Impresed with the level of computer technology in Lagos during a recent visit to Nigeria last week, St.Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Denzil Douglas has issued an invitation to computer manufacturing pioneers Zinox to strike a technology exchange between both countries, in the hope that strong ICT players like Zinox Technologies and a few other Nigerian companies will invest in the people of St. Kitts and Nevis in particular, and in the entire Eastern Caribbean region in the long term.
Dr. Douglas expressed satisfaction with the level of ICT growth in Nigeria, and prayed for a time his country would enter into a technology transfer alliance with the African country, according to a source close to the prime minister.
The prime minister, who was accompanied by Nigerian Deputy Senate President, His Excellency Sen. Ike Ekweremmadum, who he described as a long-time friend and brother — was also constantly preaching the gospel of Nigeria’s ICT prowess to the people of St. Kitts and Nevis.
Up to 2005, St.Kitts and Nevis was known as the foremost sugar agriculturists in the Eastern Caribbean states, until fierce global competition forced it to stop and diversify into other sectors to achieve economic stability. He said that right now his country was exploring better ways of improving its economy with ICT services and the Nigerian experience has given him hope.
“I have always wished to visit Zinox having read a lot in the social and print media about the purpose and character of the group, and the world-class structure and processes that I have just seen surpassed my wildest imaginations,” Douglas said on his return home. “I can now say that there is hope for Nigeria and I will take the message of this hope home to my people.”
Douglas ascribed chairman of Zinox technologies, Leo Stan Ekeh, as “an entrepreneur, a tireless task master who often works night and day to make concrete the ideas crystallizing from his dreams,” adding that his sacrifices and vision have built him a conglomerate rated as Africa’s most integrated ICT Company.
Douglas further stated that “Africa needs more people like you who are prepared to take the bull by the horn – creating wealth, employment and catalyzing national development. Africa needs genuine and sincere entrepreneurs who will help this continent to free the people from poverty and superstition.
“Africa needs entrepreneurs who will challenge the dominance of technology by the developed economies of the world. The Zinox Group is definitely a step in the right direction and this Group would enhance the profile of Nigeria in the digital world.
“Maybe Nigerians do not know what they have here but I bet that it is capable of representing the country not only in sub Saharan Africa but in the world. I am looking forward to such a time when my country and Nigeria would strike good relationship that would result in technology transfer between the two countries.
However, he revealed that one of the benefits his country was enjoying since its foray into ICT from sugar agriculture, was the successful distribution of computers to every secondary school student in the country. The idea, according to him was not only to empower them to becoming wealth creators in good time but to also prepare them as tomorrow’s developers of the St. Kitts economy.
