E-Business
SystemSpecs: The Evolution of an African Technology Powerhouse
Africa’s digital revolution has been hailed as one of the continent’s most historic changes in the past decade. Despite challenges with infrastructure, prevalent poverty, poor health system and weak governance, the 21st century African business is thriving through sheer innovation and local knowledge by leveraging digital technology.
However, before this digital explosion, several African companies had been silently pioneering innovation on the continent.
One of those pioneers of this digital revolution is SystemSpecs, a 29-year-old Nigerian technology firm that has evolved from very humble beginnings as a five-man start-up in the early 1990s to a technology giant with hundreds of staff and a towering influence across Africa today.
SystemSpecs’ story is all about the silent evolution of an African technology giant, an indigenous pioneer whose history is defined by its landmark innovations for Nigeria and the entire African continent.
Seasoned journalist, David Hundeyin, once alluded to SystemSpecs’ pedigree as a pioneer when he tweeted about companies that provided technology solutions in the early 90s, long before the internet became ubiquitous in Nigeria.
SystemSpecs was founded by an ex-banker, John Tanimola Obaro, in 1992. The firm started in Lagos as a value-added reseller of American software solution, SunSystems. It proceeded to launch its own human capital solution, SpecMan, about 3 years later. This was followed by SpecPen which was for pensions processing and then SpecPay which was for payments. All of these three were consolidated, in 2000, in a solution known as HumanManager.
Fast-forward to 2020, the firm carried a restructuring and repositioning of its business to adjust to current realities and maximize new opportunities as its profile continues to rise as a leading financial and human capital technology company in Africa.
Human Manager and IPPIS
At the turn of a new century in year 2000, when endless paper files and long cabinets were the norms in many organisations, SystemSpecs developed HumanManager, a trailblazing human relations and payroll management solution.
The first self-service platform in Africa and arguably the world, HumanManager is today an intuitive, ground-breaking, and easy-to-use human capital management solution trusted by many small, medium and large-scale organisations across Africa.
Its track record of innovation has been proven across the shores of Nigeria, in various African countries including Benin Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe where its footprints exist through a wide range of subscribing organisations.
In 2006, SystemSpecs executed the pilot of the Federal Government of Nigeria’s Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) as part of an Economic Reforms and Governance Project aimed at transforming the entire public service through a number of carefully selected programmes and initiatives. All of the objectives of the project were delivered by SystemSpecs within a record 6 months!
This phase of the project saved government about 420m naira on a monthly basis, within a sample size of 50,000 federal government workforce out of an estimated 1.2 million employees. In former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s book on his presidential years, he noted that he was proud that the company that achieved this milestone for the country was Nigerian owned.
Remita and the Treasury Single Account
In 2005, SystemSpecs developed Remita, a technology solution which set the company’s feet in financial technology (fintech) and was adopted by several organisations in the private sector.
Remita was later adopted as the payment gateway into the Treasury Single Account (TSA) of the federal government. This was well ahead of several local and international platforms which also expressed interest in becoming the TSA technology backbone but lacked the capability to meet TSA requirements.
In July 2019, a representative of Nigeria’s Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) announced that the government had collected over N10 trillion through the TSA from 1,674 MDAs. The AGF also said through the TSA, the government was able to save over N45 billion monthly in interest on ways and means that it used to pay.
SystemSpecs’ monumental role in the drive to improve transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s public sector amidst precarious economic conditions is underlined by its success in powering the TSA. Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, once said that the judicious management of the Treasury Single Account, TSA, saved the country from collapse during the 2016 economic recession.
Remita’s rising presence is however, much more than the TSA. With its presence in the private sector as the preferred platform for payments, funds collection and payroll management, it is a known brand with some of Nigeria and Africa’s leading organisation and even of SMEs. One of its key propositions is its ability to provide more payment options than any other solution in Nigeria today.
Restructuring
Change, they say, is the only constant thing. It is the reason SystemSpecs, in February 2020, restructured its business operations to deepen its presence in more segments of the economy and help it maximise its potentials within the African market.
This landmark development effectively changes the firm’s brand perception from a software company to an innovative African technology giant and a house of brands operating in different business spaces including HR and Fintech.
