The Chairman, Zinox Group, Leo Stan Ekeh, has been honoured with Forbes Best of Africa Leading Tech Icon Award.
A statement on Friday said Ekeh was conferred with the prestigious award for his many enduring philanthropic and humanitarian legacies.
The accolade is one of the numerous long list of credible local and international awards and recognitions received by Ekeh for his over three decades of leadership and pioneering entrepreneurship in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) space in Africa.
The Zinox boss was singled out for founding the most integrated ICT group in Africa with influence in four continents.
He was also honoured for pioneering e-Commerce, Desktop Publishing and Computer Graphics, Wireless Cloud and WiMAX, the first locally assembled and internationally certified computer brand – Zinox, digital dispensing pumps for fuel and gas stations as well as the biometric revolution for elections, among others in Africa.
The statement said Leo Stan Ekeh was equally singled out and honoured by President Olusegun Obasanjo on the occasion of Nigeria’s Independence Anniversary on October 1st, 2001 with an ICON OF HOPE award as a pride to modern Nigeria and as a model for Nigerian youths.
Again, President Obasanjo honoured him with another national award – the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) in 2003.
In November 2019, Ekeh was honoured by President Muhammadu Buhari with the National Productivity Order of Merit award for his sustained leadership in the area of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
With over four Doctorate Degrees (Honorary) and fifteen fellowships from recognized institutions and as a former global advisor to Microsoft, the leadership of Forbes praised his outstanding entrepreneurship.
In his acceptance speech, Ekeh expressed gratitude to Forbes and the Foreign Investment Network (FIN) for the recognition.
He reaffirmed his interest in technology as a game-changer, while also expressing his passion for humanity, which he revealed is driven by access to education and quality health.
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Ekeh said, ‘‘The 21st Century is one in which the impact of technology in the affairs of nations and in the lives of individuals cannot be wished away. Indeed, the world is currently a technology-mediated global village, with technology remaining, as I have often stated in some of my public talks, arguably the only profession in the world today that can transform an indigent child or youth into the richest person in the world.
‘‘With the Zinox Group, which includes over eight successful entities across verticals in the technology space, we have been able to bring to reality the power of technology in transforming lives, ushering many into the digital ecosystem and solving complex problems.
‘‘I must also not fail to mention the Konga Group, an e-Commerce platform which was acquired by Zinox in 2018 and which today, has grown into the leading player on the African continent.
“Through these companies, we have provided meaningful direct employment opportunities for over 5000 people and over 250,000 indirect employment opportunities for individuals, merchants and other beneficiaries.”
