One effective instrument in investigating, people, business and investment claims, is background screening. Bolaji Olamiju, MD/CEO Trapezoid Limited, in this interview with BusinessDay, he spoke on how his company is setting the pace in background checking in Nigeria.
Your company is regarded as one of the leading background check companies in the country, tell us about Trapezoid Nigeria Ltd and what actually motivated you into this line of business?
Trapezoid is a go-to background checks service provider in Africa. With specialization in full- service background checks including credentials verification, bio-data and address verification, employment records, vital documents verification and security checks.
Trapezoid is one of the very few African members of the prestigious National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) based in America.
I stumbled into the background checks business. I was just discussing with my wife with regards to her coursework (e-business) while she was doing her M.Sc. Programme in University of Manchester. Based on the ideas I gleaned from that discussion, I saw a gap/need in the banking industry for outsourcing Customer Address Verification (CAV). I set out to research on meeting that need and in the process found out there was a broader perspective to the business than just address verification which was full-service background checks.
Why do companies need to outsource? What costs can organisations save through effective outsourcing of background checks?
Outsourcing is a business model adopted by companies and it involves delegating/ contracting business processes to specialized service providers. Companies need to outsource for varied reasons such as: cost cutting/reduction, risk mitigation, improving company focus, freeing up internal resources for better use, Streamlining or increasing efficiency for time-consuming functions Some of the costs organizations save by outsourcing background checks include: operational costs personnel/ labour costs, technology/software costs
What makes Trapezoid standout in the Background check industry?
Our core values of Integrity, Professionalism and Innovation. Integrity: Our proficient and extensive verification processes provide our clients with thorough and consistent results every time. Professionalism: Our methodologies reflect a strict adherence to industry recognized standards. Innovation: Our culture of continuous improvement, excellence, exceptional customer service and technological creativity adapting to changing times to deliver greater speed and quality to our clients
Who are your major clienteles and what value have you added to their businesses?
We consult locally for a wide range of clients including financial institutions, HR consultancy firms, a global talent accelerator and internationally, major background checks companies based in the Middle East and the USA. Values added to their business are as follows: Access to talent and operational expertise. Data with integrity reduced operational and labour costs. Wide and strategic network
What is the industry like in Sub Saharan African countries and are there any plans in the pipelines to expand to other African countries?
The background checks industry in other African countries is practically non-existent. Most of their needs are being catered for by the Nigerian industry. We already have presence in six countries in Africa and still expanding.
What are your milestones in the few years you have been in business?
We have a few awards to our credit, Nigeria Brand Awards 2017 – Most customer-focused background Screening Company, Middle East and Africa Business Awards 2017 – Most Innovative Background Checks Company – Lagos, Nigeria Brand Awards 2017 – Runner-Up, Best Background Screening Company
Where do you see Trapezoid in the next 5 years?
We see Trapezoid on a global stage with presence in each continents of the world delivering world-class and cutting-edge solutions to our clients globally.
