By Damola Emmanuel
As the clock ticks towards his 70th birthday, on Sunday, February 22, 2026, Nigeria’s foremost tech entrepreneur and Chairman /CEO of Zinox Technologies and CEO of Konga.com, Sir Leo Stan Ekeh, has decided to make a grand entry into the septuagenarian club with an event that will remain indelible in the sands of time.
.No, he will not celebrate it with a grandiose party or paint the city red in the manner of some. Rather, he will turn around the lives of 1000 youths who he has decided to bless with scholarship tto study computer science in federal universities across the country.
Unveiling plans for the landmark event, Imo State-born tech guru said he was motivated to embark on the initiative to nurture a new generation of highly skilled, tech-driven leaders, who would be well equipped to enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in the tech world, and boost productivity in the public and private sectors of the country’s economy.
Not only that, Ekeh said that the beneficiaries will not be placed under any post-graduation bond as they are expected to become catalysts for national transformation and help place Nigeria in an eminent position within the world’s digital economy.
Selection Process
The Chairman /CEO of Zinox Technologies said that though the scholarship is targeted at students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, selection into the programme will be thorough as emphasis would be on merit. Equally important, Ekeh said successful candidates would be chosen through a nationwide assessment process focusing on minimum IQ benchmarks and age criteria.
Specifically, beneficiaries would be youths whose parents are below salary level 10 in the public service or its equivalent in the private sector. In addition to covering tuition, the scholarship scheme has been structured as a comprehensive development pipeline that would see beneficiaries receive mentorship from their first year. They would be exposed to global best practices, and multidisciplinary training that extends beyond core technology education.
On the mentorship, Ekeh, who was honoured as Icon of Hope by President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003, plans to partner with the Computer Society of Nigeria to support the framework. The first batch of beneficiaries is expected to commence in September 2026, with an ambitious target of producing first-class graduates.
Motivation
On what motivated him to embark on the grand scholarship scheme, Ekeh said it was his way of showing gratitude to Nigeria, the Federal Government, corporate institutions, and individuals for the rock-solid support they have given his technology ventures in the last 40 years. His technology conglomerate includes: Task Systems, TD Africa, Zinox Technologies, and Konga.
Ekeh emphasized the indispensability of technology in the modern world, declaring that Nigeria must innovate and deliberately build indigenous technological capacity or risk deepening dependency in critical sectors like oil and gas, banking, agriculture, manufacturing, mining, entertainment, and public administration.
The Chairman/CEO of Zinox Group described the scholarship project as “spirit-driven” that would require billions of naira annually to sustain.
The scholarship adds to a broader portfolio of human capital initiatives spearheaded by Ekeh and the Zinox Group. Over the years, the conglomerate has trained more than 3,000 Nigerians and established technology centres in over 25 institutions nationwide. Through the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation and affiliated companies, entrepreneurship hubs have also been launched in institutions such as St. Augustine University, Epe; Federal University, Birnin Kebbi; and Imo State University, providing mentorship, digital tools, stipends, and in some cases, interest-free loans to young entrepreneurs.
With this latest commitment, Ekeh is once again placing technology at the centre of Nigeria’s long-term economic transformation strategy, and choosing legacy over luxury as he marks the landmark birthday.
