– Lauds Mbah’s drive to transform Enugu into $30 billion digital economy
Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Enugu
The federal government has restated its commitment to ensure inclusive economic growth and digital transformation in every geopolitical zone of Nigeria.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, gave the assurance weekend in his address at the closing ceremony of the Enugu State Technology Festival 2026 held at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.
He said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would not want any part of the country to lag behind in the march to build prosperity and improve living standards for the citizenry.
The SGF, represented by the Director, General Services, Ibrahim Abdulkadir, stated that FG was impressed by the level of economic and infrastructural transformation going on in Enugu State.
He commended Governor Peter Mbah’s for his initiative in driving the state towards a attaining a projected $30 billion digital economy by 2030, adding that such feat would boost Nigeria’s overall economic development.
“This landmark, if achieved, will underscore the federal government’s commitment in fostering innovation, digital transformation, and inclusive economic growth across all the regions in Nigeria,” he said.
Akume lauded Mbah for his demonstrable faith in using technology in powering Enugu to a determined destination of becoming not only a subnational technological and innovation hub but also a major player at the international level.
He said the Tinubu administration was delighted at the paradigm shift in Enugu with the transition from the historical coal city state to a leading subnational digital economy in Nigeria.
The SGF stressed the emerging technologies remain critical to Nigeria’s future growth hence the nation has a unique opportunity to adopt and adapt technologies to drive productivity and governance.
He noted the Enugu Tech Festival represents a deliberate policy in poverty reduction as it is targeted at improving our children through innovation and creativity powered by technology.
According to him, the tech festival can unlock efficiency, reduce costs, enhance transparency, and ultimately improve citizens quality of life.
The SGF stated the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu has consistently demonstrated commitment in harnessing emerging technologies as catalyst for transformation, innovation and productivity.
To this end, the FG, he said, was prioritising artificial intelligence, digital finance, renewable energy, and youth-focused innovation hubs “in ensuring that Nigeria remained aligned with global technological trends”.
Governor Mbah had earlier at the opening ceremony of the four-day event stated that “the world has crossed a line (given) what we are witnessing in our lifetime is nothing short of an economic renaissance powered by technology”.
He said that Enugu would not stand by and watch technology reshaping commerce, communication, entertainment, finance, governance, and even human relationships, without being active participants.
“Here in Enugu, we have made a deliberate decision: we will not be spectators in this revolution. We will be participants. We will be producers.
“A hundred years ago, Enugu was known for what it extracted – coal. Let this generation be known for what it designs,” Mbah stated.
The State Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Lawrence Ezeh, promised at the closing ceremony that the outcome of the 2026 tech festival would be put into practical use.
