Telecom
Ekeh, Zinox Boss Says Business Owners Must Believe in Nigeria to Scale
Leo Stan Ekeh, chairman, Zinox Group, has disclosed that budding entrepreneurs and business owners must retain a level of belief in Nigeria in order to scale their business.
Ekeh affirmed that growing a business in Nigeria’s peculiar business environment requires the essential ingredient of a firm faith in the country.
He made this disclosure at The Kingdom Summit 2019, an International Marketplace and Leadership Conference organized by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) on Saturday October 26, 2019.
The event, with the theme – From Business Person to Nation Changer – was held at the premises of the RCCG The King’s Court in Victoria Island, Lagos.
“You must not be discouraged by the challenges you face in business today. Also, you must not allow people discourage you with their negative projections.
“You must have faith in Nigeria in order to grow your business and scale. As a matter of fact, before I started out in business during undergraduate days in India and after my post-graduate in Cork City, I was clear that I was going to return to Nigeria.
“Sometimes, I laugh when people say things were better in the past than they are today. When I returned to Nigeria to start up my first company, Task Systems Ltd., the society was completely analogue.
“The print and publishing industry, which I transitioned to digital publishing, was still relying on the old system of casting metal type at the time.
“This was why I was determined to create an IT identity for Nigeria. We eventually achieved this through Zinox.
“It is on record that the Zinox Group pioneered electronic petrol dispensing pumps, Desktop Publishing and Computer Graphics, INEC Data Capture System, first internationally certified Computer brand -Zinox, pioneered E-Commerce in Africa, amongst other firsts.
“If we do not have faith, you will not have the mental capacity to research, incubate and achieve products that may add greater impetus to the economy.
“Today, you have the advantage of age on your side, quality education, common sense, more exposure unlike during our time, where common sense was supreme and few were educated. So, there is nothing stopping you,” he counselled.
However, Ekeh, a serial digital entrepreneur who has built several successful companies over a professional career spanning over three decades, cautioned participants on the need to incubate and go through structured process, incubate and build a culture of sustenance.
Ekeh frowned at the falsification of data in order to hood-wink potential investors.
“I see a lot of start-ups brandishing false figures and falsifying data in order to deceive investors to part with their money.
“There are a few high-profile instances of such here in Nigeria. Such a practice is highly dangerous and if you indulge in it, you will surely pay for it. A lot of business owners see it as a smart way of raising funds but your integrity is at stake.
“If you lose your integrity, you have not just lost all, but you have also destroyed others in same economy and you will pay dearly for it.
“In 21st century, there is a strong connection between wealth and spirituality. The way you made your money comes with eternal pain or pleasure.
“I see a lot of rich people that excites young people are in Hell on earth but you may not know. Wealth is now a right for both the children of the poor and the rich, but more kids from poor homes have better intelligence, energy and spirituality to challenge the status quo.
“Some of you just start out in business and decide to buy flashy cars or fly First Class as a status symbol.
“What you fail to remember is that the difference between an Economy Class ticket and a First Class ticket, your business may not be able to achieve it as profit in one year,” Ekeh declared.
“You must incubate and go through the process before you scale. When I started out, I used to sleep in my office. Before my staff resumed, I was already up so they did not know I used to sleep there.
“I also ate once a day at Sheraton hotel, normally the afternoon buffet. This is part of the price I paid to succeed.”
Continuing, Ekeh affirmed that the current generation of entrepreneurs have all it takes to achieve within five years what the older generation strived to build in 30 years.
“What we spent over 30 years struggling to achieve, your generation will outstrip within five years.
“Konga is a very good example of this. My son, who runs the business, and his colleagues are currently burning money.
“However, once the business turns profitable, in two years they will recoup all they have invested into it. E-commerce is the riskiest business globally in the first quarter of this century.
“Konga has undergone massive turnaround since we acquired the business, with massive technology and other infrastructural deployment nationwide in partnership with Microsoft and other major stakeholders.
“It is another Nigerian corporate miracle waiting to happen. Without faith in Nigeria, this may be impossible to achieve.”
He concluded by asking everyone in the full packed hall to do a self-assessment and be determined to alter their destinies. Ekeh noted that this essential exercise will create a positive multiplier effect in Nigeria.
The Kingdom Summit 2019, which attracted dignitaries from the public and private sector, had in attendance the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo who was represented by the former Minister of Trade and Investment, Okey Enelamah.
Also in attendance was a host of speakers including Brett Johnson, Founder, The Institute for Innovation, Integration & Impact Inc.; Alero Ayida-Otobo, CEO, Incubators Africa Ltd; Alex Densmore, CEO, Battco Energy Storage Systems; Brian Mukudzahvu, Founder, Axis Solutions Africa; Pamela Ajayi, Founder, Synlab; Otto Orrondam, Founder, Slum2School Africa; Kayode Pitan, MD, Bank of Industry; Prof. Chris Bode, Medical Director, LUTH and many others.
Host was Ben Akabueze, Provincial Pastor, RCCG The King’s Court who doubles as the Director General, Budget Office of the Federation.
MTN Nigeria expanded its lead in Nigeria’s fixed broadband market after adding 13,433 subscribers to its fibre-to-the-home service in December 2025. The gains come as smaller providers struggle to retain users amid rising demand for high-speed internet.
Industry data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) showed sharp subscriber losses among smaller operators.
