At a time in the history of Nigeria when its reputation seems to have been slurred, an indigenous tech firm, Task Systems Limited, was honoured in the presence of thousands of global professionals with Microsoft Best Partner Award in California, United States of America.
It was a major rebranding for Nigeria as Task Systems, a member of the Zinox Group and one of the pioneers of Africa tech ecosystem, emerged one of the 42 winners out of over 4,000 corporate nominations from across 100 countries.
This highly coveted Award commands respect and reassures the world that Nigeria is a promising country to do business with assured return on investment.
The under-35 Chief Executive Officer of Task, Mrs Gozy Ijogun, who was in the US to receive the award at the Microsoft Ignite 2025 event, said it was an award that speaks to the trove of innovations and tech advancement by Nigerians at home in the past decade. She thanked the government of Nigeria, multinationals and local corporates who made it possible.
To her, this calls for more enterprise innovation, technical efficiency and deeper engagement between Task Systems and its diverse stakeholders spread across different fields of human endeavour.
The Chief Partner Officer and Corporate Vice President, Global Channel Partner Sales of Microsoft, Nicole Dezen, while highlighting the global significance of the award, said: “This year, we received more than 4,600 nominations from 100 countries and regions, reflecting the continued momentum and growth of our ecosystem. Every submission showcased innovation, technical excellence, and inclusion as partners bring transformative solutions to market.”
This year’s awards span eight global categories that reflect the breadth of innovation across Microsoft ecosystem, namely: Azure, Business Applications, Modern Work, Security, Industry, Social Impact, Partner Innovation and Business Transformation.
In all, 42 companies from 42 countries out of 100 nations emerged winners which equates to only 42 winners out of over 4,600 nominations; a highly competitive global contest that took cognizance of global competitiveness of the organisations, their innovative imprints in their jurisdictions of operations and degrees of corporate governance in conformity with the high ideals of Microsoft, the global leader in the software ecosystem, specializing in operating systems, productivity software, and cloud services.
The emergence of Task, a wholly Nigerian company and the only winner in West Africa, underscores the global rating of Nigeria as an emerging tech force out of Africa as well as a globally-certified player in the critical areas of Artificial Intelligence, Microsoft cloud computing among other aspects of innovation.
Founded 38 years ago in 1987, Task Systems is the ideal definition of an indigenous start-up that has been nurtured into a leading system integration company, providing cutting-edge ICT solutions to a diverse clientele across Nigeria and the broader Sub-Saharan market. It has positioned itself as the preferred partner for businesses seeking robust and innovative technology solutions.
Mrs. Ijogun was appointed the CEO of Task Systems Ltd on April 1, 2023, with a mandate to grow it to become the leading technology company in Africa. Ever since, she had led her team to greater efficiency with a healthy balance sheet amid a volatile national economy. The latest Microsoft award adds to the over 27 global awards the company has received for its exceptional contributions to digital economy of Africa.
Task has become a major employer of labour and provider of critical solutions in Nigeria. At a time, it deployed over 257 tech professionals to major organizations such as Shell, Chevron, and Total PLC, among other corporates across the nation.
Mrs. Ijogun is not a stranger to awards and innovation. Indeed, she has mastered the art and science of driving the enterprise to achieve growth and sustainability. At 25, armed with a degree in Chemistry from University College London and a Master of Science degree in Accounting, Organisations, and Institutions from the London School of Economics, she blazed the trail in the male-dominated digital mobile market when she launched TD-Mobile, Nigeria’s first structured mobile devices distribution company. Here, she disrupted the market with her out-of-the box managerial and marketing skills to generate a record N38 billion in revenue during her company’s first year, with a team of only seven staff members.
Within one year, Mrs. Ijogun exceeded investors’ expectations. She later turned TD-Mobile from its start-up status into a partner and authorised distributor for notable global mobile device brands such as Nokia, Samsung, Infinix, Tecno, and Apple Inc.
On account of her exceptional performance, TD-Mobile was integrated into TD Africa Distributions Ltd, the leading pioneer in technology distribution in sub-Saharan Africa, representing over 25 global brands, including Microsoft, IBM, HP, Cisco, Lenovo, Dell, ASUS, and Samsung, among others. She rose to become the Managing Director of TD Africa where she exhibited her trademark leadership by innovation, emotional intelligence and futuristic anticipation. These qualities were fully expressed in her performance in capacity building, revenue growth, profitability, and market share expansion.
Under her guidance, TD Africa introduced numerous ICT solution products that positioned the company as a distinguished and solution-focused tech distribution firm on the continent. Additionally, TD Africa launched innovative financing options to support its extensive network of African resellers.
Her appointment as Task CEO years later was a testament to her capacity for innovative leadership. She has since elevated Task to the cusp of systems integration and solutions in Nigeria.
A well-travelled global citizen, Mrs. Ijogun has participated in senior management courses at esteemed institutions like Harvard where she honed her skills in management and leadership. Her strategic positioning and the roles she played in growing both the enterprise and the market have exposed her to deeper hands-on experience and understanding of Nigeria’s digital economy and its role as an enabler of the larger national economy.
To her credit, she deployed industry tailored soft power to play a pivotal role in spearheading “This is Me,” a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative powered by TD Africa.
The initiative which has earned the support of multinationals aims to foster greater engagement and support for marginalised individuals, including the voiceless, physically challenged, and other vulnerable members of society. The initiative is a potent tool for achieving inclusivity with the guided objective to restore their dignity and help them realise their innate potential.
Mrs. Gozy Ijogun, wife, mother and forward-looking CEO is forged in the foundry of a family with a pedigree of proven entrepreneurship.
She is the first child of Dr. Leo Stan Ekeh, the tech mogul and founder of Zinox Group, an African conglomerate with operations in Europe, Asia and Middle East. Her mother, Lady Chioma Ekeh, is the Group CEO of TD Africa, the biggest tech distribution company in Sub Saharan Africa. Her other siblings are also firmly rooted in digital and allied entrepreneurship.
