Zinox Group Chairman and Global Partner Adviser, Microsoft Inc., Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh has said for Nigeria to become a top global brand in the information communication technology (ICT) space, the country needed to have at least one innovative mind such as Bill Gates.
Ekeh, who spoke while engaging Nigerian technology entrepreneurs in London, added that there is need for innovation for the present crop of Nigerian genuine billionaires to become a successful and sustainable global brand.
He said: “I believe that God’s purpose for this technology-driven century is to reduce the inequalities among peoples but only serious nations with highly resourceful citizens and leaders would take advantage of this knowledge century to emerge on the global stage. How on earth would an Asian or African nation think of competing with any of the developed economies of the world without the power of the brain?”
Ekeh told his audience who were between the ages of 25 and 30, that a lot of them started hearing about Mr. Bill Gates from infancy till date, adding that their sustained wealth from the platform launched by Gates and his friends few years ago could challenge the wealth of Nigeria with a population of 173million.
“Think about the multiplier effect and then you will appreciate why you should dig deeper into different areas of technology to at least brand yourself and your families,” he said.
On infrastructure blamed for the high mortality rate of small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs), he said Rome was not built in a day, stressing that countries such as the United Kingdom achieved their current level of technological development over time. He said until they come back with world class exposures to make their contribution in different sectors, the nation might continue to struggle. He reassured them that the country is moving in the right direction and that their parents sent them abroad to study so that when they return, they will better the lots of their families and by extension the whole country.
He told the youth that he restricted himself to technology business, adding that it was the duty of every Nigerian to defend the country, urging them to show patriotism by not praying for the fall in the value of the naira so that they could make more money back home.
He said lower oil price would stimulate quality life, reduce cost of doing business and engender the creation of more successful SMEs. This in turn, he said, would reduce the challenges of unemployment which has remained a major headache to the country.
He said, “I am sure you are feeling the global panic over falling oil price in some nations while some structured knowledge-driven nations are celebrating. How can you depend on what you don’t have control over when you can use a free gift from God – that is your brain power and create unimaginable wealth?
He said: “You have to be very positive about yourself, your business and the nation before you can achieve anything. My team and I have struggled against all odds to remain relevant in a nation that sees oil as almost everything. I must also inform you that there have been positive signals from government in the last ten years to support technology entrepreneurs. At Zinox Group, we talk about technology evolution and not revolution and are confident that as one of the main pioneers of the ICT sector in West Africa we shall benefit from our sweat.”
