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23 Years After, Obasanjo was Right on Zinox

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Leo Stan Ekeh
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By Ayodele Adigun

It was a weather-friendly Tuesday morning on October 9, 2001 at Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos. History was made in Nigeria. Zinox, a wholly indigenous tech brand, was launched with many firsts and unique features. The brainchild of Forbes Best of Africa’s Tech Icon, Dr. Leo Stan Ekeh, it had the blessings of the then President Olusegun Obasanjo, an African statesman of peerless courage.

The event was attended by dignitaries from both the public and private sectors, diplomats and representatives of multinational computer brands.

The then Vice President Atiku Abubakar was Special Guest of Honour, while President of the Senate at that time, Rt. Hon. Anyim Pius Anyim, was Chairman of the occasion. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, then Governor of Lagos State, was chief host. Lagos was on lockdown literally, from the Island to the mainland as many governors, ministers, senators and members of the National Assembly, top corporate moguls, the leadership of the different labour unions, led by Adam Oshiomhole, then President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, were in attendance.

Beyond the razzmatazz of the colourful launch, Zinox more than justified the confidence Obasanjo reposed in Ekeh and the brand. It did not just transform into a formidable African brand, it scored many firsts, a salute to the legendary innovative entrepreneurial skill of Ekeh and his team and a testament to the outstanding leadership clairvoyance of Obasanjo. It is safe to say that in Zinox, Obasanjo saw the future.

After the launch, Obasanjo invited the management to Aso Rock and endorsed the Zinox brand as a national pride. It was no surprise that Obasanjo branded Ekeh: “Icon of Hope,” on October 1, 2002, as a role model to future Nigerian digital entrepreneurs, a fitting cap for an exemplar of the true Nigerian spirit of chutzpah, excellence, innovation, humility and integrity.

True, President Obasanjo achieved a lot in the ICT ecosystem from the introduction of the GSM genre of telephony via one of the most transparent mobile digital auctions administered by Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, to the creation of several indigenous computer assembly plants. But it was obvious that Zinox brand and its promoter, Ekeh, occupied a huge space in the President’s heart. Obasanjo boldly flaunted the Zinox brand, travelling the world with it, not just as a user but as a national brand and pride and was never shy to show it to other world leaders that Nigerians can also produce computers.

In one of his books, Obasanjo is a prolific writer, it has to be said, he celebrated Ekeh as a model for Nigerian youths. He topped the presidential adulation for Ekeh with the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic, one of the high-ranking honours of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Obasanjo never hid his admiration for Ekeh or his pride in his accomplishments as an indigenous player with global clout. On one occasion when President Obasanjo was hosting the nation’s captains of industry at State House, he singled out Ekeh and openly prayed for him, showering him with presidential blessings and publicly affirming his positive impact on Nigerian youths as a man who is living the Nigerian dream with hard work.

On account of the reliability of the Zinox brand and Obasanjo’s matchless sense of patriotism, he directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to standardise on Zinox and equivalent indigenous brands. This gave a spur to the growth of the Zinox brand and it became the preferred brand in the industry among public and private sector officials.

Zinox at 23 is beyond a celebration of an African brand. It is a celebration of uniqueness, doggedness, resilience and entrepreneurial majesty of an African who dared the digital nerds of the advanced economies and succeeded in creating digital mills in and across Africa. But more significantly, Ekeh singlehandedly turned global attention to Nigeria.

And just by Ekeh’s stroke of genius, Zinox scored many firsts. The first internationally certified indigenous computer brand in West Africa and the first computer brand in the world to incorporate the Naira sign (N) on its keyboard. First Original Equipment Manufacturer in sub-Saharan Africa to receive Microsoft Windows Hardware Quality Lab Certification; first Microsoft Prime Production Online Automation Partner in Sub-Saharan Africa with the OA Version 3.0; first Intel Premium Partner; first OEM in West Africa to attain the ISO 9001-2015 Certification; first to acquire the Google Mobile Application Distribution Agreement in West Africa; first OEM in Nigeria to introduce renewable energy and lifestyle products and attaining the status of Intel Platinum Partner in sub-Saharan Africa.

