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Ekeh, Zinox Boss Inspires Thousands @ RCCG Summit
Leo Stan Ekeh, serial digital entrepreneur and chairman, Zinox Group, has called on Nigerians to believe in the future of the country, noting that the world is currently in a knowledge century in which there are no barriers to wealth acquisition or achieving greatness.
He made this call at an economic summit organized by the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Christ Church Parish on recently.
With the theme – Economic Outlook and Prospects in Election Year, the summit saw Ekeh share his thoughts on Nigeria’s economy and the future of the digital industry culminating in a standing ovation at the end of his speech.
“You must anticipate the future. It is not static, otherwise you don’t have a reason to grow. The 21st Century is a knowledge century; it is one in which you have a right to be rich, even as an employee because if they under-pay you, you have a chance to get a better job,” Ekeh declared.
Leo Stan Ekeh
“If you are an entrepreneur, then you have a right to make mega-wealth. A lot of you are intimidated when you look at the profile of people like the Aliko Dangotes and Mike Adenugas but you forget that when a man is successful, you only hear the good side of their emergence but if you look back critically, you will see that their rise to the top was not an easy one. When you are psychologically defeated, you have lost the war.
“In life, you must take a conscious decision on who you want to be and if you are a human being and a citizen, you must add value to your environment, community or country. In the 21st Century, you decide who you want to be. The biggest problem with Africa is that our parents want us to make money the same way they did. It means we are all blind. If your father was a taxi driver, you cannot be the most popular taxi driver because today, we have Uber and other ride-hailing apps. But if you created an Uber, then you become the largest owner of commercial vehicles in the world.”
Ekeh who recently oversaw the acquisition of e-commerce giants, Konga from previous owners Naspers and AB Kinnevik followed by a combination of its operations with that of Yudala, declared his chosen field of technology as a leveler and the only profession in the world that can bridge the gap between the rich and the poor individuals and countries of the world.
“Technology is the only way the son of a poor man can become rich in the 21st Century and that is the only way the son of a rich man can consolidate the wealth of the family. You are a stupid, poor man if you cannot challenge the status quo. It was through technology that I transformed the media and multimedia industry and computerized them for the first time.
“Same way we helped create a reliable database of voters for Nigeria through the impressive work Zinox has done with INEC and which we have replicated in other African countries such as Guinea-Bissau. Today, we are currently looking to transit the country to e-Voting which will further go a long way in reducing post-election litigations,” he enthused.
Urging the members of the audience to retain their hopes in a brighter future for Nigeria, Ekeh encouraged the attendees to rise to the challenge and make a positive difference in their circumstances.
“Nigeria is a country with huge potential. There is a future here and no one has a right to stop you: government, individuals or even your father. You must build yourself as a collateral in order to succeed in life. The only way to build that collateral is to be a man or woman of integrity.
“In business, you must acquire a big dose of spirituality and always make provisions for your place of birth, in this case, where you do business. Many entrepreneurs transplant foreign technology or strategies here without considering our existential circumstances or the needs of the country.
“The challenges of your family or country are things that activate innovation and solutions. If you don’t disrupt, you die. In business, you must trade to lead or you get out of that platform. It is not child’s play. What made you rich will not make your child wealthy, unless they add digital style to it, which is technology. When I say we are in a knowledge century, it means no one can stop you from achieving success.
“The failure rate of startups in this country is about 75% and this is a shame to the quality of brains we have in Nigeria. The problem with most of the young people in tech – and this is one of the reasons most tech start-ups fail – is that they do more talking than content and they want to live large. You must incubate and grow. There are so many opportunities to generate creative wealth in the world today.
“Knowledge is open so you need to constantly read and learn but you must embrace humility and be ready to incubate for a period and be spiritually strong. Above all though, you must be close to God. Any successful man or a quality entrepreneur that is not close to God is not really successful.”
Among the many opportunities Ekeh referenced were digital security, digital lifestyle and growing dynamism in the e-commerce sector. He also disclosed his determination to invest in incubation centres to develop youthful talents through mentoring who will transform the fortunes of the nation.
Other speakers at the summit were Dr. Biodun Adedipe, Chief Consultant, BAA Consult; Mr. Abiola Ogunrinde, CEO, Tronica Natural Ltd and Dr. Mrs. Jumoke Oduwole, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industry, Trade and Investment.
As Africa stands at the threshold of a digital revolution, Carbon AI has officially announced the AI in Action 2026 conference, scheduled for January 22, 2026, at the Lagos Oriental Hotel.
In a statement in Lagos, Debola Ibiyode, Convener of AI in Action 2026 and CEO of Carbon AI, disclosed that the AI in Action 2026 conference aims to move beyond the typical industry hype to focus on practical, homegrown innovation under the theme: “Driving Productivity, Innovation, and Sustainability—Building the Future in AI Together.”
“AI in Action 2026 is designed as a high-impact platform where deep-tech innovation meets real-world application. The conference will specifically explore how Large Language Models (LLMs), Agentic AI Frameworks, and Generative AI can be harnessed to power Africa’s transformation,” she noted in the statement.
Debola also emphasizes that the time for mere discussion has passed, stressing that AI in Action 2026 is for people who want to do more than just talk about AI; it’s for those ready to build, apply, and lead.
“We aren’t chasing hype or funding; we are chasing real impact. Our mission is to empower budding founders to turn ideas into deployable solutions while championing responsible AI adoption that creates measurable social and economic change across the continent,” she added.
The statement explains that the conference features a curated experience designed to foster genuine collaboration. It includes keynote speeches and panels that offer deep dives into Generative AI, Agentic Frameworks, and their intersection with global sustainability.
