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.

Kashifu Inuwa, Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has underscored the importance of deeper collaboration with state governments, saying sub-national alignment is essential to achieving Nigeria’s digital economy objectives.

He spoke online at the South-South Regional ICT Stakeholders Forum, which brought together policymakers, technology leaders, civil society organisations and ecosystem players to chart a path for accelerated digital development across the region.

The NITDA boss noted that while the Agency has made notable progress at the federal level, the real measure of success lies in how effectively national policies are translated into actionable programmes within states. According to him, digital transformation can only be sustained when states domesticate policies and establish clear implementation structures.

He referenced key frameworks, including the Nigerian Startup Act and the National Digital Literacy Framework, observing that although several states have created ICT-focused ministries and agencies, some still lack comprehensive enabling laws and structured governance mechanisms. NITDA, he assured, remains ready to provide technical guidance to states seeking to strengthen their digital ecosystems.

Digital literacy, he stressed, remains central to inclusive growth. Under the National Digital Literacy Framework, NITDA aims to achieve 95 per cent digital literacy nationwide by 2030. Working with the Federal Ministry of Education, digital skills have been embedded in school curricula, with teachers across the country undergoing capacity-building programmes to support technology-driven learning. States in the South-South were encouraged to ensure that educators in both public and private schools fully participate in the initiative.

The DG also highlighted ongoing efforts to upskill public servants. In collaboration with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, more than 54,000 federal civil servants have enrolled in structured digital skills training. Similar programmes, he said, are being considered for rollout across South-South states to enhance governance efficiency and public service delivery.

On partnerships, Inuwa pointed to collaborations with Cisco, which provide access to self-paced digital courses, and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), whose digital champions conduct community-based sensitisation in markets, worship centres, motor parks and among senior citizens. He urged stakeholders in the zone to strengthen coordination and co-create practical initiatives to expand digital inclusion.

In his contribution, the Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation in Cross River State, Dr Justin Atiang Beshel, reaffirmed the state’s resolve to leverage technology for sustainable development.

He said Cross River is prioritising broadband expansion and digital infrastructure as the backbone of e-government services, skills development, innovation and job creation. Improved connectivity, he noted, would unlock economic opportunities and enhance service delivery statewide.

Despite challenges such as limited rural connectivity and funding constraints for large-scale ICT projects, the Commissioner expressed optimism about strategic partnerships. He described collaboration with NITDA and private sector players as critical to narrowing the digital divide, boosting cybersecurity resilience and ensuring inclusive participation in the digital economy.

Beshel maintained that sustained investment and coordinated action would position Cross River as a competitive digital hub within Nigeria’s growing technology landscape.

Board and management of Communication Week Media Limited, publishers of Nigeria CommunicationsWeek, at the weekend announced that this year’s Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership lecture will focus on Impact of AI and IoT on business operational efficiency.

Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership lecture, widely regarded as the most prestigious annual event available in the ICT industry in Nigeria is in its 17th year.

The lecture holds on May 30, 2026 at Oriental Hotel Lekki, Lagos, according Ken Nwogbo, editor-in-chief of
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek the organizers of the event.

He said that this year’s event “is digital transformation edition” to recognise and celebrate organizations and individuals in the ICT industry that have impacted in digital transformation of the economy.

“Most of these organizations and individuals have consistently being voted by our readers as leaders in their areas of operations and we have decided to reward them in this special edition, tag: ‘Digital Transformation Edition 2026’ he said,”.

He added that, Digital transformation, driven by AI and IoT, will fundamentally boosts business operational efficiency by automating complex tasks, enabling real-time data analysis, and reducing costs.

“IoT technology optimizes resources, predict maintenance needs, and enhance decision- making, allowing companies to streamline workflows and improve productivity across sectors like manufacturing and logistics.

“It is an emerging technology that has impacted lifestyles and has changed the way we think and act, and the way we interact with each other.

It has also changed the way we work as it enables very large-scale monitoring, control, and automation, and has impacted the digital transformation of organizations in different industries”, he said.

According to him, “the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence exists as a bringing force in organizational communication. AI tools perform repetitive jobs, deliver simultaneous translations, and register team communication patterns, which lead to better understanding of group interactions. AI chatbots help manage customer support inquiries thus enabling staff members to dedicate their efforts toward complex work activities”.

The Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership Distinguished (ABoICT Lecture 2026) is designed to explore efforts to put Nigeria on the global Information and Communications Technologies map.

The lecture series however is reserved for distinguished achievers in the ICT sector.

Past lecturers included Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, then executive vice chairman, Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC); Uche Orji, managing director/chief executive officer, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA); Biodu Omoniyi, Managing Director/CEO, VDT Communications; Ayotunde Coker, former Managing Director, Rack Centre Limited; Prof. Adewale Obadare, chief visionary officer, Digital Encode; Dr. Oluseyi Akindeinde, founder,
Hyperspace & NeuraL AI and John Obaro, CEO and founder of Systemspecs; Prof. Isa Pantanmi, former minister of Communications and Digital Economy; among others.