In 23 years, Zinox has become one of a kind, unique in name, quality, global competitiveness and readiness for the market. The high-profile stature of its launch said it all. Zinox is truly like no other indigenous brand.

Atiku, a retired Customs Officer, widely travelled businessman and nationalist, underscored the seriousness of the Zinox brand at the launch. He said: “I have been in both public and private sector. I have travelled widely and have witnessed the launch of products and services across the world but nowhere in the world have I seen a product launch of this magnitude and type. Zinox has just made a huge marketing statement out of Nigeria that would be heard in the rest of Africa and around the globe.”

Atiku gushed as he addressed the enraptured and sufficiently excited audience. An elated Atiku spoke glowingly about the Zinox project, describing it as a perfect example of backward integration which sits well with the Federal Government policy of looking inward to boost the nation’s primary sector. He saluted Ekeh and his team for their ingenuity and tech-savvy showmanship.

An excited Oshiomhole, who launched the “Computerise Nigeria Project”, a social project at the event by Zinox meant to democratise the ownership of computers to the unreached and under-reached, described Ekeh as a “digital militant”.

A good 23 years after, Atiku deserves to be called a master of clairvoyance. As he predicted 23 years ago, Zinox’s influence has spread across Africa and beyond.

The public presentation of Zinox range of products was beyond a product launch. It was a loud statement on the sovereignty of Nigeria. In the 21st century, no nation is truly sovereign without her home-grown tech identity and sufficiency. Ekeh sings this as his abiding song: the need to create a truly Nigerian IT identity.

Ekeh is a serial digital disruptor, an incurable challenger of status quo. And Zinox is a product of both personal determination and patriotism. It was born to break protocol and discard stereotype. It answered the question: Can anything good come out of Nigeria?

Ekeh says with a sense of national pride and self-satisfaction: “We showed that in Nigeria, it’s possible to create technology that is smart, competitive and stands shoulder to shoulder with any of its kind across the globe. We went a step further in domesticating the technology behind Zinox. We conceptualised and built into the systems stabilizers and surge protectors to take care of our peculiar challenges of irregular electricity supply and the problems associated with switching from Alternating Current (AC – national grid) to Direct Current (DC-generators). What gives me joy above monetary reward is that today when our children hear about Zinox, they have a sense of self-belief because they have been to our plant and they now know there’s nothing so special about the computer and the technology behind it.”

So far, Zinox has proven both competence and capacity at home and other parts of Africa. It was the preferred technology that powered several mega projects including the 8th All Africa Games codenamed COJA 2003; the 18th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting held in Nigeria in 2003; All-Africa University Games held in Bauchi in 2004; and 7th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Africa Union held in The Gambia in 2006. It has also undertaken critical interventions by transforming the Nigeria and Guinea Bissau electoral systems from analogue to digital. The conduct of Nigeria general elections in 2007 and 2011 is a good example. Zinox has also fully provided the technology for the postponed national census.

A quintessential family man, Ekeh has stayed deep-rooted in the ICT space. His wife, Lady Chioma Ekeh, a mathematician and chartered accountant, oversees the biggest tech distribution company in sub-Sahara Africa, TD Africa. His first son, Prince Nnamdi Ekeh, aka The Prince of Konga, with MBA from Oxford, leads Konga, the ecommerce giant, which he acquired through his company, Yudala, in one of the most ambitious and seamless acquisitions in Africa’s tech history.

His first daughter, Gozy Ajogun, nee Ekeh, an alumnus of London School of Economics, oversees Task Systems, an ICT solutions firm under the Zinox Group. T second daughter, Chidalu Ekeh, with Masters in Digital Marketing from Imperial College, London, is a Fintech whiz, while his other two younger sons also play in the tech space.