Attendees can participate in practical workshops with hands-on sessions focused on building, deploying, and scaling AI tools. The event also features a startup and product showcase that highlights cutting-edge, African-built AI solutions.
Additionally, dedicated mentorship and networking sessions will connect early-stage founders with seasoned practitioners and industry leaders.
The event is a call to action for a diverse cross-section of the ecosystem, including Software and AI Engineers, Data Scientists, Business Leaders, Educators, Policymakers, Students, and ICT Infrastructure companies, enabling AI deployment, including datacenter providers. By bringing these groups together, the conference seeks to ensure the AI revolution is inclusive, ethical, and sustainable.
AI in Action 2026 Now offers tiered sponsorship packages for organizations looking to position themselves at the forefront of Africa’s technological future. Sponsors will gain direct access to a unique demographic of decision-makers and the next generation of AI talent.
“Africa’s digital revolution must be homegrown. Whether you’re building solutions, shaping policy, or mentoring young innovators, this is your platform. Together, we’re not just discussing the future, we’re building it,” she concluded.
President Donald Trump has warned that the United States could carry out further military strikes in Nigeria if Christians continue to be killed, reigniting a sensitive debate over religious violence and foreign intervention in Africa’s most populous nation.
President Donald Trump
Trump made the remarks in an interview with The New York Times, published on Thursday, while responding to questions about a US military strike carried out in Nigeria on Christmas Day.
At the time, the US military said the operation targeted Islamic State militants in north-west Nigeria and was conducted at the request of the Nigerian government.
Nigeria, however, described the operation as a joint counterterrorism effort, stressing that it was aimed at armed groups designated as terrorists and “had nothing to do with a particular religion”.
“I’d love to make it a one-time strike,” Trump was quoted as saying. “But if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike.”
Pressed on comments by his own Africa adviser that extremist groups such as Islamic State and Boko Haram have killed more Muslims than Christians in Nigeria, Trump acknowledged that Muslims were also victims but insisted that Christians were being targeted disproportionately.
“I think that Muslims are being killed also in Nigeria. But it’s mostly Christians,” he said.
Trump has repeatedly raised alarms about the safety of Christians in Nigeria, beginning in late October when he warned that Christianity faced what he described as an “existential threat” in the country. He has accused Nigerian authorities of failing to adequately protect Christian communities and has openly threatened US military intervention if the violence continues.
Nigeria has firmly rejected claims of systematic persecution of Christians. The government maintains that the country’s security challenges are complex and largely driven by insurgency, banditry and criminal violence rather than religious targeting.
With a population of more than 230 million people, Nigeria is almost evenly divided between Christians, who are concentrated mainly in the south, and Muslims, who predominate in the north. Islamist insurgencies, particularly Boko Haram and its offshoots, have plagued parts of northern Nigeria for more than a decade, killing thousands and displacing millions.
Nigerian authorities have repeatedly pointed out that militant attacks have claimed the lives of both Muslims and Christians, arguing that framing the violence along religious lines oversimplifies the crisis and risks inflaming tensions.
Following Trump’s earlier threats, the Nigerian government said it was willing to continue cooperating with Washington in combating terrorism but rejected language suggesting that Christians alone were under threat.
The latest comments are likely to strain diplomatic relations further, as Nigeria balances its partnership with the United States against concerns over sovereignty, security cooperation and the portrayal of its internal conflicts on the global stage.
OpenAI maker of ChatGPT is rolling out a health-focused feature to the generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool that’s used by nearly a billion users.
Named ChatGPT Health, the new feature aims to provide users with health and wellness information. This, as health is one of the most common ways people use ChatGPT, according to OpenAI.
In a blog post, Microsoft-backed OpenAI says de-identified analysis of conversations show that over 230 million people globally ask health and wellness-related questions on ChatGPT every week.
ChatGPT Health will also “securely” connect medical records and wellness apps to ground conversations with a user’s own health information, making responses more relevant and useful.
“Designed in close collaboration with physicians, ChatGPT Health helps people take a more active role in understanding and managing their health and wellness – while supporting, not replacing, care from clinicians.”
According to OpenAI, health information is often scattered across portals, apps, wearables, PDFs, and medical notes making it hard to see the full picture, and people are left to navigate a complex healthcare system on their own.
“ChatGPT Health builds on these so responses are informed by your health information and context. You can now securely connect medical records and wellness apps – like Apple Health, Function, and MyFitnessPal – so ChatGPT can help you understand recent test results, prepare for appointments with your doctor, get advice on how to approach your diet and workout routine, or understand the trade-offs of different insurance options based on your healthcare patterns.”
According to the company, ChatGPT Health is designed to support, not replace, medical care, adding that it is not intended for diagnosis or treatment. “Instead, it helps you navigate everyday questions and understand patterns over time – not just moments of illness – so you can feel more informed and prepared for important medical conversations.
“To keep your health information protected and secure, Health operates as a separate space with enhanced privacy to protect sensitive data. Conversations in Health are not used to train our foundation models. If you start a health-related conversation in ChatGPT, we’ll suggest moving into Health for these additional protections.”
OpenAI adds that access to ChatGPT Health has started with a small group of early users to learn and continue refining the experience, adding that users with ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans outside of the European Economic Area, Switzerland, and the UK are eligible.
“As we make improvements, we plan to expand access and make Health available to all users on web and iOS in the coming weeks.
“Medical record integrations and some apps are available in the US only, and connecting Apple Health requires iOS.”
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