Основатель DonDada Technologies объясняет, почему владельцы бизнеса в Нигерии недооценивают ценность цифровых решений

Olalekan Dada is a technology entrepreneur, digital solutions consultant and founder of DonDada Technologies, with more than 15 years of experience in the technology and digital solutions industry. His journey spans web technology, digital solutions, online presence development, technology consulting and youth empowerment through digital skills. From serving as the pioneer webmaster at Lead City University to building DonDada Technologies and working with businesses in Nigeria and internationally, Dada has developed a practical understanding of how technology can be applied to solve real business problems. Most recently, he completed the Basic and Advanced Management Development (MANDEV) programmes with the Centre for Management Development (CMD), further strengthening his development in management, leadership, training and consultancy. Today, Dada is increasingly moving toward technology consultancy, advisory and thought leadership, while his new Tech Daddy Series provides a platform for him to demystify technology and share practical lessons from more than 15 years in the industry. He told ROTIMI IGE about his journey in tech entrepreneurship recently. Excerpts. Let’s start from the beginning. What drew you to technology? I’ve always had a flair for technology and, more importantly, I enjoyed solving problems. I liked the idea that you could look at something that wasn’t working, think about it differently and come up with a solution. Technology became a very good way for me to express that. At the time, technology was also becoming the next big thing. I could see where things were going, and I wanted to be part of that movement. For me, it wasn’t just about learning how to use computers or build websites. It was about asking, “What can I create with this? What problem can I solve with this?” That’s really where the journey started. There’s also a deeper dimension to how I see creativity and productivity. I believe God created us in His own image, and part of that is our ability to think, create, solve problems and bring things forth. So, I don’t only see productivity as what we physically produce. Having an idea, developing it and bringing it into reality is also a form of productivity. Technology gives us incredible tools to do that. You were the pioneer webmaster at Lead City University. How did that experience shape you? Being the pioneer webmaster at Lead City University gave me an opportunity to work with technology in a real environment. It wasn’t just about experimenting anymore. You had an institution, people, processes and expectations. You had to think about how technology could actually serve people. That experience reinforced something I already enjoyed: solving problems with digital solutions. It was rewarding to look at a challenge and think about how technology could make things work better. That experience also gave me the confidence that this was something I wanted to continue doing professionally. How did DonDada Technologies come into the picture? DonDada Technologies came out of that flair for technology and the desire to create solutions. We were looking at where technology was going and trying to position ourselves to offer digital solutions that could actually help businesses. At the time, having an online presence was becoming increasingly important, so we started helping businesses establish themselves digitally. But as we worked with more businesses, we realised that it wasn’t really about just creating an online presence. It was about understanding what the business needed and using technology to help solve those needs. So, the thinking evolved. You don’t just ask, “What can we build?” You ask, “What does this business actually need, and how can technology help?” That thinking has continued to shape DonDada Technologies. You’ve now been running DonDada Technologies for more than 15 years. What has that journey been like? It’s been very interesting. Technology itself keeps changing, so you can’t afford to remain where you were yesterday. You have to keep thinking. You have to keep learning. You have to keep evolving. When we started, we were dealing with technologies like HTML, Dreamweaver, FrontPage, Photoshop and Fireworks. A lot of things were done manually. Today, the whole development process is completely different. There are UI/UX designers, frontend developers, backend developers, product managers, testers, cloud technologies, automation and now AI. So, running DonDada has really changed the way I see technology. You have to keep up with interesting times. But one thing has remained constant: the problem you’re trying to solve. The tools change, but the need to understand the problem and find the right solution doesn’t. After building online presences and digital solutions for many Nigerian businesses, what have you learnt about the Nigerian market? I’ll be very honest: sometimes it can be discouraging. The challenge isn’t necessarily that Nigerian business owners don’t want technology. Sometimes, you have to explain so many things before they understand the value of what you’re proposing. You might see a solution immediately, but the business owner may not immediately see the connection between that solution and the business. You have to explain, educate and show them what the technology can actually do for them. READ ALSO: We have technologies in place to regulate genome editing, gene drive —DG, NBMA But I’ve also learnt that once they understand the value, the conversation changes. That’s why I believe technology professionals shouldn’t just be implementers. We have to be consultants and educators too. The business owner should focus on getting better at the business, while technology should make things easier for them. You still work with clients abroad. How does that experience compare? It’s interesting because, in many cases, there is already a system around technology. The clients understand that digital systems are part of how their businesses operate. You’re not always spending a lot of time convincing them that the technology has value. They already understand the value. Sometimes they’re simply looking for someone who can help them implement, improve or connect the right solution. That doesn’t mean everything is perfect outside Nigeria, and it doesn’t mean Nigerian businesses don’t understand technology. It’s more about the environment and the level of digital adoption. Working across both environments has helped me appreciate the importance of understanding the business first, then the technology. What do you think Nigerian businesses and technology companies need to do better? I think we need to become much more problem-focused. If you’re building a technology solution, don’t just start because you think the technology is interesting. Look around you. What problem are people facing? What are businesses struggling with? What are people doing manually? What is costing them time or money? Then ask yourself, “Can technology solve this?” If you look at some of the companies that have remained relevant, many of them started by identifying a real problem and creating a solution around it. That’s the mindset I think we need more of. Don’t just build because you can but because there is a problem worth solving. For technology startups especially, I think that is very important. The opportunity is all around us. There are everyday challenges that people and businesses are experiencing. The question is: who is willing to understand that problem deeply enough to create a useful solution? Beyond building technology solutions, you’ve also been involved in youth empowerment and digital skills development. Why has that been important to you? For me, technology is not only about building products or solving business problems. It’s also about people. Over the years, I’ve had opportunities to contribute to youth empowerment through digital skills training. I believe there are young people with incredible potential who simply need access to the right knowledge, tools and opportunities. When you teach someone a digital skill, you’re not just teaching them how to use a particular technology. You’re potentially giving them a skill they can build a career around, use to create something or even use to solve problems for other people. That is something I find very meaningful. And it connects to how I see technology generally. Technology creates possibilities, but people need the knowledge and confidence to take advantage of those possibilities. After everything you’ve built so far, what’s next for Olalekan Dada? I think I’m entering another interesting phase of the journey. After more than 15 years of building and implementing technology solutions, I’m increasingly moving into consultancy and advisory work. With experience, you start to realise that your value isn’t only in knowing how to build something. Most recently, I completed the Basic and Advanced Management Development (MANDEV) programmes with the Centre for Management Development (CMD). That has further strengthened my understanding of management, leadership, training and consultancy. I think it’s important that as technology changes, we also develop ourselves as professionals and leaders. So this next phase is really about bringing together the technology experience, business understanding, leadership and consulting. And that’s also part of what led to Tech Daddy. Tell us about Tech Daddy. What’s the idea behind it? Tech Daddy is really the next chapter for me. After more than 15 years of working with technology, businesses and different kinds of digital solutions, I’ve accumulated a lot of experience. I realised that I don’t want all that knowledge to remain inside client meetings and projects. I want to share it and demystify technology. I want to explain things in a way that people can actually understand and relate to. It’s not a replacement for DonDada Technologies. DonDada is the business and the foundation of this journey. Tech Daddy is the next expression of what I’ve learnt from that journey. Hopefully, as people follow the series, they don’t just learn about technology. They discover what is possible.