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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.
Patience Okala, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office has urged African countries to stop exporting raw materials and instead focus on adding value to its natural resources if it is to fully harness the opportunities offered by the African Continental Free Trade Area.
She stated this on Thursday at the Streamsowers & Köhn 20th Anniversary Business Forum, where she stressed that value addition and beneficiation are essential to Africa’s industrialisation and long-term economic growth.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, she said the AfCFTA goes beyond the elimination of tariffs, serving as a framework for industrialisation, value addition, and job creation across the continent.
“AfCFTA is not only about tariffs; it is also about value addition. Africa has to stop exporting raw materials. We need to add value and ensure that beneficiation is done on the continent,” she said.
Okala also said Africa’s economic transformation would depend on the effective implementation of the AfCFTA rather than on the signing of trade agreements alone.
“We have moved beyond negotiations. The success of AfCFTA will be measured by the extent to which businesses can access new markets, trade seamlessly across borders, and benefit from the opportunities created by the agreement,” she said.
She noted that Nigeria had intensified efforts to implement the agreement under the leadership of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, including the development of simplified AfCFTA guides in six languages to help businesses understand and take advantage of opportunities under the trade pact.
Okala called for stronger collaboration among governments, regulators, and the private sector to eliminate barriers to trade and investment and build a truly integrated African market.
“As we move from policy to implementation, our collective responsibility is to ensure that the opportunities created by AfCFTA become practical realities for businesses, particularly MSMEs, women-owned enterprises, and young entrepreneurs across the continent,” she said.
Cisco is exploring artificial intelligence (AI)-powered solutions to support smallholder farmers in Nigeria, as part of efforts to expand digital inclusion and technology adoption.
The initiative focuses on improving agricultural productivity through accessible, data-driven tools.
The move aligns with growing collaboration between Nigeria and the United States under the Commercial and Investment Partnership, which prioritises the digital economy, agriculture and infrastructure.
Speaking at the 2026 World Business Chicago, Brian Tippens, chief social impact and inclusion Officer at Cisco, said the company is assessing practical AI applications to help farmers combine local knowledge with data insights.
He said Cisco is exploring tools such as AI-enabled WhatsApp communities, geospatial mapping and weather intelligence to support day-to-day farming decisions.
The approach reflects a shift towards low-cost, mobile-first solutions suited to rural environments.
Tippens added that the Cisco Foundation is investing in early-stage startups developing technologies for local agricultural challenges.
Industry analysts note that AI adoption in emerging markets depends on locally relevant solutions, rather than large-scale enterprise deployments alone.
Beyond agriculture, Cisco plans to expand digital skills development in Nigeria through programmes such as the Cisco Networking Academy’s One Million Learners initiative.
Tippens said the programme also supports partnerships with organisations working with persons with disabilities, including those developing tools for people with visual impairments.
He added that Cisco’s social impact strategy aims to improve access to technology and promote inclusion, including in conflict-affected regions such as Borno State.
Cisco’s initiatives form part of broader efforts to link digital skills, connectivity and AI adoption to economic development in Nigeria.
Federal Government has launched a nationwide Artificial Intelligence (AI) capacity-building programme for teachers in Federal Unity Colleges, with about 11,700 educators set to acquire digital skills aimed at improving classroom instruction and preparing students for a technology-driven future.
The initiative advanced with the signing of the Terms of Reference (ToR) between the Federal Ministry of Education and ICEDT Consult Limited, paving the way for the nationwide implementation of the AI Teacher Capacity Development Programme.
The programme, to be implemented through the ministry’s Education Support Services Department, is part of the Federal Government’s efforts to modernise Nigeria’s education sector, strengthen teacher professionalism and equip students with skills required in the digital economy under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking during the signing ceremony in Abuja, the Director of the Education Support Services Department, Gabriel Amudipe, described the initiative as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s teaching workforce and the future of education.
He said the nationwide rollout followed the successful completion of a pilot phase conducted in selected Federal Unity Colleges.
According to him, the implementation model developed by ICEDT Consult Limited will ensure effective coordination and quality delivery of the programme across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
Amudipe urged officials responsible for monitoring the project to ensure strict compliance with the implementation guidelines and maintain the standards achieved during the pilot phase.
“The ministry remains committed to supporting innovative initiatives that strengthen teacher professionalism, improve learning outcomes and promote the responsible integration of emerging technologies into education,” he said.
Earlier, the Deputy Director of the Education Support Services Department, Oladele Fapohunda, described the programme as a strategic intervention designed to deepen digital innovation across Federal Unity Colleges.
He stressed that collaboration among all stakeholders would be essential to achieving the objectives of the initiative nationwide.
Also speaking, the Head of Strategic Partnerships and Learning Scientist at ICEDT Consult Limited, Dr Abdulrahman Orosanya, said the Federal Government approved the national rollout after the successful pilot implementation in six Federal Unity Colleges representing Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
According to Orosanya, the pilot demonstrated the potential of Artificial Intelligence to improve lesson planning, classroom delivery, assessment methods and teachers’ productivity.
He said the nationwide implementation would strengthen teachers’ digital competencies, improve instructional delivery and support the government’s vision of building a technology-driven education system capable of producing globally competitive graduates equipped with 21st-century skills.
The ceremony ended with the formal signing of the Terms of Reference by officials of the Federal Ministry of Education and ICEDT Consult Limited, signalling the commencement of preparations for full implementation across all Federal Unity Colleges.
The ministry said the programme would directly train about 11,700 teachers, while thousands of students across the country’s Federal Unity Colleges are expected to benefit through improved classroom instruction, increased digital innovation and the responsible application of Artificial Intelligence in teaching and learning.
It reaffirmed its commitment to working with relevant stakeholders to modernise Nigeria’s education system, improve teacher quality and deliver inclusive, equitable and future-ready education nationwide.
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