This bold move saw the transformation of the company into a holding firm with four Strategic Business Units (SBUs) to maximise the efficiency of the company’s operations. Each of SystemSpecs’ major solutions is embedded within a different SBU.
The first SBU is Infrastructure and Payment Gateway, with the responsibility of providing critical financial processing connectivity with other entities such as banks, payment processors, and other service providers, providing the service as a solution delivered directly to the market.
Another division is the Payment Applications and Vertical Markets which is saddled with the responsibility of providing customer-centric applications like Remita and Paylink to a rapidly expanding market.
A third SBU is focused on providing Human Capital Solutions and services.
The fourth SBU is the Public Sector and Special Projects Division, which encompasses, among others, the firm’s dealings with the public sector, including Remita’s deployment for the TSA and its use by over 22 state governments in Nigeria.
Paylink
Consolidating on the successes of its landmark products, Remita and HumanManager, SystemSpecs launched Paylink.ng, a simple, pragmatic solution directed at the consumer market. It is an instant payment solution, with an ecommerce store, that allows individuals and SMEs receive funds directly to their bank accounts without exposing their bank details.
Paylink.ng is SystemSpecs’ response to the growth of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) as well as a rapidly evolving Nigerian business landscape. With Paylink.ng, small businesses in Nigeria, many of them without infrastructure, resources, and personnel to have a structured operation, can process payment more efficiently and reach their customers more easily.
An Enduring Innovative Pioneer
According to Ginni Rometty, Executive Chairman of IBM, “the only way you survive is you continuously transform into something else. It is this idea of continuous transformation that makes you an innovation company.”
The continued relevance of SystemSpecs as a key player in providing technology solutions could only have happened through continuous innovation. The company has survived, evolved, and thrived for about three decades by continuously evolving and improving, often emerging stronger from every challenge.
In a country where start-ups die out within the first few years of incorporation, SystemSpecs has managed to weather the storms. Obaro’s leadership has seen the company grow become one of the largest technology firms in Africa with hundreds of staff and a rapidly expanding operational network across the continent and beyond. One can safely posit that, for SystemSpecs, the best is yet to come.
SystemSpecs Holdings Ltd unveiled at the weekend the rebranding of its subsidiary Deelaa to Whatadeal, launching an ambitious digital commerce platform poised to transform travel, events, and e-commerce across Africa.
John Obaro, group managing director, SystemSpecs, and Fela Bank-Olemoh, managing director of Whatadeal
The announcement comes amid a surging demand for integrated digital services in Nigeria and beyond, as the continent’s e-commerce and travel sector stand on the cusp of exponential growth.
The launch event, held in Lagos, demonstrated SystemSpecs’ vision for a seamless, value-centric consumer experience.
This strategic rebrand follows the company’s acquisition of Knit Technologies, amalgamating cutting-edge innovation and industry expertise into Whatadeal—one of four subsidiaries under the SystemSpecs umbrella.
John Obaro, group managing director, SystemSpecs, emphasized that the transformation reflects an unwavering commitment to technological advancement and customer empowerment.
“Whatadeal transcends a mere rebranding—it embodies a dynamic ecosystem designed to deliver unparalleled value and memorable experiences,” Obaro told reporters.
He elaborated, “Our ambition is to ensure that whether you’re organizing an event, procuring tickets, or seeking the finest deals, Whatadeal is your definitive destination. We are also in advanced discussions with leading travel industry players to curate exceptional travel experiences across Nigeria.”
Originally introduced in 2022 as an e-ticketing and marketplace platform, Deelaa catered to both businesses and consumers.
Its evolution into Whatadeal responds to shifting market dynamics, offering an integrated solution for booking flights, securing event tickets, and shopping online.
The platform will be powered by Remita, SystemSpecs’ acclaimed electronic payment and collection system, which underpinned Nigeria’s Treasury Single Account initiative—one of the most extensive implementations of its kind in Africa.
Steering this venture is Fela Bank-Olemoh, managing director of Whatadeal and a SystemSpecs stalwart since 1998.
With over two decades of expertise spanning technology, marketing, and public service, Bank-Olemoh brings a formidable pedigree to the role.
