The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda with active participation in the 2026 edition of the Enugu Tech Festival (ETF 2026), a flagship technology gathering convening innovators, investors, policymakers and tech enthusiasts to shape Africa’s digital future.
Held under the theme, “Coal to Code: Energy in New Form,” this year’s festival reflects the transformative vision of Peter Mbah to reposition Enugu State as a knowledge-driven and digitally enabled economy.
As the second state-backed innovation summit, ETF 2026 seeks to consolidate Enugu’s emergence as a regional hub for technology advancement, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of NITDA’s Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, the agency’s Director of Stakeholder Management and Partnerships, Aristotle Onumo, underscored the transformative potential of digital technology in the global economy.
He cited projections indicating that the global digital economy could contribute as much as $23 trillion to global GDP in the coming years, stressing that Nigeria must move beyond technology consumption to technology creation.
“Innovation must become our currency, and digital skills must become the bridge to opportunity,” he stated.
As part of its intervention at the festival, NITDA presented 50 laptops to beneficiaries of the Digital Skills Acceleration Competition (DSAC), a free, merit-based training initiative designed to equip individuals with little or no prior knowledge with globally recognised digital competencies.
The programme covers high-demand areas including Cybersecurity, Networking and Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, Programming, Digital Literacy at beginner level, as well as essential soft skills.
The initiative is aimed at positioning participants to compete effectively within the rapidly expanding global digital economy.
