and require structured support to scale. The programme focuses on strengthening venture fundamentals and preparing companies for external investment.
“The programme targets startup founders who are seeking the support, networks, expertise, and investment readiness required to accelerate growth and strengthen their position within the Nigerian innovation ecosystem,” he said.
He added that selected founders will gain access to structured growth support, investment readiness preparation, access to industry experts, market expansion pathways, a $100,000 cash investment (or Naira equivalent) for 7.5% equity upon entering the programme (terms and conditions apply), and up to $250,000 in potential follow-on investment should certain growth conditions be met.
“Eligible startups must be at the post-MVP stage, demonstrate evidence of market validation through users, customers, pilots, partnerships, waitlists or any other demand signals, and be willing to participate fully in the hybrid programme,” he said.
The programme will run as an intensive 12-week hybrid experience, including virtual engagements and two physical weeks in Lagos focused on collaboration, learning, and business growth.
The statement said applications opened on July 15, 2026, and will close on August 19, 2026.
According to him, female founders are strongly encouraged to apply. Selection will be conducted through a clearly defined, merit-based evaluation process aligned with published criteria.
iDICE is a $618 million federal government initiative backed by international lenders to boost the technology and creative sectors.
It provides young entrepreneurs with business skills training, mentorship, and access to capital through funds and accelerator programs like the iDICE Startup Bridge.
Nigeria and The United Kingdom held the fourth Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) Dialogue at the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in Abuja, recently. The dialogue, an important pillar of the bilateral Strategic Partnership, was opened by the National Security Adviser to the Federal Government of Nigeria, Nuhu Ribadu, and the United Kingdom’s National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell.
Building on the third dialogue hosted in London in July 2025, the fourth SDP dialogue included inter alia, regional and domestic security challenges, human rights and non-kinetic solutions, defence staff talks, cyber and hybrid threats, as well as cross-government discussions on strategic trends, counter terrorism, fraud and illicit finance. Senior representatives from across the Governments of Nigeria and the United Kingdom participated, reflecting the breadth and extent of the partnership.
Nigeria and the United Kingdom agreed to deepen cooperation based on mutual accountability and delivery of commitments while working in a spirit of partnership.
Defence co-operation
The United Kingdom and Nigeria’s defence partnership continues to strengthen in the support of peace and stability in the region. Following on from the successes of previous SDP dialogues, the United Kingdom renewed its long-term commitment to Nigeria’s Armed Forces, including through efforts to counter the threat from Uncrewed Air Systems (UAS) and Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), via joint doctrine, training, technical advice and lessons learning, as well as exploring the development of Special Operations Forces.
The United Kingdom reaffirmed its support for Nigeria’s Joint Doctrine and Warfare Centre, and for strengthening Nigeria’s Maritime Domain Awareness capability. Both parties recognised the success of the hydrography partnership. The United Kingdom committed to continue supporting the National Hydrographic Agency to enhance autonomy and regional influence.
Both governments underscored their shared commitment to deepening cooperation on maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea. Recognising the critical importance of regional stability and secure trade routes, both governments committed to aligning efforts to combat illicit maritime activities, and transnational threats. Nigeria and the United Kingdom also agreed to explore opportunities to strengthen their defence trade relationship.
Countering hybrid threats
Nigeria and the United Kingdom reaffirmed their cooperation on countering hybrid threats, including cyber security and Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI). Both sides welcomed progress under the existing Cyber Memorandum of Understanding [2024 to 2027] and agreed to further collaboration on threat intelligence sharing and a new phase of targeted programme partnership.
In this context, the United Kingdom and Nigeria recognised the challenged posed to open societies by hybrid threat actors and our shared assessment. Both countries committed to advancing a new structured framework for cooperation on countering hybrid threats.
This will include the advancement of concrete cyber resilience initiatives, a formalised intelligence-sharing mechanism, robust joint capability-building programmes, and cooperation on counter-hybrid threat strategies, in order to effectively counter mis/disinformation, cyber-attacks, transnational organised crime, and other hybrid threats, whilst upholding human rights and the rules-based international order. Both sides will seek to widen the conversation on hybrid threats.
Joint efforts will continue to build national capabilities, including through programme delivery and targeted support, while addressing developing risks, including from emerging technologies, and supporting Nigeria’s efforts to enhance its role in promoting regional resilience across West Africa.
Countering terrorism and violent extremism
Building on commitments agreed at the third dialogue, Nigeria and the United Kingdom agreed to deepen their partnership on counter terrorism and countering violent extremism. Both sides identified shared priority areas, including strengthening multi-agency coordination, enhancing intelligence and information exchange, as well as reinforcing crisis preparedness and protective security.
Both sides appreciated their continued collaboration on aviation security. The United Kingdom reinforced its support for capacity development efforts at Lagos and Abuja airports to build on progress made to date. Both sides agreed to continue working together in support of Nigeria’s efforts to roll-out the Multi-Agency Anti Kidnap Fusion Cell at the State level.
Continued cooperation will support the operationalisation of Nigeria’s counter terrorism architecture, particularly the National Counter Terrorism Centre, alongside efforts to build capabilities in investigations, forensics and strategic communications. Both sides agreed to renew their support to Nigeria Police Force’s Counter Terrorism Unit with a technical needs assessment planned for late 2026.
Nigeria and the United Kingdom have renewed their commitment to preventing violent extremism through non-kinetic approaches including Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) and implementing a comprehensive, whole-of-society approach to building sustainable peace under Nigeria’s national security framework. They welcomed the development of a national policy framework on DDR, and the United Kingdom committed to continuing support to implement the framework at national and state levels following formal sign-off.
