The Enugu State Government says this year’s edition of Enugu Tech Festival 2026 (ETF 2.0) will feature digital skills training and certification for 67,000 physical and virtual participants.
The Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Lawrence Ezeh, disclosed this on Friday during a news conference on the upcoming event.
He said the festival is scheduled to hold between Tuesday and Friday at the Enugu International Conference Centre.
Ezeh said trainers from the UK, including partners from 1Goal Analytics, would deliver the sessions over three days, with the 67,000 participants receiving international certification upon completion of the programme.
According to him, the initiative underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring that young people, students, civil servants and entrepreneurs acquire practical skills in data analytics, software development, artificial intelligence and digital project management.
“This festival is driven by the bold vision of His Excellency, Peter Mbah, whose ambition is to transform Enugu State into a leading knowledge-based and digitally enabled economy.
“The governor has consistently emphasized that the future of our state lies in innovation, enterprise and youth empowerment.
“His administration is deeply committed to digitization across government services, education reform, technology incubation and infrastructure modernization.
“Through deliberate reforms and strategic investments, Enugu is building the foundation of a resilient digital economy capable of competing nationally and globally,” he said.
The commissioner said the theme of this year’s festival, “Coal to Code: Energy in New Form,” reflects Enugu’s transformation, noting that the state was historically known as the Coal City.
“We are converting that legacy into digital energy — ideas, code, research and entrepreneurship that will power sustainable economic growth.
“Coal once powered industries; now innovation will power prosperity. This metaphor captures the spirit of reinvention that defines modern Enugu,” he said.
Ezeh added that no fewer than 50,000 participants would attend physically, including startup founders, developers, venture capitalists, corporate technology leaders, academics, policymakers and students.
“Delegations from across Nigeria, other African countries and international innovation ecosystems have confirmed their attendance. The scale of participation signals growing confidence in Enugu as a serious technology destination,” he said.
He noted that ETF 2026 would deliver measurable outcomes — investment commitments, research collaborations, startup funding agreements, cross-border partnerships, as well as tangible economic and social impacts.
“Gov. Mbah’s broader economic transformation agenda is clear: diversify the economy, expand digital skills training, modernize infrastructure and attract global investment.
“Enugu is ready to host the world. We look forward to four days of innovation, collaboration and purposeful dialogue that will help shape the digital future of our state and our nation,” he said.