Ekeh has built a digital family rooted in ICT. He has added digital value to Africa, but the best of them all is the gift of Zinox, for which the nation is grateful.

. Adigun, an Associate Professor of Mechatronics, writes from Lagos.


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Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

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NIA Questions Legality of Reps’ Financial Probe

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The Nigerian Insurers Association has urged the House Committee on Capital Market and Institutions to respect the constitutional separation of powers as it carries out a probe on over 20 insurance firms.

In a statement on Tuesday night, the Director General/Chief Executive Officer of NIA, Mrs Bola Odukale, said the decision of NIA and the affected firms to approach the court was to seek clarity on the constitutional limits of the House Committee’s probe.

It would be recalled that the House of Representatives on Monday is investigating no fewer than 25 insurance companies operating in the country for various financial infractions spanning financial reporting, claims settlement, premium remittance, and issuance of policies.

The Chairman, House Sub-Committee on Capital Market and Institutions, Kwamoti Laori, during a meeting with the management of the insurance companies at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, said the meeting was convened following the receipt of a petition on infractions by the insurance companies.

In the statement, Odukale said, “The Association wishes to state unequivocally that all actions taken by the NIA and the affected member companies in response to the Committee’s invitations and pronouncements were based entirely on legal advice by its Solicitors. It was on the firm instruction of legal counsel that recourse was made to the courts.

“The objective of approaching the Court is to seek judicial guidance on the legality, propriety, and constitutional limits of the Committee’s intervention in order to safeguard institutional integrity, uphold regulatory independence, and ensure that legislative oversight remains within the bounds of law.

“The Court action seeks to determine whether the current posture of the Committee reflects an exercise of legislative judgment, which, by constitutional design, is the exclusive province of statutory regulators, such as the National Insurance Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission, Nigerian Exchange, Financial Reporting Council, Nigeria Data Protection Commission, and the National Information Technology Development Agency.

“This raises serious questions about legislative overreach and an erosion of the doctrine of separation of powers, a cornerstone of Nigeria’s constitutional democracy.”

Odukale maintained that the NIA was committed to lawful and constructive engagement with all arms of government, provided that such engagement respects the autonomy of statutory regulators and the boundaries established by the Constitution.

“The NIA will continue to provide its full support to all member companies while upholding the principles of legal compliance and sector-wide integrity,” Odukale concluded.

17 of the companies that went to court were represented by their lawyer, Mr Abimbola Kayode, at the meeting with the committee.


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Horn of Africa Leaders Seek Enhanced Digital Integration for Increased Regional Growth

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Finance ministers and development partners from the Horn of Africa have called for enhanced digital integration to boost trade, drive economic growth and promote regional stability during the 25th Ministerial Meeting of the Horn of Africa Initiative (HoAI).

Held in Nairobi, on July 14, the meeting was co-chaired by the African Development Bank’s Vice President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery, Nnenna Nwabufo and Somalia’s Minister of Finance, Bihi Iman Egeh. Discussions underscored the critical role of digital integration in reducing trade barriers, boosting government service delivery and creating employment — particularly for the region’s youth.

“Digital technologies are shaping today’s economy and tomorrow’s industries. By embedding these technologies into our programs, we can not only improve inclusion but also leapfrog outdated development models,” said Nwabufo.

She called for digital integration a “central enabler” in each of the Horn of Africa Initiative’s pillars – trade, infrastructure, resilience, and human capital,

Learning through experience

Drawing from global and regional success stories, speakers highlighted the transformative potential of technology-led development. The ministers pointed to the Philippines as a strong example, where ICT has generated millions of jobs in business process outsourcing. Similarly, Kenya’s fintech innovation—especially the success of M-PESA—was cited as a model for scaling digital financial services across the region.

