The Federal Government through the National Population Commission (NPC) has signed a landmark deal with Nigeria’s leading integrated technology brand, Zinox, for the supply of the tech components and other accessories for the 2023 national census project.
The contract, worth over N85bn, was recently awarded to Zinox after ratification by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), further justifying President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s commitment on local content promotion.
Zinox in statement on Monday disclosed that it has already commenced supply of the first batch of about 100,000 units of the Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) devices required for the nationwide enumeration, emerged the undisputed and preferred technical partners for the exercise after scaling a rigorous bid process involving other local and international competitors.
It was gathered that Zinox met the rating as an indigenous technology powerhouse with global connections which has consistently enjoyed the confidence of leading Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and other tech heavyweights the world over.
This, it was learnt, earned it an overwhelming endorsement by the Federal Government for the project. Also, to its credit is the fact that it was Zinox that rescued the nation’s voter registration exercise in 2006 and 2010 when big foreign tech companies contracted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) could not deliver as scheduled.
Zinox used its Z-Pad smart device to lay the foundation for Nigeria’s digital democracy upon which INEC is building on today.
The smooth execution of the over $200 million INEC contract in 2010 added impetus to the profile of Zinox as a strong indigenous company with capacity and competence.
Chairman, of Zinox Group, Leo Stan Ekeh, said that the company had built a system of integrity and a record of excellence, both in Nigeria and internationally. Further, Ekeh noted that until there was a credible data census figure, the country cannot plan well.