E-Business
Zinox Boss Urges Review of Education Policy to Foster Unity, Knowledge Era
Leo Stan Ekeh, chairman Zinox Group has called for rejig of the national education policy to foster national unity and create a knowledge era.
Ekeh said that Nigeria is running on a digital age and therefore need to make critical decisions that will bring about a break from the analogue past.
The Zinox boss who spoke when the new executive of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) led by Prof. David Adewunmi, it president paid him a courtesy visit said that the country finds herself in times that are as difficult as 1969, the peak of the civil war, when nationalists and stake holders in education came together in a bid to salvage the ship of state from the vicious grip of ethnicity, religious bigotry and corruption.
“The situation has been compounded by kidnapping, terrorism, our inability to fund education, and the inability of Nigerian graduates to fit into existing vacancies in the industry. There is a need for another look at the national policy on education by people compliant with 21st Century technology.” He stated.
He said that Prof. Adewunmi who is also the Dean of the Faculty of Information Technology at Bell University is coming into the office of the president of the NCS at the right time.
Ekeh urged the president to direct his gaze at the need to restructure education in Nigeria with IT as the main tool.
Explaining further, the Zinox boss explained that with technology the objectives of teaching and learning can be achieved at a lower cost with more competitive outcomes.
He said that “For example, electronic content would cost less while solving the problem of overcrowded classes that have perplexed educational administrators for decades”
Earlier, Prof. Adewunmi congratulated the chairman and management of the Zinox Group for the long relationship with the Nigeria Computer Society.
He recounted a rich history of support dating back to the first President of the NCS, saying it showed the depth of the Zinox commitment to develop the IT sector.
Prof. Adewunmi expressed appreciation for the role that the Zinox Group has been successfully playing in the IT sector – the successful delivery of sensitive and large scale projects at the national level.
He said that Zinox has proved to the world that the Nigerian IT practitioner is a world-class professional with the capacity to match the best in the world.
The Zinox management and the NCS leadership agreed to work together in upholding international standards, enforcing the local content policy, capacity building and serving the unreached.
Both organizations would cooperate on all issues relating to the robust deployment of IT at all levels of education in Nigeria. The NCS and Zinox decried the multiple biometric data collection by numerous Agencies in Nigeria.
They agreed that biometric data is secured data that should be handled only by contractors who have integrity and would not compromise national security.
In addition, Ekeh, noted that the Nigeria Information Technology Merit Awards (NITMA) is one of the noble legacies that the Prof. Adewunmi led executive has inherited.
He urged the executive to handle NITMA with its characteristic professionalism to protect the lofty ideals for which it was instituted.
Africa’s most integrated IT firm, Zinox Technologies Limited was launched in 2001 and has earned recognition as a world-class solutions company with competencies spanning , certified PC Assembling, Advanced Biometric Solutions, E-Library and Digital Power Solutions, and rated as class “A++” Systems Integrators with local and International capacity to handle sensitive ICT projects.
Zinox successfully intervened for INEC in 2006 and 2011 Voters’ Registration amongst other national and multinational sensitive projects.
Multiple biometrics implementation – challenge is the integrity of the contractors collecting it. Security data
Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) has called on the National Data Protection Commission (NDPC) to investigate what it described as an alleged unauthorised and fraudulent use of personal data of constituents in the failed recall attempt of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Senator representing Kogi Central in the National Assembly.
The organisation expressed concern that voters’ personal information may have been illegally harvested and deployed without their consent to generate signatures for the recall petition.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, Auwal Rafsanjani, chairman, TMG, observed that such an act amounts to a gross violation of the Data Protection Act, which he said, also undermines public trust in the country’s democratic process.
He called for a forensic verification of the Voter Identification Numbers (VINs) submitted in the recall process, using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
TMG’s position came a few days after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) dismissed the petition seeking to recall Natasha for failing to meet constitutional requirements.
The commission had revealed that following a thorough review of the signatures and thumbprints submitted by petitioners, only 208,132 signatories were verified, falling short of the required 237,278.
