Black-empowered technology business African Legend Indigo (AL Indigo) plans to triple its current value, by boosting its foray into Nigeria and trying its hand in the telecoms market.
Despite the surprising loss of CEO Michael Jacobus and CFO Manuela Torres last week, the company remains positive that its plan is achievable.
In an exclusive interview with ITWeb yesterday, executive chairman, Mashudu Tshivhase, explained that AL Indigo is undergoing a number of changes, from business units to management structure.
According to Tshivhase, the business has had operations in Nigeria for five years; however, the bureaucracy in the country has made it hard to compete there. “We now have a local partner and a well-respected businesswoman on the board of our Nigerian business, and we will be focusing on building it up now,” he explained.
AL Indigo's first move into Nigeria was thanks to Africa's telecoms giant, MTN, which called on the company to provide technology solutions to its Nigerian operation. MTN also asked that it build a local office, which will now form the basis of its growth opportunity.
With South African-owned businesses, like Telkom's MultiLinks and MTN, in Nigeria, the firm has new inroads into the market.
The organisation has also decided to take on the telecoms market and has launched a business called Muele Telecoms. While there are scant details on the business plan, AL Indigo has promised ITWeb an interview on its telecoms plans soon.
Government concerns
The loss of the company's two primary executives seems to have been taken in stride by the chairman and it appears he had been preparing for the departure of Jacobus.
He explained that since Torres had worked closely alongside Jacobus, she also decided to tender her resignation. “We as the board decided not to accept it; however, she has the right to resign and it's unfortunate that she is gone.”
Meanwhile, Mallele Petje, former DG of the Department of Education in Gauteng, has taken up the mantle of acting CEO in the business. Petje was appointed to AL Indigo's board in December last year as non-executive director.
Many in the industry have voiced concerns about Petje's appointment, saying there is a conflict of interest with his government contacts. However, he says he is entitled to take up a private sector position, since his government contract has expired.
Petje has been on government's payroll for almost 14 years, and his stint as DG was only for the last year of an extended three-year contract that he signed with government. That contract came to an end last year, and he says AL Indigo was not the only company to approach him for a position on the board.
Alongside plans to grow the business in Nigeria and in telecoms, Petje says he hopes to bring his public sector experience to the fore to help the company expand in that business sector. “The company has been strong in the private sector, but it can't write off the public sector as an opportunity. The solutions we provide to companies are also needed by government,” he notes.
Petje has no plans to take up the CEO position full-time; however, he says he is available at the group level to help where needed. “For now, I want to realise the vision of the business and take it to the next level.”
The company is still looking for both a CEO and CFO to take up where the departed execs left off.
Share