He founded MediaVision Limited, a preeminent sports marketing firm in Nigeria, before serving as Special Adviser on Education to the Lagos State Governor from 2015 to 2019 and later as Senior Special Assistant on Education Interventions to Nigeria’s President from 2019 to 2023.
Bank-Olemoh articulated the platform’s ethos: “At Whatadeal, we hold that exceptional experiences and valuable offers should be effortless, not convoluted. Our mission extends beyond merely facilitating deals—we are cultivating an ecosystem that nurtures engagement, trust, and enduring value for our customers.”
He added, “Whether you’re arranging travel, acquiring event tickets, or purchasing essentials, you deserve an intuitive, rewarding experience that consistently delivers excellence. Whatadeal is dedicated to realizing that vision.”
SystemSpecs aims to establish Whatadeal as the preeminent one-stop platform for African consumers, blending convenience with competitive offerings.
With its fusion of Knit Technologies’ innovations and Remita’s robust infrastructure, Whatadeal is poised to redefine digital commerce on the continent.
How much do you trust your device memory? Definitely more than you should. According to the statistics only 33% of users back up their data regularly, and more than 77% of people have already experienced data loss.
An annual tradition which started as a simple reddit post back in 2011, World Backup Day is celebrated on 31st March 2025 to provide a reminder of the importance of backing up data. To mark the occasion, Kaspersky shares practical advice on how to create new beneficial digital habits to ensure your backups are safe.
The first question that should be taken into consideration is: what exactly needs to be backed up? The answer seems to be lying on the surface.
The more you back up – the better. Work-related documents, family photos, financial info, health records, logins and passwords, and even content shared within messengers. In fact, all of this needs to be backed up using reliable storage methods.
There are several reasons why it is recommended to copy as much data as you can.
First of all, the device on which the information is stored may simply be lost, stolen or damaged. For example, UK’s South Western Railway reports that at least 5 smartphones are lost per day on its network, which is almost 1800 devices per year.
Among other potential threats to data safety are ransomware attacks. This is a type of malware that blocks a computer and then demand a ransom for its release. In some cases, even paying the ransom does not help to restore data on an infected device.
Despite these substantial risks, in everyday life it’s almost impossible (and to some extent pointless) to back up everything. Our devices contain gigabytes of information, most of which has no value. Creating backup storages of such a scale is time-consuming and expensive.
The main advice is to rank data correctly. Try to assort the items needing to be backed up by evaluating their relevance, recency and recovery options.
If a file, record or password is outdated or may be replaced by a newer version, backup may be safely ignored. If it is a new or highly valuable piece of information, backing up is necessary and preferably there should be more than one copy.
The art of backup
The next step towards data loss prevention is finding the suitable backup method to select. Obviously, it depends on multiple factors: type of data, type of device, pricing, user’s personal preferences and habits.
The most popular backup options are generally cloud or external storage services. Both of these methods have their pros and cons. For example, cloud services give you instant access to information wherever you are, but they require regular subscription payments.
At the same time, external hard drives are reliable storages which only require one payment, but access to information on these devices is only possible when they are at hand.
Therefore, cloud storage is regarded as the perfect option for storing files and photos which should always be available in a few clicks, while external storage services are suitable for data archives and huge files, such as movies or videos which you rarely use. Overall statistics show that nowadays most people choose cloud technology as their main storage option.
Specific data such as passwords, ID or financial details require even more secure storage methods.
Among the potential solutions password manager is an option that protects sensitive personal information, prevents its loss and provides immediate access to it at any time. Automatic filling of authentication and banking data means users do not have to memorise important information and reliably protects data from being compromised.
While choosing backup and storage options it’s highly recommended to consider all the aspects. To get backing up into a real habit, the method should not only be reliable and effective, but also suitable and convenient for you personally.
Enhanced protection
As it has been already mentioned, single manual backup might not be enough to protect data from being lost. World Backup Day is the right time to remember that data might be vulnerable and take some proactive steps to secure it. Kaspersky has created some tips on how to do it effectively:
- Follow the rule 3-2-1. One of the most popular backup strategies is to have at least 3 copies of important data, store it on 2 different storage types, and make at least 1 copy off-side (cloud or external physical location).
