Oyaje Idoko

Oyaje Idoko is an accomplished telecommunications engineer, technology entrepreneur and business executive with over two decades of experience in information and communications technology, enterprise networking, cloud computing and digital infrastructure development. He is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Layer3, a Nigerian technology company providing enterprise connectivity, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity and managed IT services to organisations across Africa.

His professional career began as a Network Engineer at Prodigy International, where he developed expertise in telecommunications infrastructure and network engineering. He subsequently joined Startech Connections as Head of Engineering, leading the team responsible for designing and deploying Nigeria's first 3.5 GHz fixed wireless broadband network. He also served as a telecommunications consultant to the World Bank, contributing his technical expertise to projects in the communications sector.

In July 2005, Mr. Idoko founded Layer3 with a small team of three employees, establishing the company as a provider of telecommunications and network infrastructure solutions. Under his leadership, Layer3 has grown into an enterprise technology services provider, serving organisations in financial services, telecommunications, energy, healthcare, education and government. The company has expanded its capabilities from network connectivity to include cybersecurity, data centre infrastructure, cloud computing and managed technology services.

His leadership has supported several milestones in Layer3's development, including the establishment of its cybersecurity division in 2015, the introduction of Layer3Cloud in 2019 and the launch of Layer3Fiber in 2021. In 2024, the company delivered private cloud infrastructure for the West and Central African Research and Education Network (WACREN), supporting research and educational institutions across the region. In October 2026, Layer3 raised ?1.5 billion through a commercial paper issuance to finance further investment in locally hosted cloud services and enterprise technology infrastructure.

Mr. Idoko holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications Engineering from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria. He has also undertaken executive education at Stanford Graduate School of Business, United States, and participated in the Stanford Seed Transformation Programme. His professional development includes technical training with international technology organisations, including Verizon, Lucent Technologies, Microsoft and L3 Communications.

In recognition of his contributions to Nigeria's information technology industry, Mr. Idoko was inducted into the Beacon of ICT Hall of Fame in 2019. Under his leadership, Layer3 has received several industry recognitions, including the Beacon of ICT Award for Best Cloud Solutions Provider and recognition among Nigeria's Fast Growth 50 companies by the Tony Elumelu Foundation and AllWorld Network.

Beyond his corporate responsibilities, Mr. Idoko advocates for the development of indigenous technology infrastructure, digital sovereignty and stronger partnerships between African technology companies and global industry leaders. He continues to champion investment in secure, locally managed digital infrastructure as a foundation for Africa's economic development and technological competitiveness.