Miebi Senge
16 January 2008
MO Ibrahim, the Sudanese billionaire businessman is a global icon in philanthropy.
Last year he instituted a $5 million Leadership Prize, now the world's biggest prize for leadership and good governance for an African president who voluntarily leaves office.
The American computer mogul, Bill Gates needs no introduction. Besides his Microsoft portfolio, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have done so much to empower third world nations.
Nigeria needs the likes of Dr. Ibrahim and Gates, to drive its ICT growth, unfortunately, people in that genre are far and in between. Mr. Leo Stan-Ekeh, Chairman and CEO, Zinox Technologies has moved beyond marketing his Zinox Computer brand to philanthropy. His latest effort, the Z-SCOP (Zinox Students Computer Ownership Project) is aimed at empowering Nigerian students acquire PCs at affordable rates.
Stan-Ekeh isn't as rich as Ibrahim or Gates, and his little effort is like a drop of water in the Sahara. However, his good efforts appear to be striking the right cords as an anonymous Nigerian businessman recently donated N50 million into his Computerise Nigeria Project (CNP) to enable workers and students purchase 5,000 PCs at 10 per cent discount.
This esteemed but modest Nigerian stated that he was providing the funds for three main reasons: He wanted to be identified with the CNP concept; to empower various segments of the Nigerian society with affordable systems; and to enhance nationwide access to IT products and tools as Nigeria strives to reduce the digital divide with developed economies. He reasoned that only a knowledge based economy would deliver the manifest destiny of Nigeria.
The philanthropist explained that his intervention was spurred by the successful run of CNP, knowing it has embarked on numerous schemes designed to demystify and continually bring down prices of computers.
According to him, the far reaching vision of Z-SCOP made him to realise that "no single individual or government can adequately provide the IT needs of the educational sector". He believes the human capacity needs of Nigeria "require consistent and systematic interventions".
In channeling his contributions through the CNP, he believes the NGO has been consistent over the years and therefore offered him a credible platform to contribute his quota.
He was comfortable with the efforts of CNP and said the donation of "N50m was a direct gift to students and workers of this country to enable them take advantage of the opportunities offered by Information Technology and help achieve the technology skills necessary for the attainment of the objectives of FSS 2020."
Before finally announcing his "little effort aim at helping other Nigerians", the philanthropist stated that he had been holding talks with the CNP staff for over six months, "but every other details and final agreement was only wrapped up during the Christmas holidays".
Mrs. Vivian Abii, Chief Executive Officer, CNP, told Vanguard it was a mutual agreement between the body and the businessman with very stringent conditions. The conditions includes that CNP must not sell the PCs above agreed price for the 5,000 units.
"The PCs and Laptops from CNP must also include original Microsoft Operating systems and complementary educational software for homes and schools. All the laptops must have theft tracker and a shock proof executive carry bag.
All the systems must be sold at the same price nation wide."
She stated that the agreement also includes technical support and warranty. "In terms of support, all the systems would have a 3-year warranty. First year is comprehensive, second year would be free labor and the third year also free labor."
Explaining the conditions under which the 5000 computers would be sold and be covered by the terms of the agreement, Abii warned that "these prices would apply to only students and workers who pay in one lump sum."
"The agreement translates", she explained, "to an additional 10 per cent discount on existing offers. For example, customers who buy under Z-SCOP would have a 10 per cent discount added to the discounts already guaranteed by Z-SCOP, provided they pay in one lump sum.
The discounts accruing from this agreement would not be available to people who buy under the installment payment plan and corporate sales prices."
Computerise Nigeria Project, is an NGO registered by law for the "purpose of creating awareness for, and achieving the adoption of the computer as a major tool for work and play".
It has over the years passed huge discounts and subsidies to consumers through many marketing sales schemes culminating in a partnership with many workers Cooperatives, homes and small offices. The CNP was also recently commissioned by the Federal Government to computerise all its universities in collaboration with Afrihub.
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