Leo Stan Ekeh, Africa’s foremost digital entrepreneur, has attributed his numerous pioneering efforts and continued relevance over the past 29 years in the technology sector to God and hard work, while sensationally declaring himself an orphan of sorts in the business world.

Ekeh who delivered an incisive talk to select postgraduate students and aspiring entrepreneurs in Dubai Marina, UAE on the sidelines of a business trip recently shared tips on how to be a success in Africa’s challenging business terrain, with its increasing difficulty to forecast trends.

In his opinion, the best way to bring home to the participants the multi-faceted dimensions of being an entrepreneur in Africa is by using himself as a case study.

“Venturing into entrepreneurship requires a determination to take pains before pleasure. Hence, an aspiring entrepreneur must see himself not only an only child but also a Field Marshall in the Army who will have to face and conquer many creative wars. Although my parents are late, I still have siblings. However, I see myself as an orphan in the digital business world as my success tools remain the dependence and reliance on God and hard work.”

Taking the participants on a trip down memory lane with experiences from his beginnings, Ekeh noted that business success begins from childhood as the decisions one takes in that stage of one’s life go a long way in shaping the future.

“Success in business as an entrepreneur is not down to serendipity or a chance occurrence. It begins from childhood: who you want to be, personal discomforts or sacrifices you are willing to take in order to build a strong foundation for your business destination in the near future. That is why elders could see a child and say this child shall be successful in future.

As a young child growing up, I had taken a decision to abstain from alcohol and cigarettes because as an entrepreneur, you are bound to encounter betrayal from those who should know better and such habits would have derailed me, especially in times of depression. As an entrepreneur, you could easily become a drunk or drug addict if you are not careful. Most successful entrepreneurs are in the real sense loners as this habit gradually builds up based on experiences of betrayal borne over the years.”

While declaring that the 21st century does not require collateral to build wealth, Ekeh identified integrity as the biggest collateral he had relied on in his over 29 years of outstanding achievements. He noted that as a Research and Development entrepreneur, there is no collateral to position other than integrity which was all he had to offer.

“My strategy from childhood as a poor fellow was to cause disruptions hence the decision to venture into technology which allows room for constant innovation. Nevertheless, I have always held fast to integrity as my biggest collateral. This has gone a long way in helping me gain the confidence of various multinational partners we do business with. Added to this is the over 18 hours I put in every day together with my wife which has helped us build the business to its present status. I have discovered the only way I can sustain my dominance in the market place is through constant innovation and this is tied to sleeping less and eating healthy. It is important that in that hunger to be successful, you institute strong auditable system and structure which sustain your business.

In Africa, you have a lot of portfolio billionaires who are also classified as entrepreneurs. These are publicly perceived billionaires created over night by their respective governments based on political connections. Some of these people don’t have offices not to talk of accountants and HR executives. Avoid these people because they end with the government in power. You have been trained and exposed to be better than all present billionaires and the future is better than today because you have less clannish burden waiting for you plus you have age on your side.”

Ekeh, who counseled the participants to exercise caution with trust, while looking out for the gaps in business which could lead to insolvency, also affirms that success comes with various pitfalls including malicious attacks and blackmail from competition and other faceless individuals.

“I have faced numerous blackmails and campaigns of calumny from various quarters, even from people who have no offices and are just out to rubbish my name. This is part of the problems we have in Africa. However, I urge you all to see these as part of the perks of being successful as no one throws stones at an unripe mango. My happiness stems from the fact that despite all these, a few people still appreciate quality and integrity, hence I urge you all to remain on the path of worthy greatness. In all the accolades I have received, two of them remain dear to me: the Icon of Hope award presented to me by former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Nigeria’s Independence Day, October 1st 2002 and my selection by the EFCC as Special Personality to cut the 5th Anniversary stamp as a worthy Nigerian. These are some of the things that keep me going,” he enthused.

Ekeh whose Zinox Technologies has deployed some of the biggest ICT projects in the country, charged the participants to leverage on the limitless opportunities on the continent to create and sustain wealth, while advising them on the need to take street-wise decisions such as avoiding excess bank loans and working hard to achieve ownership of their office space and personal residences to avoid competitors taking advantage of these to cause disruption in their lives.

He closed by stating that every entrepreneur has a divine call from God to fulfill on earth in order to make heaven.

According to Ekeh, his own call is to create thousands of creative and futuristic jobs in Africa. 

“Though I have not had the greatest support of my government to achieve this, but I assure you, I am almost at the point of realizing this and this would be soon as I have found a most creative platform to achieve it and I assure before I retire soon, I shall support platforms that help me achieve this ambition. It is, therefore, important that in that ultra-ambition to create wealth you realize early what that special call from God is all about and try to fulfil them on earth,” he concluded.