The Federal government, through the National Population Commission (NPC), has signed a deal with Nigeria’s integrated technology brand – Zinox – for the supply of tech components and other accessories for the 2023 national census project.
The contract, worth over N85 billion, was awarded to Zinox after ratification by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
Zinox emerged the preferred technical partner for the exercise after scaling a rigorous bid process involving other local and international competitors.
Already, the company has commenced supply of the first batch of about 100,000 units of the Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) devices required for the nationwide enumeration.
Zinox reportedly 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 around the world.
Zinox earned an endorsement by the Federal government for the project due to its pedigree in the tech business. Also, to its credit is the fact that it was Zinox that helped 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.
The Chairman of Zinox Group, Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh, said the company has built a system of integrity and a record of excellence, both in Nigeria and internationally.
He further noted that until there is a credible data census figure, the country cannot plan effectively.
Also, the Managing Director of Zinox Technologies, Mrs. Kelechi Okonta, said: “It is a privilege for the Federal government to consider us among many other companies in the world. They know we have the capacity. We are deploying all our resources to make sure it is successful.”
The 2023 census, scheduled to hold between March and April, will be the fifth to be conducted by the Nigerian government since independence in 1960 and it is coming 17 years since the last edition which was held in 2006 under the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.