Rafsanjani, however, expressed concern on how more than 50 per cent of total registered voters in Kogi Central quickly turned up to sign the petition for the recall of Natasha in a country, he said, has historically experienced a worrisome level of voter apathy.
According to him, the incident calls for deeper insight that can only be brought about through thorough investigation.
“While it is noted that INEC has terminated the process at the stage of counting signatories to the petition as the number of signatories did not meet the constitutional requirements for further verification, the seeming fraud of harvesting voters’ details from anywhere to file the petition cannot be overlooked,” he said.
Rafsanjani added: “We are also deeply worried that against the provision of the Data Protection Act, personal data of citizens of Kogi Central Senatorial District have been harvested and used without their consent. This fraud must be investigated by the National Data Protection Commission to assure Nigerians that their personal data will indeed be protected as envisaged by the law.
“Further investigations to verify and authenticate the Voter Identification Number (VIN) through the BVAS must be carried out. Where investigations reveal a fraudulent process, the petitioners must be brought to justice to serve as deterrent to those who would be willing to be induced and used by politicians for this kind of charade in the future.”
But the NDPC, has, reiterated commitment to enhancing data privacy among public and private bodies in the country.
Dr. Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner and CEO, said the commission aims to enforce stricter data protection measures to safeguard sensitive public and private information, as well as promote regulatory compliance in line with relevant laws.
National Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening data privacy practices across Nigeria’s public and private sectors.
Speaking at a regional capacity-building workshop in Katsina for ICT personnel from the north-western states, Dr Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner and chief executive officer of the NDPC, said the commission is stepping up enforcement of data protection regulations in line with national laws.
Olatunji, represented by Mr Princewill Nnaka, head of the Commission’s Enforcement Unit, noted that the NDPC is focused on raising awareness of data rights, improving staff training, and partnering with development agencies to boost capacity.
He said stronger data protection measures would help reduce incidents of cyberbullying, online financial fraud, and loss of lives due to breaches of privacy.
“Data protection is a global concern,” he said. “Our goal is to ensure Nigeria aligns with international standards in the safeguarding of personal data.”
Also speaking at the event, Naufal Ahmed, director general, Katsina State Directorate of ICT (KATDICT), said the training aimed to equip participants with the technical knowledge required to implement the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023.
He added that the initiative would also enable participants to serve as Master Trainers and Data Protection Officers (DPOs) in their respective institutions.
The three-day programme drew 40 participants, including four officers each from Kaduna, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto, and Zamfara States, as well as 16 officials from various ministries, departments, and agencies in Katsina State.
Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Chief Justice of Nigeria, has cautioned judicial officials to be vigilant against data breaches, cyber threats and vulnerabilities in online systems as the judiciary continues to adopt digital technology.
Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Chief Justice of Nigeria,
Kekere-Ekun gave the caution while delivering a keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 2025 National Workshop on Information and Communication Technology, held at the National Judicial Institute in Abuja.
The CJN represented by Salisu Garba, administrator, National Judicial Institute, emphasised that, as the judiciary handles cases, files, personal information, and classified government data, it remains a prime target for cyber attacks.
She underscored the need to safeguard the integrity of court records, warning that any breach could carry serious legal consequences and pose risks to national security.
She said, “Thus, a strong cybersecurity framework must be implemented to safeguard judicial data from unauthorised access, hacking, and corruption.”
The CJN emphasised the need for judicial ICT personnel to receive proper training in cybersecurity best practices, encryption methods, and secure data management.
She commended the National Judicial Council for its proactive efforts in modernising the judiciary, noting that the Judiciary Information Technology Policy stands out as a key initiative, offering a clear framework for the effective deployment and use of ICT in court operations.
In his welcome address, Olumoh Abdulazeez, Institute’s Secretary, emphasised that the annual workshop was aimed at equipping court personnel with the skills needed to keep pace with technological advancements.
“The effective integration of technology can greatly enhance access to justice and lower the barriers for litigants.’”
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