Two Tech Giants Expand Nigeria’s Distribution Footprint Across Africa
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Afeez Sanusi
- February 26, 2026
Nigeria’s ambition to export not just oil, but innovation, received a significant boost as Zinox Technologies and TD Africa formalised a strategic partnership aimed at widening Africa’s access to locally manufactured technology solutions.
The agreement, announced at a joint press conference attended by industry stakeholders and partners, signals more than a commercial alliance. It represents a deliberate move to strengthen indigenous manufacturing, deepen regional distribution channels, and position African-built technology as a competitive alternative to imported brands.
At the heart of the collaboration is distribution power. TD Africa, which operates in 43 African countries and distributes global brands including HP, Microsoft, Dell and Cisco, will now extend that reach to Zinox’s product portfolio. For Zinox, widely regarded as Sub-Saharan Africa’s leading indigenous technology manufacturer, the partnership provides a continental pipeline for products designed and assembled with local realities in mind.
When Africa Distributes for Africa
Speaking at the event, Coordinating Managing Director of TD Africa, Chioma Chimere, described the moment as symbolic.
“Today represents a moment where Africa meets Africa,” she said, emphasising that Zinox stands out for building products tailored to the continent’s unique challenges — from unstable power supply to cost-sensitive enterprise environments.
The message was clear: this is not simply about moving hardware across borders. It is about proving that African companies can design, manufacture, and distribute at scale within their own ecosystem.
For Zinox, the alignment is strategic. Executive Director and Head of Human Resources, Chioma Nwoke, explained that the partnership reflects the company’s founding vision of establishing dependable technology standards across Africa. According to her, the agreement extends beyond sales targets into digital education, enterprise development, and broader nation-building objectives.
What Zinox Brings to the Table
Zinox’s portfolio spans multiple segments of the technology value chain.
| Division | Product Focus |
|---|---|
| Core Computing | PCs, desktops, tablets, monitors, POS systems, smart boards |
| iPower | Hybrid inverters, solar panels, lithium & tubular batteries, MPPT charge controllers, solar street lights |
| iTEC | Generators |
| Consumer Electronics | AI QLED smart TVs, microwave ovens, rechargeable fans |
The company’s Head of Research and Development, Moses Edoh, highlighted its innovation track record, noting that Zinox introduced Nigeria’s first hybrid inverter solutions. The emphasis, he said, has consistently been on adapting global technology standards to local usage conditions.
With TD Africa’s logistics and warehousing strength now backing this range, availability across multiple African markets is expected to improve significantly.
Distribution Joins Indigenous Manufacturing
The partnership combines two complementary capabilities:
| Zinox Strength | TD Africa Strength |
|---|---|
| Local manufacturing expertise | Pan-African distribution network |
| Product design tailored to African realities | Relationships with enterprise and reseller partners |
| Renewable energy integration | Market penetration in 43 countries |
Industry observers argue that this combination could accelerate Africa’s push toward technological self-reliance. Rather than relying solely on foreign imports, the continent may increasingly circulate its own products through structured supply chains.
Flexible access models such as Just Own It (JOI), Technology as a Service (TaaS), and Product as a Service (PaS) will also form part of the rollout strategy, making enterprise-grade tools more affordable for startups, schools, and SMEs.
A Founder’s Long Arc
The expansion comes as Leo Stan Ekeh, Founder and Chairman of Zinox Group, marked his 70th birthday, a milestone acknowledged by Bola Tinubu, who described him as one of Nigeria’s pioneering innovators in the IT sector.
Tinubu recalled the 2001 launch of Zinox’s indigenous computer line as a groundbreaking moment for local manufacturing ,a rare instance at the time when a Nigerian firm positioned itself against global hardware brands.
Over two decades later, that ambition appears to be scaling continent-wide.
Ekeh currently oversees a conglomerate that includes Zinox Technologies, TD Africa, Konga, TD Mobile and other subsidiaries, forming one of Sub-Saharan Africa’s most vertically integrated technology groups.
What This Means Beyond Corporate Headlines
Africa’s technology consumption has grown rapidly, but local manufacturing has historically lagged behind distribution of imported products. Partnerships like this begin to rebalance that equation.
For Nigeria, this reinforces a growing narrative that the country is not just a consumer of global tech, but an increasingly important node in Africa’s manufacturing and distribution ecosystem.
