Chairman of Zinox Group and Founder of the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation, Mr Leo Stan Ekeh, has donated a multimillion-naira tech experience centre to the Federal University Birnin Kebbi, in a move to boost the institution’s capacity to produce globally competitive graduates.
The facility was commissioned on Ekeh’s behalf by the President of the Nigeria Computer Society, Dr Muhammad Aliyu. It is equipped with the latest Zinox computers and powered by the iPower renewable energy suite, featuring high-performance solar panels and certified lithium batteries. The centre also has uninterrupted satellite internet connectivity via Starlink, with the LSEF committing to fund the service for the next five years.
Ekeh said the centre was dedicated to students and knowledge workers at FUB to equip them with digital skills and resources needed to compete with their peers globally while contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic growth.
“This tech experience centre is part of our commitment to support Nigeria’s higher institutions to attain world-class standards. We want to ensure that students graduate with practical skills and exposure to cutting-edge tools that match global expectations,” he stated.
The centre is one of several technology hubs donated by the LSEF to tertiary institutions across Nigeria. Over the past 25 years, Ekeh and the Zinox Group have invested heavily in digital education, providing technology laboratories and innovation hubs to universities and colleges.
Recent interventions include the delivery of fully equipped centres at St Augustine University in Lagos and Imo State University, as well as the refurbishment of older facilities. The Foundation plans to extend similar projects to secondary schools nationwide.
Ekeh urged politicians, government agencies and wealthy Nigerians to intentionally invest in the education sector, stressing that a well-educated populace is the foundation of national development. He called for stricter regulation of educational institutions, arguing they should be monitored even more stringently than banks due to their central role in producing the human capital that powers the public and private sectors.
“Educational institutions are not limited liability companies that can be liquidated at will. Their true profit is in the quality of graduates they produce, men and women who will lead this nation and give back to the institutions that shaped them,” Ekeh said.
Vice Chancellor of FUB, Professor Muhammad Umar, on behalf of the institution, expressed gratitude to Mr Ekeh and the LSEF for the donation, describing it as a transformative addition to the institution’s academic and research infrastructure.
“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,” Professor Umar said.
Head of Corporate Communications for Zinox Group, Chimezie Orisakwe, said the donation aligns with Ekeh’s long-standing efforts to promote digital learning across Nigeria. He highlighted similar interventions in the media sector and collaborations with key public institutions such as the Independent National Electoral Commission and the National Population Commission.
The donation to FUB adds to the Zinox Group’s record of supporting technological advancement in Nigeria through the LSEF, which has also provided thousands of scholarships, funded modern digital learning facilities, extended non-interest loans to young entrepreneurs, and supported hospitals, churches and humanitarian causes.
