By Atoyebi Nike
Chairman of Zinox Group and Founder of the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation (LSEF), Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh, has donated a multimillion-naira technology experience centre to the Federal University Birnin Kebbi (FUB) to strengthen the institution’s capacity for producing globally competitive graduates.
Commissioned on Ekeh’s behalf by the President of the Nigeria Computer Society, Dr. Muhammad Aliyu, the facility comes with the latest Zinox computers, powered by the iPower renewable energy suite featuring high-performance solar panels and certified lithium batteries. It also offers uninterrupted satellite internet via Starlink, with the LSEF committing to cover subscription costs for the next five years.
Ekeh said the centre is designed to equip FUB students and knowledge workers with the skills and resources needed to compete internationally while contributing 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 students to graduate with practical skills and exposure to cutting-edge tools that match global expectations,” he said.
The centre is part of a wider network of technology hubs donated by the LSEF to tertiary institutions nationwide over the past 25 years, alongside similar facilities at St. Augustine University, Lagos, and Imo State University. Plans are also in place to extend the initiative to secondary schools.
Ekeh called on political leaders, government agencies, and wealthy Nigerians to invest in education, noting that quality learning environments are essential for national development.
“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,” he said.
FUB Vice Chancellor, Professor Muhammad Umar, described the donation as a “transformative addition” to the university’s infrastructure, while Zinox Group’s Head of Corporate Communications, Chimezie Orisakwe, said it aligns with Ekeh’s vision of promoting digital learning nationwide.
The donation adds to LSEF’s record of supporting technological advancement in Nigeria through scholarships, digital learning facilities, non-interest loans for young entrepreneurs, and support for hospitals, religious institutions, and humanitarian causes.
