Chairman of Zinox Group, Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh
The founder of Zinox Group, Leo Ekeh, has called for sanctions against companies supplying refurbished technology products as new to government agencies and corporate organisations in Nigeria.
Ekeh alleged that about 57 per cent of technology products procured by government Ministries, Departments and Agencies and corporate organisations are refurbished products presented as new, partly because procurement processes fail to recognise genuine local partnerships established by global technology manufacturers.
He made the claim during a session titled E-Commerce and Procurement: Transforming Public Contracting through Digital Systems, Transparency and Local Capacity Development at the 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association in Lagos.
Ekeh said the practice undermines transparency, wastes resources and puts organisations at risk of acquiring equipment that may not meet the specifications or performance standards for which they paid.
He urged government agencies to strengthen verification procedures and ensure that technology products supplied under public contracts are authentic and sourced through legitimate channels.
The Zinox founder also advocated stronger implementation of the Federal Government’s Nigeria First Policy, saying qualified indigenous technology companies should receive greater consideration in public procurement without compromising quality or international standards.
According to him, Nigeria’s dependence on foreign technology brands can sometimes result in organisations overlooking local companies with the capacity to deliver and support technology solutions.
The issue, he said, should not be reduced to a choice between foreign and local products but should focus on authenticity, capability, value for money and the ability of suppliers to provide after-sales support.
Ekeh also called for wider adoption of digital procurement systems to improve transparency and accountability in public contracting.
He said e-procurement platforms, government cloud infrastructure, data protection systems and digital audit trails could make procurement transactions easier to track and audit while reducing opportunities for manipulation.
“No nation can claim to be truly independent without technological independence,” Ekeh said.
He said technology procurement should also support the development of local technical capacity by creating opportunities for Nigerian companies to build expertise, intellectual property and infrastructure.
The call comes as government agencies increasingly rely on technology for public services, digital identity, financial administration, communications and other critical operations, making the authenticity and reliability of procured equipment an important procurement issue.
Ekeh said lawyers also have a role to play as public contracting becomes increasingly digital, urging legal practitioners to develop stronger understanding of technology, data protection, cybersecurity and digital procurement regulations.
The session featured the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, Adebowale Adedokun, as lead speaker, alongside the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Information Technology Development Agency, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi.
Other speakers included the DG of the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency, Fatai Onafowote; the DG of the Kaduna State Public Procurement Authority, Sanusi Aminu Yero; and Andrew Osemedua Odom, SAN.
The session was coordinated by Faith Okpara.
Ekeh said improving procurement standards would help protect public funds, strengthen confidence in Nigeria’s technology market and create greater opportunities for indigenous companies capable of competing at international standards.
