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Zinox Chairman Leo Stan Ekeh Donates State-of-the-Art Tech Experience Centre to Federal University Birnin Kebbi
Federal University Birnin Kebbi (FUB) received a significant boost in its quest to produce globally competitive graduates, following the donation of a multimillion-naira Tech Experience Centre by the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation (LSEF).
The facility, donated by Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh, Chairman of Zinox Group and Founder of LSEF, was commissioned on his behalf by the President of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Dr. Muhammad Sirajo Aliyu, FNCS.
The centre is equipped with the latest Zinox computers, powered by the iPower renewable energy suite, which features high-performance solar panels and certified lithium batteries. It is also connected to a 24-hour, non-disruptive satellite internet service powered by Starlink, a service that the LSEF has committed to funding for the next five years.
According to Mr. Ekeh, the Tech Experience Centre is dedicated to the use of students and knowledge workers at FUB, with the aim of equipping them with the digital skills and resources required to compete with their peers globally and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic development.
This centre is one of several cutting-edge technology hubs donated by the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation to tertiary institutions across Nigeria. It supports the Federal Government’s vision to upgrade the nation’s higher institutions to world-class standards.
For over 25 years, Mr. Ekeh and the Zinox Group have consistently invested in promoting digital education by donating tech laboratories and innovation hubs. In recent years, the Foundation has delivered and equipped centres at St. Augustine University, Lagos, and Imo State University and refurbished older facilities it had donated in the past. According to Mr. Ekeh, the next phase will see the Foundation extend similar interventions to secondary schools across the country.
He called on politicians, government agencies, and wealthy Nigerians to intentionally invest in the nation’s education sector, stressing that a well-educated populace is the Foundation for national development.
Mr. Ekeh expressed his appreciation to the Chairman of the University Council, the council members, Vice Chancellor Professor Muhammad Zaiyan Umar, members of the University Management, staff, and students of FUB, as well as the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, for their support in accommodating the LSEF’s vision.
Speaking on behalf of the university, Professor Muhammad Zaiyan Umar, Vice Chancellor of FUB, expressed deep appreciation to Mr. Ekeh and the LSEF for the generous donation.
“This Tech Experience Centre will make a remarkable difference in the academic and research output of our students and staff. We are grateful for Mr. Ekeh’s vision, generosity, and long-standing contributions to this institution and to digital education in Nigeria. This facility is more than a building with computers; it is an investment in the future of our graduates and the growth of our nation.”
Speaking on the sidelines of the commissioning, Mr. Chimezie Orisakwe, Head of Corporate Communications for the Zinox Group, highlighted Mr. Ekeh’s sustained promotion of digital learning across Nigeria — from interventions in the media sector to landmark projects with the media, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the National Population Commission (NPC), and others.
He also highlighted Mr. Ekeh’s reflection on the current state of Nigeria’s education sector, warning that many institutions, both public and private, face severe funding deficits. This, he noted, raises the risk of closures, which would deprive graduates of the enduring legacy of their alma maters.
To address these challenges, the Zinox Chairman proposed that the Federal Government adopt a college system and reclassify existing universities. He recommended granting approvals for specialized professional colleges affiliated with reputable universities, similar to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) model with the University of Lagos.
Ekeh emphasized that the quality of an institution’s academic content now matters more than its physical size. Those passionate about establishing tertiary institutions must be focused on their core mission, be willing to invest adequately, and possess the mental and financial capacity to sustain standards.
He further urged that educational institutions be regulated even more stringently than banks, given their central role in producing the human capital that drives both the public and private sectors.
“Educational institutions are not limited liability companies that can be liquidated at will. Their true profit is not in short-term returns but in the quality of graduates they produce, men and women who can lead this nation and give back to the institutions that shaped them,” Ekeh stated.
The donation to FUB is the latest in a long list of interventions by the Zinox Group to support Nigeria’s technological advancement. Through the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation, the Group has also funded thousands of scholarships, donated modern digital learning facilities nationwide, extended non-interest loans to budding entrepreneurs, and supported churches, hospitals, and humanitarian causes.
National Population Commission (NPC) has commenced the nationwide digital registration of births and deaths under the Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (E-CRVS) system to strengthen legal identity management and improve demographic data.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lokoja on Tuesday, Mr Afolabi Yori, federal commissioner representing Kogi, said the initiative became operational nationwide on July 1, through the VitalReg platform.
Yori described the development as a landmark in Nigeria’s civil registration system, noting that it would modernise birth and death registration through a technology-driven platform that meets international standards.
He said the digital platform would improve service delivery, strengthen data integrity and ensure that every birth and death occurring in Nigeria was accurately documented and securely stored.
According to him, civil registration is more than an administrative process, as it provides reliable statistics that support public policy formulation, resource allocation and national development planning.
“Nigeria records an estimated five million births annually, yet millions of births and deaths remain unregistered.
“Birth registration coverage currently stands at about 57 per cent nationwide, while death registration remains below 20 per cent,” he said.
The commissioner said that the commission had established 4,011 functional registration centres across the country’s 774 local government areas and was working to expand the number to about 8,000.
He added that the commission was strengthening collaboration with stakeholders to improve the capacity of registration personnel and ensure prompt documentation of vital events through the VitalReg platform.
Yori said the platform would provide faster registration services, 24-hour online access, digital certificate issuance where applicable, and reduce paperwork, waiting time and unnecessary travel.