21st Century Technologies saw its subscriber base fall from 175 in December to 82 in January, a drop of more than 50 percent.
SWIFT Nigeria recorded an even larger decline.
The company lost 11,285 users, with total subscribers falling from 25,484 to 14,199, a 44.3 percent decrease.
The gap between large infrastructure providers and smaller operators is widening as broadband demand grows across Nigeria.
Companies with extensive fibre networks can offer faster speeds and wider coverage, while smaller competitors face higher costs and limited scale.
MTN has accelerated its investment in network infrastructure to maintain its lead.
The company spent ₦1 trillion, or about $715 million, in capital expenditure in 2025, more than double the ₦443.5 billion invested in 2024.
The investment followed a return to profitability, with profit after tax reaching ₦1.1 trillion after losses in 2024 linked to foreign-exchange pressures.
Spending focused on network modernization, 4G expansion, 5G rollout and deeper fibre deployment.
The operator expanded its fibre-to-the-home footprint to about 4 million households, concentrating deployments in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Ibadan as data traffic rose 34 percent.
Network vandalism remains a challenge. MTN recorded 9,218 fibre cuts in 2025, an average of 25 incidents per day, affecting 211 base stations.
Key Takeaways
Nigeria’s broadband market is entering a scale phase where infrastructure investment is becoming the main competitive advantage.
Telecom operators with strong balance sheets are deploying billions of naira into fibre networks to capture demand for high-speed connectivity driven by streaming, remote work, digital payments and cloud services.
Fibre infrastructure also strengthens mobile networks by connecting base stations and improving 4G and 5G performance.
However, the economics of building and maintaining fibre networks remain challenging in emerging markets. Infrastructure vandalism, power supply instability and high deployment costs increase operational risk.
These factors make it difficult for smaller internet service providers to compete with large telecom operators that can spread costs across millions of customers.
As demand for broadband continues to grow in Africa’s largest economy, the sector may see further consolidation, with dominant operators strengthening their market position while regulators face increasing pressure to maintain competition and affordable access to high-speed internet.
credit…. dabafinance.com
Telecom
VDT Communications Achieves Two Prestigious Certifications ISO /IEC 27001:2022, ISO/IEC 27032:2023 Reinforcing its Leadership in Broadband Service Provision
VDT Communications Limited, a provider of Enterprise communication solutions, is proud to announce that it has been awarded the ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Information Security Management System (ISMS) and ISO/IEC 27032:2023 Cybersecurity Management System certifications.
These prestigious certifications demonstrate VDT’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of information security and cybersecurity, ensuring the protection of sensitive customer data and maintaining the trust of its clients.
These certifications are a testament to VDT’s dedication to implementing robust information security and cybersecurity measures, aligning with international best practices.
The ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification recognizes VDT’s ability to establish, implement, maintain, and continually improve its ISMS, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of customer information. The ISO/IEC 27032:2023 certification highlights its commitment to protecting its customers’ information assets and preventing Cyber threats.
VDT Communications Limited has consistently demonstrated its commitment to excellence, previously earning and maintaining ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System and ISO 20000-1:2018 IT Service Management certifications. These certifications have enabled the company to deliver high-quality services, ensuring customer satisfaction and loyalty.
“We are thrilled to receive these two prestigious certifications, which reinforce our commitment to information security and cybersecurity. These certifications demonstrate our dedication to implementing robust security measures that ensure confidentiality, integrity and availability of customer data” said Engr. Abiodun Omoniyi, GMD of VDT Communications Limited.
The ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and ISO/IEC 27032:2023 certifications bring numerous benefits to VDT’s customers, including:
- Enhanced information security and cybersecurity posture
- Protection of sensitive customer data
- Compliance with international standards and regulations
- Improved risk management and incident response
- Increased trust and confidence in VDT’s services
“We are proud to serve our customers with the highest level of security and quality,” Bimbo Ikumariegbe, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of VDT. “These certifications demonstrate our commitment to excellence and our dedication to delivering innovative communication solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers” – Olufemi Akinola, Head, Information Technology.
Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has issued a stern warning to content creators filming and sharing videos of unsuspecting citizens on social media, describing such practices as direct violations of citizens’ rights to informational self-determination.
NDPC
The Commission drew attention to individuals capturing pictures and footage of the general public without consent, breaching Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 (NDP Act).
NDPC specifically flagged a content creator in Lagos State who films unsuspecting passersby at roadsides for a “reality show”. The Commission stressed that processing personal images in this manner demands explicit consent or a justifiable lawful basis under the NDP Act.
Preliminary investigations revealed no public or legitimate interest served by this “wilful invasion of privacy”. Data subjects, the Commission noted, have no reasonable expectation that their images would be captured and broadcast globally by an unknown individual.
National Commissioner/CEO Dr Vincent Olatunji has instructed social media platform owners—including TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and Meta—to intensify enforcement of community guidelines to prevent harm from unlawful and unfair personal data processing.
Platforms failing to act promptly face sanctions under the NDP Act. Individual creators remain personally liable for violations, potentially facing criminal prosecution for infringing citizens’ and data subjects’ privacy rights.
The advisory was signed by Babatunde Bamigboye, Esq. CDPRP, Head of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations.
NDPC emphasised that abuse of rights under the guise of entertainment will not be tolerated, urging compliance to safeguard Nigerians’ data privacy in the digital age.
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