(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The second edition of the Enugu Tech Festival (ETF 2.0) has ended with a record-breaking 53,000 physical participants, underscoring Nigeria’s accelerating push to position itself as a continental leader in digital innovation.
Held from 24 to 27 February 2026 at the Enugu International Conference Centre ICC, the four-day gathering surpassed its projected target of 50,000 attendees, the organizing Ministry has said.
Convener of the Festival and Enugu Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Prince Lawrence Ezeh, who stated on Sunday in Enugu described the turnout as “a resounding validation of Enugu’s vision to become a technology trailblazer in Africa.
He noted that the festival drew not only physical attendees but also hundreds of online participants from across the world.
The event which was broadcast live on Africa Independent Television (AIT) was reported to be among the top five global trending events on social platforms during its run — an unprecedented level of digital engagement for an African tech convergence.
He said “We set out to inspire 50,000 innovators, thinkers, founders, investors and digital talents. To see nearly 60,000 people here in real time, not registrations but actual engagement, shows that the narrative around African tech is shifting beyond perception to meaningful participation and impact,” Dr Ezeh told journalists on the final day.
Organisers provided a breakdown of attendance across the festival’s four days: 20,000 participants on Day 1, followed by 15,000 on Day 2, 13,000 on Day 3 and 5,000 on Day 4.
“Each day was curated around a central theme, drawing voices from government, global tech firms, startups, and academia.
“The theme of this year’s event was: “Coal to Code: Energy in New Form”Day One centered on policy and governance, with Governor Peter Mbah declaring the festival officially opened. His keynote address was resounding.
“He said technology and innovation remain at the heart of Enugu’s transformation under his administration, urging youths to explore the abundant opportunities in both.
“The world has crossed a line. What we are witnessing in our lifetime is nothing short of an economic renaissance powered by technology.
“In just three decades, companies that began in garages and dorm rooms have grown into some of the most valuable institutions in human history.
“Enterprises like Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta Platforms have reshaped commerce, communication, entertainment, finance, governance, and even human relationships.
“The rise of these companies tells us something profound: the world economy is no longer driven primarily by physical assets, but by ideas, code, data, and innovation.
“We are witnessing the acceleration of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”Here in Enugu, we have made a deliberate decision: we will not be spectators in this revolution.
He added that “We will be participants. We will be producers,”.Ezeh stated
“Consequently, Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Her Excellency, Anna Westerholm and other VIPs walked through exhibition halls filled with startups, coding boot camps, robotics demonstrations and AI-powered agricultural tools.
“Observers from Britain and other European markets noted the growing sophistication of Nigeria’s tech discourse — shifting from aspirational rhetoric to implementation frameworks and measurable outcomes.
“Day Two placed investment and entrepreneurship at the forefront. A curated “Deal Room” facilitated meetings between early-stage startups and venture capitalists, while technical masterclasses focused on scaling, product-market fit and cross-border expansion.
“Investors from Lagos, Nairobi, London and Dubai were in attendance, reflecting increasing global appetite for African digital enterprises.
“Several seed-stage companies reportedly secured follow-up funding conversations, though specific figures were not publicly disclosed.
Ezeh however, described the festival as “a bridge between talent and capital,” adding that Enugu aims to become “the investment gateway to South-East Nigeria’s technology corridor”.
According to him, “Day Three explored artificial intelligence, blockchain and Web3 technologies.
” A live hackathon culminating in public demonstrations — spotlighted teams developing solutions in fintech, healthcare diagnostics and climate-smart agriculture.
“Panels debated responsible AI governance and decentralised finance regulation, topics increasingly relevant as African markets adopt digital currencies and data-driven systems.
“The emphasis, however, remained firmly on skills acquisition. Hundreds of young participants underwent hands-on training sessions in software engineering, cloud computing and blockchain development.
“We are strengthening Nigeria’s science, technology and innovation ecosystem,” he said.
He said Research commercialisation and youth entrepreneurship are central to our economic diversification strategy.
The Secretary to the Enugu State Government, professor Chidiebere Onyia, described the festival as “a landmark achievement” that had elevated Enugu’s global profile.
Hundreds of young participants received laptops and tablet devices during the closing ceremony, distributed to top hackathon performers, student innovators and emerging developers identified through competitive assessments.
