Leo Stan Ekeh, digital entrepreneur and chairman, Zinox Group, has donated N50 million to an Innovation and Development Fund set up by the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), at the 2021 National Information Technology Merit Awards (NITMA) recently held in Lagos.
The Innovation and Development Fund, set up by the NCS, the umbrella organization of all Information Technology professionals, interest groups and stakeholders in Nigeria, is aimed at creating the much-needed resources and backing to support research and innovation in Information Technology.
Furthermore, the fund will aid start-ups in transforming their ideas into working systems for national development.
“I commend the Executive Council of the NCS for birthing the idea of an innovation hub that would incubate start-ups and foster the spirit of creative genius which abounds in Nigeria’s increasingly tech-focused youths,” Ekeh said.
Ekeh revealed that his grant would see the immediate release of the sum of N20 million for the fund and subsequent annual donations of the sum of N10 million respectively in the next three years.
Seeking support from other stakeholders towards this initiative, Ekeh wishes to ‘‘train fellow brothers and sisters who shall lead globally certified multinational companies in the second quarter of this century which is almost here with us.’’
Ekeh was honored in 2011 with the pioneer IT Personality award of the association for his incisive entrepreneurship and positive disruption in the tech sector.
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The Zinox boss, who reiterated his oft-repeated assertion of technology that can transform the child of poor parents into the richest person in the world, noted that the global economy is today dominated by tech giants, a fitting demonstration of the relevance and predominance of technology as a determinant of true wealth and the prosperity of nations.
According to Ekeh, through the Innovation & Development Fund set up by the NCS, Nigeria would be in a better position to unearth raw tech talents who could emerge as certified global dollar billionaires in a few years’ time.
‘‘There is hardly any business in the world today that you can run without technology. If you look at the list of the top five most valuable companies in the world today, technology companies dominate. Nigeria is blessed with millions of smart kids and what many of them need to emerge as global billionaires is that little support which we are contributing to at this occasion,” Ekeh said.
The 2021 edition of the NITMA awards organized by the NCS saw Zinox emerge one of the award winners at the event, claiming the pioneer Technology Company of the Year award.
The company which turned 20 0n October 10, 2021, is a computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing industry with strong interests in computer hardware manufacturing, distribution, ICT solution, telecoms, and after-sales support.