- Set up automatic backups. Most devices and services have a preinstalled backup function, which automatically creates a backup if you forget to make a copy in time.
- Use a reliable security solution. Comprehensive digital protection with a specific anti-ransomware protection mechanism, such as in Kaspersky Premium, prevents device infection and protects your data from both local and remote-access ransomware attacks.
- Make regular checks. It’s necessary to test your backups workability on a regular basis to notice the malfunction in time and fix it.
Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of Interior, has announced the launch of an Online Visa Approval Center to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks and reduce corruption in the visa application process.
Commissioned by the President in December, the new system ensures that applicants no longer need to visit a visa office, know anyone in the system, or lobby for approvals.
At a stakeholders’ sensitisation workshop on the implementation of the Nigeria Visa Policy (NVP) 2025, yesterday in Abuja, Dr. Tunji-Ojo said the visa is considered a very important document by the government because it is an instrument of migration management and an instrument of economic development.
The minister explained that Nigeria has to strike a delicate balance between national security and, of course, the ease of migration.
“And we think that it’s something that we can do and something we will do.
“We don’t have a physical Visa Approval Center. If you apply for a Nigerian visa anywhere in the world, you do so online. We process it here in Nigeria, and if approved, you receive your e-visa in your email,” he explained.
To enhance efficiency, the government has set a 48-hour deadline for processing e-visas.
“It is unprofessional and unacceptable for the Nigeria Immigration Service not to approve or provide feedback within 48 hours,” the minister stated.
“It breaks my heart that people need to lobby to even get visas to Nigeria. It shouldn’t be so. It shouldn’t be.
“For anybody that is qualified, for anybody that wants to do legitimate activities in Nigeria, such people should be able to come to Nigeria easily. And this is why we are opening our space. Mr. President is interested in foreign direct investments.”
Further, he said Nigeria is interested in partnering with the rest of the world to develop its economy but, “We can’t do that when we allow bottlenecks to hold us down. So these reforms, basically, are aimed at opening our space, enhancing national security, and we hope that the primary responsibilities of the visa scheme will be achieved.”
Kemi Nandap, controller general, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), said the NIS would fully digitize its e-visa platform and reduce visa classifications from 79 to 44 to enhance accessibility, transparency, and efficiency in the new visa policy.
She said, “At the core of this policy is the new e-visa platform—a fully digitized, centralized system that revolutionizes how foreign nationals interact with our country’s entry procedures. As part of this transformation, the Nigerian Visa Policy 2024 underwent a comprehensive review, resulting in a significant reduction in visa classifications from 79 to 44.
“These categories have been logically grouped to simplify procedures, reduce complexities, and greatly improve the user experience. Importantly, we have maintained the original purpose and intent of each visa class throughout this reform.”
SERAP Asks National Assembly to Drop Bill to Jail Nigerians who Fail to Vote
Nigeria Gets Fresh $500m World Bank Loan for Economic Stimulus Programme
Uninsured Depositors of Heritage Bank to Receive Liquidation Dividends In April – NDIC
SystemSpecs’s Subsidiary Deelaa Becomes Whatadeal
MTN, Lynk Global Make Africa’s First Satellite-to-Mobile Call
Telecom2 days agoIHS Nigeria Hosts Telecom Industry Stakeholders to Discuss Protection of Critical National Infrastructure in Lagos State
E-Financial2 days agoTitan Trust Bank Selects Oracle FSS for Core and Digital Banking Technology
General News2 days agoNCS to Launch Electronic System for Cash Declarations at Airports
News2 days agoSanwo-Olu Hails Jumia for Giant Strides in Growing Nigeria’s E-Commerce Sector
E-Financial2 days agoIMF Appoints Elumelu, Nigerian Businessman to Advisory Council
Telecom2 days agoMTN Champs Continental Relays: Over 1,000 Athletes Gear Up for Lagos Showcase
General News2 days agoAquaterra Energy Secures Multi-million-dollar well Intervention Contract with Intrepid Energy in Nigeria
E-Financial5 hours agoNigeria Gets Fresh $500m World Bank Loan for Economic Stimulus Programme