VDL Technologies eyes global markets as it marks a decade of innovation

A leading mobile-first digital solutions provider, VDL Technologies, officially marked its tenth anniversary with a glamorous celebratory event held at The Anthonia By Civic Centre, Ikoyi, on Friday.

The milestone event brought together industry titans, long-standing partners, and staff to celebrate a decade of resilience and technological evolution.

Although the company officially reached the ten-year mark in February, the May Day celebration served as a grand reflection on a journey that began in a small home office and has since expanded into a powerhouse of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and consumer intelligence.

Humble beginnings, global ambitions

Addressing the guests, Oluwarotimi Fasuyi, the Founder and CEO of VDL Technologies, Oluwarotimi Fasuy, alongside his wife and Co-founder Ayodele Fasuyi, shared the emotional story of the company’s inception.

He recounted the early days of resigning from formal employment to start the business remotely for the first two years in his sitting room.

“If I can do it for the past 10 years, bootstrapping the business, surviving, and thriving in Nigeria, others can too,” Mr Fasuyi said at the event.

“It is what you believe that you become. We believe that there is no better place for us to launch our products and drive growth than Nigeria,” he added.

The CEO also unveiled an ambitious roadmap for the next decade, focusing on international expansion.

“In the next two to five years, VDL Technologies intends to expand over to Europe, America, and also the Middle East,” he noted.

Read also: VDL Technologies marks 10 years, targets Europe, US AI expansion

The AI Frontier: Markov Games and beyond

A central theme of the anniversary was the company’s pivot towards deep AI integration. Guests at the event experienced this firsthand through the Markov Games AI platform, an adaptive gamification tool that allows users to win rewards through skill-based challenges.

Ayodele Fasuyi, the chief operating officer, Ayodele Fasuy, emphasised that AI is no longer a futuristic concept but a present reality for the firm.

“AI is the next big thing and it is here to stay.. We are leveraging AI to improve our services and help customers meet their needs. Our Markov Game AI interacts with the customer and adapts to them specifically,” Mrs Fasuyi stated.

Beyond gaming, the company introduced its mental health platform Amani Health, that matches users going through emotional, psychological and behavioral challenges, to certified therapists. The company also highlighted MOVIL, a consumer intelligence platform capable of managing promotions for hundreds of millions of users concurrently for FMCGs.

Read also: VDL Technologies marks 10 years, bets on mobile, AI to solve everyday African problems

Awards recognition

The evening also served as an awards ceremony to honour the partners who have been integral to VDL’s success. Key awardees included:

Stanbic IBTC was named winner of the Technology Excellence of a decade award. Intelligence Innovation, Kunle Erinle, was named Best Performing Partner.

The Decade of Excellence Award was awarded to MTN Nigeria Chief Digital Officer, Aisha Umar Mumuni, Airtel Nigeria’s Guruman Iwundu and Glo Nigeria’s Rajan Bhalla .

Interswitch Limited, Nina Jojer and Softcomm Limited also received accolades for their contributions to the ecosystem.

Responsible innovation call

The keynote address was delivered by Sola Oni, dean of the School of Management and Social Sciences at Pan-Atlantic University and non-executive director, Systemspecs Nigeria. Oni praised VDL’s longevity, noting that 95 percent of startups fail within their first few years.

“Ten years in this space is no joke. My charge to VDL and other tech companies is the proper utilisation of technology. We want the human to be at the centre of the solution… such that it is to the benefit of humanity and not to its detriment when these products hit the market,”  Oni stated.

Other highlights of the celebration included featured choreography, spoken word performances, and a live band. As VDL Technologies enters its second decade, the message from its leadership was clear: the company is no longer just a Nigerian startup, but a global contender ready to dominate.