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The Ekehs: Digital Father and Son Shine at Thisday Awards

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By Sola Odumosu

 History was made on the evening of Monday, January 27, in Lagos at the colourful Thisday Awards ceremony when serial digital entrepreneur, Leo Stan Ekeh, shared the same podium with his son, Prince Nnamdi Ekeh, as winners in different categories of the much-coveted awards. The awards commemorated the 30th and 12th anniversaries of Thisday Newspapers and Arise News, respectively.

While the father, who is the Chairman of Zinox Group, was honoured as CEO of the Year, his Oxford-trained son, Prince, the CEO of Konga Group, was decorated with the Young Global Leader Award for his transformative role in navigating Konga as a foremost composite e-commerce giant in Nigeria and Africa. It was historic, being the first time ever that a father and his son would be honoured on the same night in the nation’s Infotech ecosystem.

Who is This Prince?

Prince Ekeh was 19 and a student at University of Lancaster, United Kingdom, when he birthed the idea of Yudala, a brutally ambitious e-commerce outpost. Majoring in Economics/Politics with a minor in Entrepreneurship, young Ekeh was not going to leave the idea merely as a paper concept. He was in a hurry to birth it to life. And while back home to serve his fatherland under the auspices of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Yudala was born, becoming a place of activity employing over 250 staff at that time. And ever since, he has navigated the company to the crest of e-commerce players in Africa. He would later top up his academic kit with an MBA from Oxford and numerous entrepreneurial certifications from Lagos Business School, Leysin American School, Switzerland, and Harvard, among others.

Yudala was the first composite e-commerce outpost in Nigeria (a hybrid of the online-offline one-stop-shop). This idea has caught global attention and is now being replicated across the continent. Smart and endowed with bullish strength and uncommon intuition to sniff the next opportunity, Prince in 2018 achieved what many thought impossible. His start-up, Yudala, acquired Konga, a top player in Nigeria’s e-commerce space, in a landmark merger that became effective May 1, 2018. The young whiz has since expanded Konga to a leading e-commerce house in Africa, retaining the composite character of Yudala. He has creatively expanded the market share value and networth of Konga by building its business verticals to include logistics, fintech, travel, and leisure.

Young Prince Ekeh is not new to awards. He had been nominated for the prestigious Future Awards for Business Excellence, and featured as Top 100 Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) in response to the proclamation by United Nation’s General Assembly Resolution 68/237, and had been awarded Icon of Human Transformation by the National Association of Nigerian Students. The Thisday award is, therefore, another feather to the decorated cap of the savvy entrepreneur in a hurry to make his mark.

Leo Stan, a Peculiar Breed

His father, popularly called Leo Stan, was honoured with the CEO of the Year Award in the private sector, the only CEO in the highly competitive and sometimes treacherous private sector to be so honoured. The historical and symbolic moment was not lost on him. He recognised the honour of sharing the same platform with his son, both being rewarded for their peerless contribution to Nigeria, nay Africa, digital economy. It was a rarity, more so, as they shared the same podium with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was voted Thisday Man of the Year for his bold reforms and leadership exemplum on the African continent.

Leo Stan deserves the honour, and he has seen many in his over three decades of entrepreneurship and unrelenting promotion of digital democracy in Nigeria. It was no coincidence that when Thisday turned 30 years, it could not find any Nigerian more worthy than Leo Stan for the award of CEO of the Year. It’s both instructive and divine especially when you consider that Leo Stan was the man who computerized newspaper houses, advertising agencies, and printing presses in Nigeria in the late 80s and early 90s when many Nigerians were still in awe of the computer and all its magical, even mythical, wand.

Since returning from the United Kingdom to start his entrepreneurship odyssey in IT over 30 years ago, Leo Stan has stood out as a bustling serial digital pioneer with an elephantine ambition to computerize Nigeria — a mission he has achieved on many fronts.

His zeal and passion have placed him at the cusp of the competition with many firsts to his badge. The first internationally certified indigenous computer brand in West Africa and the first computer brand in the world to incorporate the Naira sign (₦) on its keyboard. First Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in sub-Saharan Africa to receive Microsoft Windows Hardware Quality Lab Certification (WHQL); 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 (MADA) 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.

