VDL Technologies plans to break into African and European markets, having adopted a business model that helped it to adjust to government policy risks amid Nigeria’s tough macroeconomic environment.
Speaking at a recent press conference in Lagos, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Oluwarotimi Fasuyi, said VDL is targeting other African markets, the Middle East and North Africa, as well as Europe and parts of North America with strong Nigerian populations. Oluwarotimi leads VDL with his wife, Ayodele Fasuyi.
He said, “We’re looking to move to African countries, especially the Middle East and North African countries, and also Europe. Places where we have Nigerians, Canada, and the United States, can also leverage our gaming platforms.”
Oluwarotimi noted that the company’s growth has equipped it to address challenges and make plans as VDL marked its 10th anniversary.
VDL, headquartered in Lagos, provides real-time analytics to firms in the fast-moving consumer goods sector, financials, retail & e-commerce, energy, and transportation sectors. It also works with government agencies and healthcare and wellness, enabling them to understand customer behaviour and usage patterns.
Oluwarotimi stated, “VDL Technologies is about offering digital services to people. What you can use on your phone, and of course, that will add value to you and improve your lifestyle. Our services cut across different domains in the market, talking about children, talking about adults, and not just to individuals but also to businesses. We’re helping them to distribute their mobile content on the phone. We help some media brands by getting customers to have access to news on their devices.”
VDL’s offerings include gamification through Markov Games AI, consumer intelligence, shortcode services, payment solutions, mobile marketing, and corporate ringback tunes.
VDL’s CEO explained that the company’s skill-based games are designed to teach culture and history, citing its “50-50” game, which focuses on Nigerian culture and heritage. “It’s very important to us,” he said.
Looking ahead, Oluwarotimi said VDL plans to launch Internet of Things products and expand solutions in education, payments, and technology, particularly by leveraging SMS and USSD to improve financial inclusion.
“There will be more product adoption, market orientation, and new technological products that will address these needs, not just in Nigeria, but across the world,” he said.
VDL is positioning itself to scale beyond Nigeria by leveraging technology, culture-driven content, and skill-based gaming platforms. The company noted that it supports organisations to achieve deeper market penetration and stronger customer engagement through consumer promotion and loyalty-driven solutions.
“We help organisations realise their business objectives, penetration, and access to information and help brands reach their end users, not just to sell products, but to make customers comfortable and happy using them,” he added.
Oluwarotimi said the company uses consumer promotion tools to build brand loyalty, rewarding users with incentives such as airtime, data, cash, and branded gifts.
Speaking on the challenges facing businesses, the CEO identified foreign exchange volatility and policy uncertainty as major constraints. “FX is a major challenge because most of our platforms are in the cloud, and we’re earning in naira and paying in dollars,” he said. “Our payments are monthly, not annual.”
He added that inconsistent government policies make long-term planning difficult, forcing the company to remain flexible. “Lack of a clear-cut policy from governments affects us. Different policies keep springing up, making it hard to predict,” Oluwarotimi said. “That’s why we have to be dynamic and flexible with our revenue.”
He said VDL relies on careful forecasting, historical data, and scenario planning to manage risks, noting that the company operates without external funding. “As we generate revenue, we try to predict the next six months and possible policy changes,” he said.
On human capital, Oluwarotimi said staff retention and welfare remain central to VDL’s growth strategy. “VDL is not about an individual; it’s about the staff,” he said. “We prioritise staff welfare, benefits, training and work-life balance.” He added that employees are exposed to local and international conferences and provided with clear growth plans within the organisation.
Highlighting VDL’s specialised services, Oluwarotimi said the firm launched Amani Health Services to address mental health challenges in Nigeria. He said, “We found that there was no specific platform addressing mental health issues like anxiety, trauma and addiction. That led to the creation of Amani Health.”
On Markov Games AI, he said the platform bridges entertainment and education without promoting betting. “It’s a skill-based gaming platform that helps people learn as they play, while also being rewarded,” he said, describing it as Nigeria’s largest of its kind.
Oluwarotimi also said VDL previously partnered, through an agency, with the Independent National Electoral Commission to deploy USSD solutions that helped voters locate polling units and collect Permanent Voter Cards.
“It created accessibility and helped people maximise their time using technology,” he said, adding that the company is ready to support similar initiatives ahead of the 2027 elections if engaged.
Meanwhile, the Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, Ayodele Fasuyi, described VDL’s journey as challenging but rewarding. She said, “It’s like walking on water. You don’t really know if it will work, but conviction, vision, and strong culture have helped us grow.”
She thanked staff, board members, clients, and partners for their contributions to the company’s growth over the past decade. Other members of VDL’s management team include the Chief Business Officer, Sam Olayemi, and the Chief Technical Officer, Oni Tosin.
