The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda through active participation in the 2026 edition of the Enugu Tech Festival (ETF 2026), a major technology gathering designed to foster innovation, collaboration, and investment across Africa’s digital ecosystem.
The festival, themed “Coal to Code: Energy in New Form,” aligned with the vision of the state Governor, Peter Mbah to reposition Enugu State as a knowledge-driven and digitally enabled economy. As the second state-backed innovation summit, ETF 2026 seek to establish Enugu as a regional hub for technology advancement, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of NITDA’s Director General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the Director of Stakeholder Management and Partnerships, Aristotle Onumo, underscored the growing influence of digital technology in shaping global economic growth.
He noted that projections indicated the global digital economy could contribute up to $23 trillion to global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the coming years, stressed the need for Nigeria to move beyond technology consumption toward innovation and creation.
“Nigeria must not only consume technology but create it. Innovation must become our currency, and digital skills must become the bridge to opportunity,” he stated.
As part of efforts to deepen digital capacity development, NITDA presented 50 laptops to beneficiaries of the Digital Skills Acceleration Competition (DSAC), a free merit-based training initiative aimed at equipping individuals with little or no prior digital knowledge with globally relevant technology skills.
The DSAC programme covered high-demand areas including Cybersecurity, Networking and Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, Programming, Digital Literacy at beginner level, and essential soft skills. The initiative is designed to prepare participants for opportunities within the rapidly expanding global digital economy.
Stakeholders at the festival described NITDA’s intervention as a significant boost to youth empowerment and innovation, reinforcing national efforts to build a sustainable digital workforce and strengthen Nigeria’s position within Africa’s technology landscape.
