By Gilbert Ekezie
ICS Outsourcing Limited has reaffirmed its dedication to innovation. The company made the disclosure last week at a press conference in Lagos to mark its 30 years of existence.
Group managing director/chief executive officer of the company, Dr. Peter Akindeju, said: “Since we opened our doors in 1994, ICS Outsourcing has been at the forefront of HR and business process outsourcing in Nigeria. From our humble beginnings in Lagos, we have been committed to innovation and technology, empowering organizations to flourish in an ever evolving business landscape.
“Our dedication to quality, integrity and putting our customers first has cemented our place as a leader in this industry. Today, we operate from nine locations in Nigeria as ICS Outsourcing and have given birth to subsidiaries in the healthcare, ICT and background verification services sectors of the economy.”
While acknowledging the roles being played by the dedicated team of management and staff, he spoke on some of the reasons for the 30th anniversary event. According to him, it was designed essentially to honour the founders.
“We want to recognize the profound legacies of the founders of ICS Outsourcing Ltd, who while attempting to solve a predicament in the banking industry in the early ’90s inadvertently innovatively saw far into the future. Their innovative efforts have given birth to the outsourcing octopus we have today. We thank them and salute their commitment to the growth of the company over the last three decades.
“As we celebrate this milestone, we cannot but recognize and profoundly thank our esteemed clients for reposing faith and trust in our abilities to continuously serve them. Many of our clients have patronized our services for well over 20 years. This is a testament to the fact that there are somethings we get right at ICS Outsourcing. We are so grateful for the opportunity to serve our clients, and we dare ask to those who are not our clients yet, where are you, what are you waiting for?
“We have created countless job opportunities for Nigerians and have made a positive impact on the communities we serve. This company has employed over 70,000 Nigerians from inception till date and still counting. We also directly contribute to the economy of each state of the federation by paying PAYE directly to each of the stated and the FCT.
“We have in the past been honoured with various awards and accolades from both clients and government agencies for our level of compliance with regulatory obligation.
“Our varied but tailored solutions have supported businesses of all sizes, from ambitious start-ups to major corporations, helping them to gain efficiencies by not reducing costs but making costs more predictable, mitigating risks, and enhancing employee satisfaction.”
Talking about challenges, Akindeju disclosed that what the company has faced was not different from what is obtainable in the business environment in Nigeria, including but not restricted to rising overhead costs, multiple taxation, Japa syndrome, power issues and exchange rate, among others. He added that the company has weathered the storm through perseverance, adaptability and course learning to operate despite the challenging situations while hoping for the best.
He further stated that the company two years ago was listed among the best pension paying companies, the company receives auditors from different parts of the country and they always commend them for job well done. He added that the company’s reputation and staff welfare can be attested to by staff that have stayed with them for over 20 years.
He said that stakeholders and founders of the company will be celebrated as their innovative legacies have been tremendous, clients of over 20 years, staff that have been with the company ranging from five years upward will be rewarded handsomely.