Frequently Asked Questions

A consultation starts with a focused 45-minute call where we listen more than we talk. We want to understand your current situation, what you are trying to achieve, and what constraints matter most to you. From that call we produce a short written summary of our recommendations and, if there is a fit, a scoped proposal. The initial consultation is free of charge — we do not bill for conversations.

For most engagements we can start within one to two weeks of a signed agreement, depending on our current capacity. Timeline varies by service: a penetration test typically takes one to three weeks from kick-off to final report; a software build runs in two-week sprints with a timeline set at discovery; AI automation projects start with a two-week discovery sprint before any build begins. We are direct about capacity constraints — we will not take on work we cannot staff properly.

Yes. For security engagements, every penetration test includes a free re-test within 90 days to verify that critical and high findings are genuinely closed. For software and AI projects, we offer a post-launch retainer that covers monitoring, updates, and a defined number of support hours per month. The retainer terms are agreed during the project and you are never locked into them — month-to-month with 30 days notice. We also offer ad hoc support outside a retainer for past clients where our schedule allows.

Both — and we think that combination is rare and valuable. Dexter Cyberlab was founded as a research centre that spans security, software development, AI automation, and cloud infrastructure. In practice this means you get a penetration test from engineers who also build production software, and software built by people who think about security from the first line of code. We work across all six service pillars or as a focused specialist depending on what you need.

We are headquartered in Abuja, Nigeria, and work entirely remotely with clients across West Africa and beyond. Timezone alignment and clear async communication are built into how we run every engagement — clients in the UK, Europe, and North America have worked with us without friction. If in-person workshops or on-site assessments are required, we discuss that during scoping.

All client data and engagement details are treated as strictly confidential. We sign NDAs before any sensitive information is shared, and we use encrypted storage and communication channels throughout. For penetration testing engagements, test credentials and scope documentation are stored in isolated, access-controlled environments and destroyed after the engagement closes. We do not discuss client names, findings, or engagement details publicly without explicit written permission — the anonymised case studies on this site are a good example of how we handle attribution.

The Studio model has three components: a one-time Startup Fee that covers discovery, design, and the initial build; a Monthly Hosting fee for production infrastructure, support, and updates; and an optional Equity stake in exchange for reduced upfront fees on qualifying projects. The specific numbers depend on scope and are discussed during a qualification call. We are transparent about pricing early — if the numbers do not work for both sides, we say so and do not waste your time.

You get a production-ready application deployed to a cloud environment of your choice, with a CI/CD pipeline, test coverage, observability, and full documentation in place from day one. You own 100% of the code and intellectual property — the Startup Fee covers our time, not a licence. At handover we walk your team through the codebase, deployment process, and runbooks so you are never dependent on us to keep the lights on.