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Leonard Stanley Nnamdi Ekeh also known as Leo Stan Ekeh is a Nigerian entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is the founder and chairman of Zinox Technologies Limited. Additionally, he is the chairman of Konga.com, an e-commerce company.
Leo Stan led the team that delivered the largest single ICT project in Sub Saharan Africa. The group that was also responsible for the technology infrastructure of the 2007 and 2011 voters’ registration in Nigeria. In December, 2013, Microsoft appointed Leo Stan as a global partner Advisor.
Ekeh was born on 22 February, 1956 in Ubomiri Mbaitoli LGA, Imo State, Nigeria to a middle class family. His father was a nurse, and his mother, a dietitian. He has three brothers and two sisters.
Leonard attended Holy Ghost College, Owerri. Subsequently, he then moved to Punjab University, India where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics. He had his postgraduate degree program in Risk Management at the Nottingham University, England.
In Leo’s early age, he wanted to own the biggest transport company in Nigeria. But after schooling in India, Leo Stan said ‘a great turning point came in my life because I found the economy of India a realistic economy.’
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Leo stan Ekeh is married to Chioma Ekeh. They got married in 1986, and they are blessed with five children. Three boys, two girls.
As an entrepreneur, Leo Stan Ekeh is known to have spearheaded the creation of the following companies: Technology Distribution Limited, Task Systems Limited, Zinox Technologies, Buyright Africa Dotcom Limited, Task Direct Limited, ITEC Solutions and many more.
Task System Limited
This is Leo’s first start up. It is the first company in Nigeria to venture into desktop publishing and computer graphics. Ekeh through this company has positively influenced advertising and publishing in Nigeria. Over the years, Task System Limited has won several outstanding awards such as Best Partner Award for Compaq, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard (HP) e.t.c
Zinox Technologies Limited
Leo Stan Ekeh founded the Zinox Techologies Limited in 2001. He founded it with a team of ICT technocrats. Zinox is one of the innovative ICT companies in Africa. The brand is the first internationally certified branded computer OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) in West Africa. In addition, it is the first to receive Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) certification. Similarly, it is the first computer hardware manufacturing company and ICT integration company in Nigeria to receive ISO 9001-2000.
Zinox creates business solutions that utilises new technologies to streamline systems, efficiently align, integrate, and maximise productivity. It also designs and develops products with consideration for security of the system and IT infrastructure. Zinox has helped several African countries revolutionise their electoral processes like Nigeria, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau e.t.c.
Recently, International Data Corporation (IDC), USA rated Zinox as the No.1 brand in terms of computer sales amongst local and international brands in Nigeria. Most importantly, it is the only local OEM partner of Microsoft and Intel corporation in Nigeria.
Konga.com
Konga.com is an e-commerce company founded in July 2012, by Sim Shagaya. Its headquarter is located in Gbagada, Lagos, Nigeria. It offers a third-party online marketplace and a first-party direct retail in various categories of consumer goods and products. Eventually, Zinox acquired 99% of Konga.com shares.
The Zinox Group concluded the acquisition of the e-commerce powerhouse, Konga, on February 5, 2018 with major investors – Naspers and AB Kinnevik. Meanwhile, Zinox assumed the ownership of Konga.com, KongaPay, and KOS-Express. Zinox acquired Konga.com because of their interest in e-commerce business. The e-company is said to worth $34 million.
On May 1, 2018, Konga was merged with Zinox’s retail outfit: Yudala, forming the biggest e-commerce and retail company in Africa. They retained the brand name Konga.
Buyright Africa Dotcom Limited
Leo Stan Ekeh is the Chairman and CEO of the Buyright Africa Dotcom Limited. It is a platform that executes and fund information and communication technology projects, equipment leasing, ownership scheme, and other related ideas in Africa. It offers ICT consultancy services and sales of ICT products, infrastructures, and digital tools to educational institutions and government. Similarly, it provide computers to government employes. It also leases ICT equipments like computers, projectors, printers, scanners, software application, etc.
Leo Stan Ekeh Philanthrophy
- He launched the Computerise Nigeria Project to encourage and sensitize development in the use of computers by Nigerians on August 5, 2000.
- He also launched the CANi Scheme. A scheme that provided laptops to Nigerians at a reduced price, with a repayment plan within the period of 24 months.
- Few years back, he built a church in Ubomiri community, the church where he once served as a mass servant.
- In 2016, his charity organisation, Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation pledged ₦1.5 billion to support YUBOSS, an entrepreneurship and wealth creation scheme.
- Also, in 2017, through his foundation, he disbursed ₦50 million as a humanitarian fund to victims injured during the demolition of Okeukwu Owere Market in Owerri, Imo State.
Leo Stan Ekeh Net Worth
According to Business Insider by Pulse.ng, Leo Stan’s net worth as at June 2019 is $2 billion. Above all, he is one of the top tech CEOs in Nigeria according to Ventures Africa.
Leo Stan is a recipient of numerous awards, both personal and company awards. Some of his personal awards include;
- ICT Personality, IT & Telecom Digest, 2002
- ICON of Hope by Fmr. President Olusegun Obasanjo on October, 1, 2002
- Corporate citizen of the year, Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria 2002/2003
- Nigerian Science & Technology Achiever of the Year, 2003
- Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR), 2004
- Awards of Excellence, This Day, 2007
- Fellow of the Nigerian Computer Society, FNCS
- Member of Nigerian Economic Summit Group
- Life Membership, Nigeria Institute of International Aaffairs.
- Director, Nigeria Institute of International Affairs.
- Doctor of Business Administration (Honoraris Causa), Imo State University, Owerri
- A Doctor of Business Administration (Honoraris Causa), Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi
- Doctor of Business Administration (Honoraris Causa), Federal University of Technology, Owerri
- Doctor of Science (Honorary), University of Jos
- Fellow of the Lagos State Polytechnic, Lagos
- A Fellow of the Federal Polytechnic, Idah
- Fellow of the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Imo State.
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