Built by students,
for students.
Maclink started in March 2025 because the founders lived in the same hostels their customers do. No internet. No solutions. So they built one.
How it started
In early 2025, the Lead City University hostel zone in Ibadan had a reliable internet problem. Students were buying daily data bundles that drained their budgets. The connections were inconsistent. Video calls dropped. Downloads took forever. It was a constant frustration.
Two students — Ekene, and Peniel (aka Casper) decided the situation was unacceptable and fixable. They sourced a Starlink dish, and Joel built a custom billing and authentication system from scratch, and wired up Apple Hall in March 2025.
Maclink was profitable from Month 1. Not a surprise — they had built exactly what their neighbors needed, priced for how students actually use internet (hourly, daily, not forced monthly). Within weeks, the hostels nearby wanted in. Within months, schools were asking too.
In 2026, UNICEF and ITU selected Maclink as 1 of 10 startups globally for the Giga Accelerator programme — with a mandate to scale school connectivity across Nigeria.
Mission
Make affordable, high-speed internet a standard part of student life in Nigeria — starting with the hostels and institutions that need it most.
Vision
A Nigeria where every student hostel and secondary school has fast, reliable internet as a baseline utility — not a luxury.
Meet the founders
Ekene Martins
CEO & Co-Founder
Visionary behind Maclink. Identified the hostel internet problem firsthand as an LCU student and turned a frustration into a profitable infrastructure business.
Joel Ndoh
CTO & Co-Founder
Architected the entire Maclink platform — from the RADIUS authentication system to the web portal and billing engine. Full-stack builder, infrastructure obsessive.
Peniel Adeshola
COO & Co-Founder
Drives operations and partnerships. Keeps the hostels covered, the hardware running, and the expansion on track.
Amandi Casmir
Legal Advisor & Co-Founder
Ensures Maclink operates with proper legal structure, contract integrity, and compliance as the company scales across institutions.
From idea to global stage
March 2025
Maclink founded — first access points installed in Apple Hall, LCU
April 2025
First paying users. Profitable from Month 1.
May 2025
Expanded to Olive Hall. First school connection: Methodist High School
Q3 2025
Lemon Hall 1 & 2 added. 1,000+ registered users milestone
Q4 2025
SchoolNet programme launched. St. Anne's Schools, Anchorage Schools (Festac), Foresight Schools (Festac) connected
2026
Selected as 1 of 10 globally for UNICEF/ITU Giga Accelerator (350+ applicants)
Early 2026
2,167+ registered users.
1 of 10 selected globally
Out of 350+ applicants worldwide, Maclink was selected for the Giga Accelerator to scale school internet connectivity across Nigeria. Learn more about our SchoolNet programme.