Leo Stan Ekeh and the Zinox revolution
Leo Stan Ekeh, chairman, Zinox Group, is synonymous to innovation. Like founders of global Fortune 500 technology companies such as Bill Gates, Michael Dell, Larry Ellison, Ekeh has indeed carved a niche for himself as an entrepreneur driven primarily by the need to use technology to transform the lives of people. A blogger recently described him as ‘the whiz that changed the computer globe in the world’s biggest black nation’.
An apt description for Ekeh as his strong business acumen has helped him glide through Nigeria’s rough business terrain. Over the years, he has continued to make significant strides in an Information Communications Technology (ICT) industry dominated by international companies. A magnanimous man, Ekeh has been at the nucleus of new developments and discoveries in the country’s technology space.
In addition to Zinox, he has spear-headed the creation of other companies like Task Systems, Technology Distributions Limited, ICT Brokers, TD Plus, ICT Connect and Buyright Africa Dotcom. A champion of local content development, one of Ekeh’s biggest feats yet is perhaps bagging the contract for the supply of Direct Data Capture (DDC) Machines to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2010. This achievement however still remains epic in Nigeria’s Information Technology (IT) history as Zinox Technologies emerged as one of the suppliers against all odds.
Ekeh had no choice but to compete with global technology companies for the INEC contract, in a country with huge skepticism about the competence of local technology firms. Giving insight into how an entrepreneur can compete in a business arena dominated by international brands, Ekeh explains: “When you compete with the ‘big boys’, with resources in terms of cash, human capital, structure, and are global with a very strong brand, you have to be very courageous and have the heart of a lion but the great humility of a sheep.”
According to him, many global educational institutions teach strategy but the tact to deliver the strategies is critical. “If you want to compete with multinational companies, you have to be knowledge driven and you must stay focused on a niche market”, he added. Ekeh has remained a front-runner in technology development in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy.
But, how did all this begin? How did Ekeh metamorphose from an enthusiastic boy who wanted to own the largest transport company in Nigeria? How did he become the founder of Nigeria’s biggest technology conglomerate? Ekeh was born in Ubomiri Mbaitoli, Imo State to a middle-class family with three brothers and two sisters. His mother was a dietician, while his father was a nurse.
He attended Holy Ghost College, Owerri, Imo State, for his secondary education. From the onset, Ekeh has always been adventurous. So, it did not come as a surprise, when he opted to study in India, at a time not many people had confidence in the world’s most densely populated country. Ekeh received a bachelor’s of science degree in economics from Punjab University, and he strongly believes that his academic pursuit in India was “a great turning point” in his life as Ekeh found the Indian economy a ‘realistic economy’.
After his university education in India, Ekeh opted to study at the Cork City University, Ireland, and later transferred to Nottingham University, United Kingdom (UK), where he earned a degree in risk management. Ekeh amazingly has always been a man of firsts, through his company Task Systems Limited, he pioneered Desktop Publishing and Computer Graphics in Nigeria. He however computerised 95 percent of the Print Media, Publishing Houses and Advertising Agencies in Nigeria. Over the past 20 years, Task Systems, his first company has consistently won outstanding industry Awards as Best Partner Award for Compaq, Hewlett Packard (HP), Microsoft, American Power Solution (APC), amongst others. Ekeh also pioneered IT Solutions in West Africa through his company ITEC Solutions Limited through which he has delivered the largest IT Solutions ever, from an indigenous firm, to the Nigerian Corporate Market.
Ekeh also pioneered IT Distribution in West Africa through Technology Distributions (TD) Limited, which has emerged the Number 1 ICT distribution company in West Africa. TD has consistently won for ten years the highest industry Awards and recognitions for market penetration, revenue, and preferred partner status to become the most decorated Information Communication Technology (ICT) Distributor in West Africa.
Leo Stan Ekeh scored another first in 2001 when he set up Zinox Technologies Limited to manufacture Zinox Computers, Nigeria’s First Internationally Certified Branded Computers Leo Stan’s Zinox Computer has some innovative features, which include – the Naira sign, and a Power Supply designed to contain the erratic nature of electric power in Nigeria. He ensured that at launch Zinox Computers already had the WHQL certification, the first in sub-Saharan Africa, consolidated 5 years later with the attainment of the NIS ISO 2000: 9001 QMS Certification. The company has grown into an internationally recognized Brand with its products actively deployed across West Africa. It has supported many landmark events namely: CHOGM in 2003, All African Games, Abuja 2003, FASU-Bauchi 2004, 17thth African Union Summit, Banjul – Gambia 2006.
Leo Stan, a firm believer that no one is destined to be poor in this knowledge century has been the main driver of digital knowledge Democracy in Africa Ekeh as Chairman of the Zinox Group believes one of his legacies is to alter positively the destiny of many poor Nigerians through his knowledge democracy platforms.
The most integrated IT Group in the whole of Africa, the Zinox Group has shown multiple competencies in manufacturing, solutions delivery and logistics. The Group salvaged the 2006 Voters’ registration exercise by delivering 12,000 systems to INEC in 3 weeks. Again in 2011, under his leadership, Zinox was responsible for the technology backbone for the 2011 voters’ registration through the supply of 80,000 DDC Machines in 35 days, an awesome accomplishment for a local firm in Nigeria or anywhere in the world.
Ekeh has a record of incisive entrepreneurship and his vision to Computerise Nigeria has rewritten the history of Information Technology in the Third World. Asked if there are things he did that propelled him to this enviable position today, Ekeh said, “For me, I can say it’s been between me and God. As a child I tried to stay away from frivolities and I tried to stay close to the Supreme Being. Successful entrepreneurs give their lives to God, businesses and finding fresh opportunities.”
BEN UZOR