When he launched the Zinox brand in 2001, it was not just an addition to the crowd of indigenous-branded computers. It was a fitting counterfoil to the dominance of foreign computer brands in Nigeria. Zinox has since become an African brand.

Zinox has proven both competence and capacity at home and in 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 (CHOGM) held in Nigeria in 2003; the All-Africa University Games held in Bauchi in 2004; the 7th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Africa Union (AU) 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 using digitally produced voter register for the first time in Nigeria was because of Zinox. It has also fully provided the technology for the postponed first ever national digital census in Nigeria.

Leo Stan is an intentional family man who has built a digital family. His wife, Lady Chioma Ekeh, a mathematician and chartered accountant oversees the biggest tech distribution company in sub – Saharan Africa, TD Africa. His first son and co-awardee, Prince Nnamdi Ekeh leads Konga Group. His first daughter, Mrs. Gozy Ajogun (nee Ekeh), an alumnus of London School of Economics (LSE) oversees Task Systems, an ICT solutions firm under the Zinox Group. The second daughter, Miss Chidalu Ekeh, with a Masters in Digital Marketing from Imperial College, London, is a Fintech whiz. At the same time, his other two younger sons also play in the tech space. He has added digital value to Nigeria and Africa. He deserves his award and the historical honour of being garlanded with his son. It’s double congratulations to Africa’s dominant digital family. It was indeed their night.

Odumosu, an ICT media connoisseur, 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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FG Says Nigeria @ ‘Moderate’ Risk following Fresh Ebola Virus Outbreak

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Federal government has said it has heightened surveillance especially at the points of entry following the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Uganda.

FG Says Nigeria @ ‘Moderate’ Risk following Fresh Ebola Virus Outbreak

The Nigeria Centre of Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has in a public advisory confirmed that there is currently no case of the virus , but warned that the country is at moderate risk.

This means that without mitigation, Ebola is likely to occur in Nigeria, with potential for significant public health consequences, hence the need to take the necessary precautions, the Centre explained.

Ebola virus disease, formerly known as Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever, is a severe, often deadly disease caused by the Ebola virus, with a fatality rate of 25-90%.

On 30th January 2025, the Ministry of Health in Uganda confirmed an outbreak of Ebola caused by the Sudan specie, in Wakiso, Mukono and Mbale city in Mbale district.

Only one case has so far been reported, and one death (confirmed by post-mortem).

Forty-four (44) contacts are being followed up.

The NCDC said it will continue to monitor the regional and global

situations, but also urged Nigerians to avoid all but essential countries with confirmed cases of Ebola.

The Centre directed persons already in Nigeria but with recent travel history to or transit through countries with Ebola cases in the last 21 days who experience symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, sore throat, diarrhoea, weakness, vomiting, stomach pain,

or unexplained bleeding or bruising should promptly call 6232 or State Ministry of Health hotlines, shelter-in-place to avoid further spread, and await dedicated responders.

“On our part, we will continue to strengthen surveillance across the country, including our borders and airports especially for travelers from affected areas; alerting our health workers to heighten

their level of suspicion for suspected cases; enhancing our laboratory capacities for quick testing of suspected cases; as well coordination with the WHO and the African Regional Health Authorities to monitor developments and share critical information”, the centre said.

“These include the update of our EVD emergency contingency plan, heightened surveillance especially at the points of entry, and optimizing diagnostic capacity for EVD testing in designated laboratories in cities with international airports of entry and the National Reference Laboratory. In addition, all Lassa Fever testing laboratories can be activated to scale up testing if the need arises”, it added.

While urging Nigerians to take preventive measures, the NCDC noted that the approved vaccine for the Zaire species is not currently available in the country but can be obtained from the WHO Afro and does not protect against the Sudan virus, which is responsible for the outbreak in Uganda.

 

 


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NLC Calls Off Planned Protest over 50 Percent Telecom Tariff Hike

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Joe Ajaero, president, NLC,
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Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called off its planned protest against the 50 per cent increase in telecom tariffs.

NLC Calls Off Planned Protest over 50 Percent Telecom Tariff Hike

Joe Ajaero, president, NLC,

The labour union announced the protest last week, citing the burden the tariff increase would place on Nigerians.

