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From Tony John, Port Harcourt
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Rivers State Internal Revenue Service (RIRS) have called for stronger collaboration among government, private sector, academia and innovators to accelerate digital transformation and position the country for sustainable economic development.
The stakeholders in Nigeria’s technology ecosystem made the call at the two-day Port Harcourt Tech Expo 2026, with theme “Syntropy”, organised by TechNexus Limited in partnership with the NDDC, supported by Renaissance Africa Energy, Pana Holdings and RIRS.
The agencies said Nigeria must move beyond consuming technology to becoming a producer of digital solutions capable of driving economic development. Delivering a goodwill message, the Director-General of NITDA, Aristotle Onumo, said the country’s digital future depended on inclusive development, digital literacy, artificial intelligence governance, startup growth and public-private partnerships.
He said the global economy was increasingly driven by knowledge, data and digital skills, urging Nigerians to embrace innovation and artificial intelligence. Also, the Managing Director of NDDC, Samuel Ogbuku, described technology as a critical tool for tackling unemployment, urging young Nigerians to acquire digital skills to remain competitive in the evolving global economy.
According to him, intellectual property has become the new wealth creation platform, warning that while artificial intelligence may replace some jobs, it will also create new opportunities for those adequately prepared. Representing the Rivers State Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Department, Mrs. Aleruchi Akani identified poor coordination among stakeholders, as a major challenge facing the state’s technology ecosystem and called for stronger collaboration to deepen digital development.
Chairman of RIRS, Israel Egbunefu, advocated a governance model anchored on digital transformation, accountability and innovation, saying technology should be deployed to improve public service delivery and revenue administration.
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Delivering a keynote address on energy and sustainability, the Vice-President, Relations and Sustainability, Renaissance Africa Energy Limited, Igo Weli, urged stronger collaboration among government, energy companies and host communities to ensure responsible resource development and environmental sustainability in the Niger Delta.
Representing Pana Holdings, Victor Itota described data as the foundation of Nigeria’s future industrial development, stressing that execution, rather than ideas alone, will determine national competitiveness.
A recurring theme throughout the conference was that technology alone cannot transform society without skilled people, strong institutions, enabling policies and sustained collaboration among government, industry and academia.
The expo brought together policymakers, technology experts, investors, entrepreneurs, academics and young innovators to deliberate on the role of technology in governance, education, healthcare, agriculture, energy, finance and the creative economy.
Participants agreed that innovation, human capital development and effective implementation of policies remain critical to unlocking Nigeria’s digital and economic potential.
They also urged youths to deliberately develop practical skills, embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI), and strategically position themselves to remain competitive in today’s evolving job market.
