Leonard "Leo" Stanley Nnamdi Ekeh (born February 22, 1956) is a Nigerian businessman and chairperson of Zinox Technologies Limited. In addition to Zinox, he has been involved with companies Task Systems, Technology Distributions Limited, ICT Brokers, TD Plus, ICT Connect and Buyright AFRICA Dotcom.
Ekeh was born in Ubomiri Mbaitoli, Imo State to a middle-class family with three brothers and two sisters. His mother was a dietician, his father was a Nurse. He attended Holy Ghost College,Owerri for his secondary education. When young, he wanted to own the biggest transport company in Nigeria.[1]
He later went to India for his university education, where he received a bachelor's of science degree in economics from Punjab University. Ekeh believes that studying in India was “a great turning point in my life because I found the economy of India a realistic economy”. After his university education in India, Ekeh opted to study at the Cork City University, Ireland, and later transferred to Nottingham University, UK, earning a degree in risk management.
Mr. Ekeh through his company Task Systems Limited was one of the few who pioneered Desktop Publishing and Computer Graphics in Nigeria. He computerized 95% of the Print Media, Publishing Houses and Advertising Agencies in Nigeria. Task Systems Limited, his first company has consistently won outstanding industry Awards as Best Partner Award for Compaq, HP, Microsoft, American Power Solution, APC, etc. for 20 years. Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh also pioneered IT Solutions in West Africa through his company ITEC Solutions Limited through which he has delivered the largest IT Solutions ever, from an indigenous firm, to the Nigerian Corporate Market.
Mr. Ekeh also pioneered IT Distribution in West Africa through Technology Distributions Limited, TD, which has emerged the Number 1 ICT distribution company in West Africa. TD has consistently won for ten years the highest industry Awards and recognitions for market penetration, revenue, and preferred partner status to become the most decorated ICT Distributor in West Africa.
Leo Stan Ekeh scored another first in 2001 when he set up Zinox Technologies Limited to manufacture Zinox Computers, Nigeria’s First Internationally Certified Branded Computers. Leo Stan’s Zinox Computer has some innovative features, which include - the Naira sign, and a Power Supply designed to contain the erratic nature of electric power in Nigeria. He ensured that at launch Zinox Computers already had the WHQL certification, the first in sub-Saharan Africa, consolidated 5 years later with the attainment of the NIS ISO 2000: 9001 QMS Certification. In October 2013, the company announced the production of its computer tablet line named Zipad.
Leo Stan Ekeh has a record of incisive entrepreneurship and his vision to Computerize Nigeria has rewritten the history of Information Technology in the Third World.Mr. Ekeh who believes that no one is destined to be poor in this knowledge century has been the main driver of digital knowledge Democracy in Africa. Mr. Ekeh as Chairman of the Zinox Group believes one of his legacies is to alter positively the destiny of many poor Nigerians through his knowledge democracy platforms. The most integrated Information Technology Group in the whole of Africa, the Zinox Group has shown multiple competencies in manufacturing, solutions delivery and logistics. The Group salvaged the 2006 Voters’ registration exercise by delivering 12,000 systems to INEC in 3 weeks. Again in 2011, under his leadership, the Group has been responsible for the technology backbone for the 2011 voters’ registration through the supply of 80,000 DDC Machines in 35 days, an awesome accomplishment for an indigenous firm in Nigeria or anywhere in the world.
Leo Stan Ekeh has won over 60 Awards. A few are listed below -
• Icon of Hope (President Olusegun Obasanjo) 1 October 2002 • Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, OFR • Fellow of the Nigerian Computer Society, FNCS • ICT personality of the Year • Doctor of Business Administration (Honoris Causa) Imo State University, Owerri • Doctor of Business Administration (Honoris Causa) Federal University of Agric, Makurdi • Doctor of Technology (Honoris Causa) Federal University of Technology, Owerri. • Doctor of Science (Honorary) University of Jos • Corporate Citizen of the Year Award 2002/2003, Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria. • Information Technology Personality of the Year 2002 Award (IT & Telecom Digest)
• Fellow of the Lagos State Polytechnic, Lagos.
• Fellow of the Federal Polytechnic, Idah.
• Fellow of the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Owerri, Imo State
• Distinguished Fellow of the Nigeria Law School
• 2003 Nigerian Science and Technology Achiever of the Year
• Life Membership, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs
Ifeduba ThankGod T ( A Political Analyst writes in From Anambra State)
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