Recognising the importance of justice in effective responses to terrorism, the United Kingdom welcomed the commitment and concrete actions by Nigeria to expedite terrorism cases through remote court proceedings, alongside other latest efforts to counter terrorism.
This includes the ongoing phases of mass trials at the Federal High Court, demonstrating Nigeria’s determination to deliver timely, effective, and human rights-compliant investigations and prosecutions of terrorism crimes. Both countries also committed to work together on human rights compliance and recognised the importance of transparency, accountability and respect for human rights as integral to effective counter terrorism cooperation.
Human rights and non-kinetic solutions
Nigeria and the United Kingdom reaffirmed the central role of human rights and non‑kinetic approaches in achieving sustainable security outcomes. Both sides welcomed progress since the third SDP dialogue and agreed to deepen cooperation on civilian protection, accountability, conflict prevention, and the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda.
Both sides reviewed ongoing efforts, including Nigerian Armed Forces’ civilian harm mitigation measures, and underscored the importance of strengthening practices, ensuring transparent investigation of incidents, and embedding lessons learned to reduce harm and maintain public confidence. On accountability, both sides emphasised the need for robust mechanisms to investigate violations by both state and non-state actors.
The United Kingdom welcomed the involvement of the National Human Rights Commission with the Nigerian Air Force’s investigations into recent air strikes. The United Kingdom offered support to strengthen the National Human Rights Commission’s capacity to document and investigate abuses by non-state actors.
Recognising the importance of Nigeria’s upcoming national elections, both sides noted the importance of effective election security before, during and after polls, including efforts to protect voters and institutions, public order management in line with international standards, and reducing the risk of violence.
On preventing conflicts and violent extremism, both sides highlighted the importance of strengthening early warning and early response systems, improving coordination, and strengthening ability of peacebuilding agencies to ensure timely preventive action. On WPS, both sides welcomed progress on Nigeria’s third National Action Plan and committed to advancing participation, protection, and prevention, with the United Kingdom’s continued support for implementation. The United Kingdom offered continued technical assistance in support of Nigeria’s relevant national and state-level strategies in these areas.
Both sides agreed to explore a National Counter Terrorism Centre led quarterly working-level mechanism, with the National Human Rights Commission, to track progress on session agreements and reaffirmed their shared commitment to accountability, transparency, and civilian protection.
Fraud and illicit finance
Building on commitments agreed at the third Security and Defence Partnership dialogue and the State Visit of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to London thereafter, the United Kingdom and Nigeria reiterated their shared ambition to tackle fraud and illicit finance.
Both sides welcomed progress on strengthening cooperation, including efforts to enhance public–private partnerships, increase capabilities to jointly tackle fraud, improve asset recovery processes and oversight of virtual assets and cryptocurrencies, as well as recognised the growing relationship between illicit financial networks and hybrid threats.
Further collaboration will focus on enhancing mechanisms to support informal bilateral and international cooperation, including timely operational engagements on relevant requests, while addressing evolving fraud threats through strengthened intelligence exchange, joint analysis and coordinated enforcement action. A joint action plan will advance delivery against shared priorities.
Both countries also committed to continued capacity building to support investigation, prosecution and judicial responses, reinforcing a coordinated approach to protect the members of the public in Nigeria and the United Kingdom from serious and organised fraud and financial crimes. Nigeria and the United Kingdom committed to continuing efforts to embody regional and global leadership on the issue of fraud.
Regional security co-operation
Nigeria and the United Kingdom exchanged views on the evolving regional and domestic security environment, noting the deteriorating situation in the Sahel and its impact across West Africa. Both sides reaffirmed Nigeria’s prominence and role as a key factor in promoting peace and stability across Africa over the years.
To this end, both sides agreed upon the importance of Nigeria leveraging its regional relationships and its participation in significant regional platform including through the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and emphasised the importance of continued outreach and collaboration with countries in the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
The United Kingdom and Nigeria welcomed the analytical exchange on security and hybrid threats held in advance of the Forth SDP and committed to continuing these as part of future dialogues. Against this backdrop, both countries reaffirmed their intention to deepen cooperation on regional security.
The United Kingdom welcomed the efforts of Nigeria on progress made towards transitioning the National Counter Terrorism Centre to a Regional Centre of Excellence. The United Kingdom expressed its continued support to Nigeria’s regional counter terrorism efforts and welcomed Nigeria’s decision to join the International CT Academy in Ivory Coast (AILCT) to share its expertise across West Africa and the Sahel. The importance of strengthening coordination, information sharing and burden-sharing between regional initiatives were recognised.
Both sides acknowledged the increasing cross-border nature of threats, alongside the impact of hybrid challenges on regional stability, and agreed to work together to support effective regional leadership and partnership.
Implementation and accountability
Finally, Nigeria and the United Kingdom emphasised the importance of sustained delivery and structured engagement to ensure progress on agreed priorities. Both sides agreed to maintain close coordination, through ongoing monitoring of implementation and continued cross-government collaboration.
To support this, officials were tasked to take forward agreed actions and to review progress ahead of the next Security and Defence Partnership Dialogue, to be hosted by the United Kingdom in 2027. It was agreed the Dialogue will continue to support delivery of the United Kingdom–Nigeria Strategic Partnership as well as provide a platform to strengthen cooperation across shared security and defence priorities.
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