The freshly unveiled International Conference Centre Enugu — a gleaming monument to modern architecture nestled in the heart of Nigeria’s South-East — is set to host one of the country’s most ambitious digital events yet: the Enugu Tech Festival 2025.
Addressing journalists in Enugu yesterday, the Commissioner for Innovation Science and Technology, Dr Prince Lawrence Ezeh stated that from tomorrow, 7th to 9th May, the city will welcome thousands of tech entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, innovators and digital dreamers to the three-day summit themed “Coal to Code” — a nod to Enugu’s storied mining past and its bold pivot towards a high-tech future.
The newly built International Conference Centre, already hailed as one of the most sophisticated event complexes in sub-Saharan Africa, is a visual marvel — a synthesis of glass, steel and local design motifs, bristling with digital connectivity, state-of-the-art acoustics and expansive, tech-ready exhibition halls.
Its inauguration earlier this year symbolised a strategic move by the Peter Mbah-led administration to position Enugu as a digital economy hub — not just in Nigeria but across West Africa.
The festival is an open invitation to the global tech ecosystem to witness the emergence of Enugu as Africa’s next innovation capital.
Organised under the aegis of the Enugu State Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, headed by Commissioner Dr. Prince Lawrence Ezeh, the festival is expected to become an annual fixture on the State tech calendar, blending high-level policy dialogue with grassroots innovation showcase.
The opening ceremony will feature keynote speeches from some of Nigeria’s most powerful voices in digital transformation, including Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, and Chief Uche Nnaji, Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology. Their presence signals strong federal backing for Enugu’s tech ambitions.
The festival highlights include intensive panel discussions on AI integration, blockchain applications in African finance, smart city infrastructure, and green tech solutions for the Global South. A series of workshops, hands-on coding labs, and hackathons will cater to young developers and students hungry for upskilling and mentorship.
One of the major draws of the festival will be the “Inventors Deal Room” an investor-founder matchmaking space designed to catalyse funding rounds and accelerate startup scaling. Venture capitalists and investors will have access to a curated pipeline of Enugu-grown and nationally recognised tech startups, spanning fintech, healthtech, agritech and education.
Among the headline speakers are Leo Stan Ekeh, founder of Zinox Technologies; Prof. Barth Nnaji, renowned energy technologist and former Minister of Power; angel investor and tech ecosystem builder Harry Tomi Davies; and entrepreneur Ugochukwu Aronu of Wicrypt Labs. Also confirmed are Kingsley Eze, Napa Onwusah, investor Patrick Asuama, and the high-profile businessman and philanthropist Dr. Obinna Iyiegbu, widely known as Obi Cubana.
Exhibitions will spotlight Nigeria’s emerging deep tech and creative coding scenes, while side events will include policy roundtables, pitch contests, innovation demos, and cultural showcases blending the traditional with the technological.
The festival aims to connect Enugu youthful tech talent pool with global opportunities. “This is more than a tech event,” said Dr. Ezeh. “It is a rebranding of Enugu — from the city that powered colonial Nigeria with coal, to the city that will power Africa’s digital future with code.”
With Enugu rich academic institutions, a growing startup ecosystem, and the political will to invest in digital infrastructure, observers say the “Coal to Code” mantra may be more than a slogan — it might just be the next chapter in Nigeria’s innovation story.