‘Enugu tech festival 2026 surpassed expectations’

The second edition of the Enugu Tech Festival (ETF 2.0) has ended on a historic note, drawing a record-breaking 53,000 physical participants and reinforcing Nigeria’s growing influence in the global digital space.

Held from February 24 to 27, 2026 at the Enugu International Conference Centre, the four-day gathering surpassed its 50,000 attendance target, with organisers confirming strong online participation from across the world.

The event ranked among the top five globally trending conversations on social media during its run.

Convener of the festival and Enugu State Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Prince Lawrence Ezeh, described the turnout as proof that Enugu’s digital vision is gaining real traction.

“We set out to inspire 50,000 innovators, thinkers, founders and investors. Seeing nearly 60,000 people actively engaged shows that African tech is moving beyond talk to real impact,” he said.

Organisers revealed that Day One recorded 20,000 participants, followed by 15,000 on Day Two, 13,000 on Day Three and 5,000 on the final day — each carefully structured around governance, investment, emerging technologies and ecosystem building.

With the theme, “Coal to Code: Energy in New Form,” the festival symbolically linked Enugu’s coal heritage to its emerging identity as a digital hub.

Governor Peter Mbah, who declared the festival open, delivered a keynote that set the tone for the event. He described the global tech revolution as an economic renaissance powered by ideas, code and data rather than physical assets.

Referencing global giants such as Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet Inc., Amazon and Meta Platforms, the governor said Enugu would not remain a spectator. “We will be participants. We will be producers,” he declared.

Day Two shifted attention to entrepreneurship and capital, featuring a curated “Deal Room” where startups met venture capitalists from Lagos, Nairobi, London and Dubai.

Though investment figures were not disclosed, several founders reportedly secured follow-up funding engagements.

Dr Ezeh described the initiative as a bridge between talent and capital, noting that Enugu is positioning itself as the investment gateway to Southeast Nigeria’s technology corridor.

The third day focused on artificial intelligence, blockchain and Web3 technologies, with a live hackathon producing solutions in fintech, healthcare diagnostics and climate-smart agriculture.

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Panels also debated responsible AI governance and decentralised finance regulation.

Skills development remained central throughout the festival, as hundreds of young participants underwent hands-on training in software engineering, cloud computing and blockchain development.

The closing ceremony combined innovation showcases with awards and cultural performances, highlighting the fusion of technology and creative expression.

Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, reaffirmed federal commitment to strengthening the nation’s innovation ecosystem, stressing that research commercialisation and youth entrepreneurship are key to economic diversification.

Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Chidiebere Onyia, described ETF 2.0 as a landmark achievement that has elevated Enugu’s global standing.

Hundreds of laptops and tablets were distributed to outstanding participants, while selected startups received N10 million grants each to accelerate product development.

Additional teams secured smaller grants to support training, prototype development and community tech hubs.

“Inspiration without tools is incomplete,” Dr Ezeh said, emphasising that the festival was designed not just to motivate but to equip young innovators with tangible resources.