However, following a meeting with government representatives at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on Monday night, the NLC resolved to halt the demonstration pending further discussions.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Joe Ajaero, president, NLC, said the government had agreed to set up a larger committee to review the entire tariff structure.

According to him, the committee will be composed of five representatives from both sides and is expected to submit its findings within two weeks.

Ajaero stated, “We emphasized that the NLC is the largest organisation in Africa, and no stakeholder consultation can exclude us and still stand.

“On that basis, they agreed to form a broader committee to ensure a fair and inclusive agreement to look at the entire tariff structure as a model to come out with a realistic and all-inclusive agreement.

“So the committee will be made up of five representatives, from both sides and expected to come out with a result after two weeks.

“That will determine the next line of action and the process of engagement. The symbolic action of submitting the letters tomorrow will be put on hold until the outcome of such a committee.

“The outcome of such a committee is what will determine our next line of action in terms of protest, in terms of boycott, and in terms of even withdrawal of services, which are the three issues we put online.”

He added that the union’s next steps, including protests, boycotts, or service withdrawals, would depend on the outcome of the committee’s work.

While the planned symbolic submission of protest letters has been put on hold, Ajaero noted that the NLC remains concerned about other pressing economic issues, including electricity tariffs and burdensome taxes on workers.

*“We have also expressed our displeasure over the high electricity tariff and the unbearable tax regime, which is killing workers. These remain unresolved issues that must be addressed,” he said.


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FG Introduces Withholding Tax to Increase Revenue for Critical Sectors

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In a significant move to modernise its tax framework, Nigeria has introduced the Deduction of Tax at Source (Withholding Tax Regulation 2024), which took effect at the beginning of 2025.

Speaking during a press conference in Abuja Sunday, the Special Adviser to the Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) on Communication and Advocacy, Collins Omokaro, said the reform aims to streamline tax collection, enhance compliance and increase revenue for critical sectors like healthcare, education and infrastructure development.

“The new regulation is a game-changer for Nigeria’s tax landscape. It will ensure that taxes are collected efficiently and transparently while fostering accountability among businesses and employers,” Omokaro said.

The regulation mandates the deduction of taxes directly from payments such as salaries, rent, professional fees and dividends.

By placing the responsibility on businesses, employers and other payers to withhold taxes at the point of payment, the government, he said, hopes to ensure a steady revenue inflow and minimise tax evasion.

The new regulation, he explained, introduces strategic measures, including integrating Tax Identification Numbers (TINs) with transactions and setting penalties for non-compliance.

By adjusting tax rates for residents and non-residents, the government seeks to support local businesses while ensuring fair accountability for foreign businesses.

This initiative, according to him, is expected to create a more equitable tax system where individuals and businesses contribute their fair share to national development.

“The projected increase in revenue is anticipated to fund essential public services, stimulating economic growth and improving the quality of life for Nigerians.

“Despite its potential benefits, implementing the new regulation poses challenges. Businesses may need to invest in software and training to accurately deduct and remit taxes. Small enterprises and vendors risk inadvertent non-compliance due to a lack of awareness.

“Sectors such as gaming and telecommunications will also need to adapt to unique tax obligations under the new rules.

“The introduction of this regulation comes with high expectations. However, government agencies must intensify awareness campaigns to help businesses, especially small and medium enterprises, navigate the changes smoothly,” noted a tax consultant, who preferred to remain anonymous.”

He further noted that the Deduction of Tax at Source (Withholding Tax Regulation 2024) underscores Nigeria’s commitment to a transparent, fair and efficient tax system.

“The government’s approach balances stricter enforcement with thoughtful exemptions and modernized processes, fostering an environment where compliance becomes seamless and advantageous.

“For taxpayers, the reform presents an opportunity to embrace accountability. For businesses, it offers a structured framework for innovation and growth. For the nation, it marks a step towards financial stability and sustainable development.

“The ultimate success of this regulation depends on effective implementation and the cooperation of all stakeholders. With dedication and collaboration, Nigeria has the potential to redefine its taxation landscape, paving the way for equity, growth and prosperity,” he said.


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