He disclosed that the platform was being operated under a Public-Private Partnership with Barnks-forte Technologies Ltd. as the commission’s technical partner to ensure system availability, cybersecurity and continuous technological improvement.
He called on parents, healthcare institutions, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, development partners and the media to support the initiative by encouraging the prompt registration of births and deaths.
Earlier, Samuel Omonakpeme, director in Kogi, NPC State, described the commencement of the digital registration system as another milestone in efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics system.
Omonakpeme stated that the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 16.9, which seeks to provide legal identity for all.
He appreciated the Federal Government, the leadership of the commission, UNICEF and other development partners for supporting the implementation of the initiative.
The state director also urged parents, guardians, health institutions, community leaders, religious organisations and the media to mobilise public support for the timely registration of all births and deaths.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that ICT personnel of the commission, led by Ehimoni Kolawole, conducted a live demonstration of the digital birth registration process using the VitalReg platform.
The demonstration showed that the registration process captures the biodata of both parents, while at least one parent must possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN) to complete the registration of a newborn.
Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) has alerted its customers to a fraudulent message circulating on social media, falsely claiming that electricity consumers can receive an additional 20 per cent bonus units when recharging their prepaid meters through unofficial channels.
In a statement issued by the company’s management on Monday, YEDC described the claim as false and urged customers to disregard the misleading information, stressing that it did not originate from the company.
According to the statement, YEDC does not offer bonus electricity units through individuals, agents, personal bank accounts, phone numbers, or social media contacts.
The company advised customers to purchase electricity tokens only through approved cashless payment platforms, including the YEDC Pay App, OPay, Interswitch, and other authorised vending channels, or to visit the nearest YEDC office for assistance.
YEDC also cautioned customers against sharing their meter details or personal information, or making payments to unauthorised persons claiming to represent the company.
The company further urged customers to rely exclusively on information disseminated through its official communication channels to avoid falling victim to fraud.
The management thanked customers for their continued cooperation and reaffirmed its commitment to serving them.
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has disclosed that two foreign currency accounts opened in connection with the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) have remained inactive since their creation, with no funds deposited and no transactions recorded.
The revelation emerged on Monday during the ongoing investigation by the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee probing the circumstances surrounding the establishment and operations of the council.
Lawmakers are investigating allegations that the PFIPC was created and operated without a valid legal framework and outside the established procedures required for government agencies and institutions.
Appearing before the committee, representatives of both the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) distanced their institutions from the establishment of the council.
The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation stated that it neither created the council nor possessed the constitutional authority to establish federal agencies.
Representing the office, officials explained that the OHCSF is only responsible for approving administrative structures of government agencies after all necessary requirements have been fulfilled.
According to the office, records showed that the council submitted a request on August 6, 2025, seeking approval for its organisational structure.
However, the application was not approved because the required supporting documents were not attached.
The committee heard that despite the rejection of the request, officials linked to the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC)/PFIPC later appeared during the 2025 manpower budget defence exercise and sought approval for staffing and recruitment arrangements.
The office disclosed that the council informed government officials that its activities were being carried out largely through personnel seconded or deployed from other institutions.
Lawmakers were told that the council requested approval for a total of 314 positions. The figure consisted of 14 existing officers and an additional 300 proposed positions.
The Office of the Head of the Civil Service further revealed that concerns later arose regarding documents presented by the council as evidence of its legal backing.
Officials told the committee that upon examination, the documents failed to display essential features expected of an enabling law or valid legal instrument establishing a government body.
Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, head of the Civil Service of the Federation, also rejected claims that her office deployed civil servants to work for the council.
She maintained that the office did not assign personnel to the body and did not provide office accommodation for its operations.
According to her, matters relating to the creation, supervision and oversight of government agencies fall under the responsibilities of other relevant institutions, including the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The Central Bank of Nigeria also provided details regarding accounts linked to the council.Nigerian current events
Hamisu Abdullahi, director at the apex bank, who represented the CBN Governor before the committee, explained that the bank opened two foreign currency accounts following a formal request from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
He told lawmakers that the request was received on July 30, 2025, and instructed the bank to create a United States dollar domiciliary account and a Pound Sterling domiciliary account.
Abdullahi stressed that the CBN only opens accounts for government agencies after receiving official authorisation from the Accountant-General’s office.
However, he disclosed that the accounts never became operational because the council failed to provide authorised signatories required for activation.
As a result, both accounts remained dormant from the day they were opened.
He informed the committee that neither account had received deposits nor processed withdrawals. The accounts also recorded no foreign exchange allocations, remittances, inflows or outflows.Governor election news
According to him, the balances in both accounts remain at zero.
The CBN official further stated that the council did not engage directly with the apex bank regarding the management or operation of the accounts after they were created.
Following the submissions, members of the committee demanded more information as part of efforts to determine the full scope of the council’s activities.
Hon. Abdulmalik Danga, chairman of the committee, directed the Central Bank to submit comprehensive records relating to both the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
The committee requested details covering the opening of the accounts, their operational history and any information connected to related banking activities.
Lawmakers also instructed the CBN to work with commercial banks to identify and provide records of any accounts linked to the entities under investigation.
However, the committee is expected to continue its hearings as more government agencies and officials appear before lawmakers to provide explanations on the controversial council and the circumstances surrounding its operations.
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