Participants urged governments to proactively foster digital ecosystems by capitalizing on the demographic dividend, identifying infrastructure upgrades, tighter regulatory reforms, and digital skills trainings as priorities to enable broader participation in the digital economy.

Minister Egeh reiterated the need for more coordinated regional efforts to create the enabling environment required for accelerated digital integration and expansion. He referenced the HoAI Digital Policy Matrix, adopted in 2023 which provides a blueprint on how to address key obstacles to achieving effective digital integration across the region.

Barack Makokha, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury, underscored the importance of regionally-aligned public private partnerships and advocated for blended financing to reduce investment risk and expand digital access in underserved areas.

World Bank Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa, Ndiame Diop, called for a comprehensive multi-pronged approach, combining cross-border coordination, large-scale financing, robust policy support, and digital infrastructure investments. He pointed out that such measures could transform digital integration into, “a powerful engine of economic transformation” for the Horn of Africa—ensuring no one is left behind in the digital era.

The meeting concluded with a shared recognition that sustained political will and the determination to implement a multifaceted approach are essential to unlocking the region’s economic potential and driving long-term growth.

The event also welcomed observers from the East African Community, Agence française de développement, and Shelter Afrique, reflecting strong regional and international backing for the HoAI in the development community.


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CSCS Inaugurates Custodian Portal to Enhance Digital Access, Operational Efficiency

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Central Securities Clearing System Plc (CSCS), Nigeria’s capital market infrastructure provider, has launched its Custodian Portal, a user-centric digital solution designed to optimise custodian operations through intuitive, secure and efficient features.

Haruna Jalo-Waziri, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), CSCS, announced this in a statement on Monday.

The CSCS is a Public Limited Company with a diversified shareholder base, which serves as the Central Securities Depository for the Nigerian Capital Market.

It serves as the Central Depository for Equities, Commercial Papers, Corporate Bonds, Sub-National Bonds, certain Sovereign Bonds like the FGN Sukuk and the FGN Savings Bond, Equity-traded Funds, Real Estate Investment Trusts, Mutual funds and Commodities.

Jalo-Waziri said that the custodian portal offered a streamlined experience for market participants with powerful tools that facilitate comprehensive portfolio and trade management, document tracking, share transfer operations, client symbol search, and real-time access to vital data.

He explained that the portal, designed to operate through a flexible subscription-based model, empowered users to manage their records effortlessly and securely through convenient payment channels such as GTPay and Paystack.

According to him, “Digital transformation remains at the core of our strategy to enhance the efficiency, transparency and accessibility of Nigeria’s capital market services.

“The custodian portal is a significant leap in that direction, offering custodians a centralised platform to manage critical processes in real-time.

“We are excited about the value this innovation brings to our stakeholders, and we will continue to evolve the platform in line with users’ needs and industry trends.”

The CEO also explained that the portal was designed with user experience in mind with feature tools like portfolio viewing and downloads in PDF or Excel format.

He further said that it also featured tracking of stock movements across date ranges, inbox messaging and request tracking, as well as robust user management capabilities including role assignment and status tracking.

Similarly, the Divisional Head, Business Technology and Digital Innovation, CSCS Plc, Tobe Nnadozie, said that the portal aligned with CSCS’s drive to automate the market.

“In addition to the normal features, the platform is a part of an omnichannel platform for custodians, and includes API services.

“It also connects to the market-wide workflow, which CSCS has built to ensure secured communication and approvals across all major stakeholders in the market.

“The platform is well secured with best-of-breed cybersecurity solutions and our SOC,” he said.

The Custodian Portal reinforces CSCS’s commitment to leveraging technology to streamline back-office functions and support a more agile, data-driven capital market ecosystem.

All custodians in the Nigerian capital market have now been successfully on-boarded on the Custodian Portal, marking a significant milestone in CSCS’s ongoing drive to enhance collaboration, standardise operational processes, and promote digital adoption across the market.


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