Zimbabwean-born and South African-based entrepreneur Nash Dennis Manyozo is one of the novels and innovative minds who consolidate different industries to help create solutions to diverse technical problems. Nash Dennis Manyozo is an entrepreneur, philanthropist and executive who serves as an innovative leader in the electrical and telecommunications fields. He is the Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer of TNJ Project Solutions – a leading provider of electrical and telecommunications services to power utility, railway, mobile, and fixed network operators throughout Southern Africa. The businessman co-founded TNJ Project Solutions in 2006 which has since grown to be a leading Electrical and Telecommunications Project Solutions across Africa.
Nash obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cape Town. He later obtained his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. In addition to his educational background, he also holds a Diploma in Project Management from the University of South Africa.
Adding to the considerable amount of expertise he has obtained through his professional experience; he also serves as a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa.
The entrepreneur references not only his successful career, but every aspect of his life to the mentorship he received from different people. This contributed immensely to his passions which are leadership, mentorship and the youth. Through these, Nash provides leadership and mentorship to young people to help them realise their strengths and ways they can build on them.
What inspired your journey into your line of work?
I was inspired by a mentor from the age of ten. He was in the fitting and turning industry, therefore, I would job shadow him often and that’s where he taught me a lot of skills. I learnt a lot from not only his career but also observing his way of life in general where I saw how he handled and overcame challenges.
A vivid memory I have of him from when I was young, is when some of his employees embarked on a strike and refused to work. He then insisted that I help him with some of the work and he taught me everything I needed to know about his line of work. From that experience, I was motivated to always have a learning mindset and to grasp every opportunity presented to me, to be a visionary and a preserver. He really was a supportive figure in my life.
How did you manage to compete in such a watertight and competitive industry?
Staying versatile and always adapting has helped me manage to stay in the industry for over 15 years. As a business, we have always looked for ways on how we can expand on our current offered services in order to keep up and stay relevant. TNJ Projects Solutions is now venturing into other services such as logistics and auctioning.
What are some of the challenges you have experienced as an entrepreneur in your line of work?
The Covid 19 pandemic has been one of the biggest challenges I have experienced as an entrepreneur. Some of the plans and new ventures we had as a business had to be delayed. The pandemic also caused some financial constraints on the business however, we’ve been working hard to overcome these challenges.
What drives your company’s success?
Our success as a leading company in the electrical, telecommunications, civil construction, project management and consultancy services is driven by each individual we employ, that is the technicians, engineers and all of our staff. We believe that better business decisions and stronger business performance are driven by groups of competent and high-calibre individuals operating in a diverse environment.
In your views, what does the future hold for telecommunications in Africa?
I truly believe the future of telecommunications in Africa is so bright as we still hold the largest potential ever which makes it exciting and very challenging as Africa holds about ±23 percent connectivity. So, when President Cyril Ramaphosa mentioned the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) in his State of the Nation (SONA) in 2019, I was elated as that certainly will drive massive development and changes in our society through a convergence of the physical, digital, and biological spheres via artificial intelligence (AI), automation, biotechnology, nanotechnology, and other communications technologies.
The pandemic has also magnified such disparity between ‘the haves and the have-nots’ and why we should thrive to ensure that we implement the vision for us to participate in this fourth industrial revolution (4IR).
He adds, “Mentors played a big part in my journey and have taught me that the voice that you honor the most will determine your success. I believe in developing leaders – that is encouraging and inspiring others to thrive and reach their full potential.”
Nash’s leadership goes beyond his professional career as he also serves as a leader and senior pastor at Elev8 Church.
About TNJ Project Solutions
TNJ Project Solutions is a leading provider of Electrical and Telecommunication services such as power utilities, railway, mobile and fixed network operators in South Africa and the Southern African region at large.
Since the company’s establishment in 2006, it has grown to become a recommended service provider of Electrical and Telecoms network solutions to both government and the private sector at all levels with a comprehensive solution that includes installation, testing and commissioning.
TNJ Project Solutions helps facilitate this transformation by bringing connectivity into African communities, provides continued support in maximizing network availability and ensures smooth and timely deployment of innovative tangible results.
Their mission is to ensure that in every engagement, they provide solutions that achieve the best results, and in so doing make their clients proud and keep them ahead of the rest. TNJ Project Solutions’ vision is to be the preferred provider of Electrical and Telecommunications products and services.
TNJ Projects Solutions also holds a division called 700 SA Oil and Gas – an independent reseller of bulk petroleum products, specializing in quality cross-industry fuel supply, fuel delivery and fuel management solutions.