African statesman and former Nigeria President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, on Sunday night, joined several distinguished Nigerians including Mr Sam Amuka, media icon and Publisher of Vanguard newspaper, to pray for Leo Stan Ekeh, Chairman of Zinox Group, on his 70th birthday.

R-L President Olusegun Obasanjo, his wife Chief Mrs Bola Obasanjo and Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh at the event

Obasanjo who graced the thanksgiving meeting with his wife among other dignitaries prayed for more years on earth for Ekeh, whom he described as an “achiever and a very kind man who deserves to be celebrated.” The meeting which held in Ekeh’s residence was organised by his wife and children with opening prayer said by Reverend Father Francis Ike, of the Church of Assumption Falomo, Ikoyi.

Obasanjo who was President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007 described Ekeh as “one of the people who made it possible for people to say the good things they say about me and about my period in government.”

President Obasanjo who never hid his admiration and love for Ekeh showered praises on the tech billionaire for taking advantage of the opportunities he created during his eight years as President.

He said: “Leo Stan Ekeh is a very kind man, an achiever. People have been celebrating you but I particularly have to celebrate you because of what you mean to me. Wherever I go in Nigeria and outside Nigeria, people say to me, you did this and that especially in enhancing both local and foreign investments. An African President, five months ago, even invited me to his country to show him how I was able to create many billionaires in Nigeria during my tenure.

“I celebrate Leo Stan because it is one thing to create an opportunity, it is another thing to find people who will even see that as opportunity and take advantage of it and achieve success with those opportunities. Leo Stan is one of the people who made it possible for people to say the good things they say about me and about my period in government.

“That’s why I have to join your family and every other person in identifying those qualities in you that made you a great achiever that you have been. The lesson for all of us is that in spite of the hardship, there are still opportunities. The challenge is how to identify those opportunities and take advantage of them and individually and collectively turn our poverty into prosperity just as Leo Stan has done.”

Obasanjo while thanking God for the gift of long life told Ekeh: “Today, you are celebrating 70 and I am here with you at your invitation. You will celebrate 80, whether you invite me or not, I will be there. You will celebrate 90, you will celebrate 100 and I don’t pray to be there,” he said wittily, eliciting laughter from guests.

Aside Obasanjo and Amuka, others who joined in honouring Ekeh were former Lagos state governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola and his wife, former INEC Chairman, Professor Maurice Iwu and his wife, Chairman of MTN, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe and his wife; Mr. Atedo Peterside, Founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank and his wife; Chairman of Fidelity Bank, Mrs Amaka Onwughalu; Managing Director Fidelity Bank, Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe; Mr. Udoma Udo-Udoma, Chairman Seplat Energy and his wife; secondary school mates of Ekeh including Charles Oputa (Charly Boy) who came with his wife; Leo Stan’s elder brother HRM Eze George Ekeh (aka Saint George), the traditional ruler Ishi Ubomiri Autonomous Community in Imo state who performed the traditional rites to usher Leo Stan into the traditional club of Elders of Ubomiri; representatives of multinationals with whom  he has partnered all through the years;  among other distinguished Nigerians and foreigners.

Ekeh in his response thanked Obasanjo for adopting him as his son and trusting him. He attributed his success to the prayers and blessings of Obasanjo, describing him as the President who made most of the billionaires in Nigeria.

The Zinox boss who recalled his little beginning as a mass servant and chorister, said he chose his path early in life, refusing to drink alcohol and smoke cigarette, and keeping to it till this day.

“I am a promoter of trust economy and I believe that trust must define everything you do if you want to succeed,” he said.

He recalled how he woke his parents one night to tell them he was going to start a tech business which sounded strange to them because technology was non-existent in his state at that time.

He acknowledged the role of his wife in his life. “My wife is my strength. I was very clear I was going to marry an intelligent woman. My wife ticked all the boxes for me,” he told the audience.

“I started my business with my school fees and I have been able to build myself and my companies as collateral. People trust me and trust my companies because I was intentional about building trust and integrity in all we do,” he said.

Abiodun Olokunjuwon, a retired civil servant based in Ibadan has instituted a N50 million lawsuit against Moniepoint Microfinance Bank at the Oyo State High Court, alleging that the fintech company opened unauthorized bank accounts in her name without her knowledge or consent.

Filed in February 2026, the suit is among the first significant cases testing the enforcement of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 against a Nigerian fintech institution.

According to the statement of claim, the plaintiff became aware of the alleged unauthorized accounts only after her legitimate bank account was restricted pursuant to a garnishee order linked to a debt she denies incurring.

The restriction reportedly prevented her from accessing funds needed for essential transactions.

The claimant alleges that Moniepoint opened two separate accounts in her name using her National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN) without proper authorization or verification.

Following the discovery, she submitted a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) under the NDPA 2023. Documents allegedly provided by the bank, according to the suit, revealed significant verification lapses.

The plaintiff claims the accounts were opened using falsified documents, including what she describes as a fake NIN slip and contact information unrelated to her.

She further alleges that the accounts listed a Lagos residential address where she has never lived.

The suit contends that Moniepoint failed to implement adequate identity verification and address confirmation procedures before creating and operating the accounts. It further alleges breaches of statutory obligations under the NDPA 2023, including:

• Failure to ensure personal data processed was accurate and lawfully obtained
• Failure to implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures
• Failure to prevent unauthorized or fraudulent processing of personal data

The claimant maintains that these alleged lapses resulted in serious personal and financial harm.

The plaintiff is seeking N50 million in damages for emotional distress, health complications, and disruption to her financial life.

She is also asking the court to order the permanent closure of the allegedly unauthorized accounts.

No date has been fixed for hearing on the matter.

National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Lagos has ordered Lafarge Africa Plc to pay N2 million in damages to a former employee after finding that the company unlawfully retained and continued using his personal data years after his exit.

In a judgment delivered on February 17, 2026, in Suit No. NICN/LA/60/2022, Justice Ikechi Gerald Nweneka ruled that the cement manufacturer breached the claimant’s right to privacy by listing his name and contact details in official purchase orders long after his employment ended.

Mr. Kehinde Adeniyi Johnson, claimant, had approached the court in February 2022, alleging that although he left the company in November 2019, his name, personal email address and phone number remained attached to Lafarge’s.

He sought multiple declarations and N50 million in general and aggravated damages, arguing that the continued use of his identity amounted to unlawful usage, fraudulent misrepresentation and emotional distress.

According to court filings, Johnson told the court that he kept receiving calls, emails and WhatsApp messages from suppliers and logistics agents regarding consignments intended for Lafarge.

He recounted an incident involving a shipment from India: after being contacted by a dispatcher, he accepted delivery but was denied access to company premises upon arrival.

He later alleged that he was attacked by armed robbers in the aftermath, blaming the exposure created by the company’s continued use of his identity.

Lafarge denied liability, attributing the issue to a system malfunction. The company maintained that it deactivated Johnson’s official email and server access upon his departure and notified relevant suppliers of his disengagement.

It also challenged the court’s jurisdiction, arguing that claims relating to tort and emotional distress fell outside the court’s scope.

In addressing preliminary objections, Justice Nweneka dismissed the company’s challenge to the admissibility of emails and WhatsApp messages tendered as evidence, holding that the communications were not hearsay since they involved the claimant and company representatives.

On jurisdiction, the court held that the dispute stemmed directly from the employment relationship and therefore fell within its competence.

It further clarified that the suit was not brought under the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules, making it properly instituted before the court.

After reviewing the evidence, the judge found that Lafarge continued to use Johnson’s name and telephone number in purchase orders well after his exit, thereby violating the Nigeria Data Protection Act and Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees the right to privacy.

he court also upheld the claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress, describing the company’s conduct as reckless, particularly after it had been formally notified by the claimant’s solicitors.

However, several other claims including those relating to human dignity, tortious interference, indemnification and aggravated damages were dismissed for lack of proof or improper framing.

In awarding N2 million in damages, the judge cited statutory limits under the data protection law and the principle of proportionality.

The court further directed Lafarge to permanently erase the claimant’s personal data from its servers, applications and procurement systems, and to deactivate any pre-generated codes bearing his name.