The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting technological and digital innovation in the Niger Delta region.
This is contained in a statement issued by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
Thompson-Wakama quoted the Managing Director of NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, as stating this during the launch of the second edition of Port Harcourt Tech Expo in the Niger Delta.
Ogbuku said that the NDDC-funded Tech Expo was conceived to convene innovators, entrepreneurs and industry leaders to deliberate on and explore the future of technology in the region.
He said that the commission’s sponsorship of the event underscored its dedication to promoting technological advancement and innovation as key drivers of regional development.
According to Dr Samuel Ogbuku, NDDC Managing Director, technology holds immense potential as a catalyst for sustainable development in the region.
Ogbuku emphasised NDDC’s readiness to collaborate with relevant organisations to provide training and empowerment programmes for youth.
“NDDC stands ready to collaborate with relevant organisations to provide platforms for training and empowerment of our youth.
“This Tech Expo serves as a platform for dialogue, collaboration and innovation, leveraging technology to foster sustainable development within the Niger Delta and beyond,” he stated.
Ogbuku urged technology firms to develop programmes that equip young people with practical, tech-based skills.
He noted that present-day technologies were shaping the future of the global economy and encouraged youths to use digital platforms, particularly social media, as tools for personal growth and financial independence.
“It is our collective responsibility – as individuals and organisations – to determine the direction of our future and what comes next,” he stated.
Mr Alex Onyia, Chief Executive Officer of Educare, highlighted the importance of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital entrepreneurship in shaping Nigeria’s economic trajectory.
He advocated for a shift from reliance on crude oil to embracing technology, emphasising its potential to unlock a brighter future for the youth of the Niger Delta
Onyia, who was the keynote speaker, highlighted the critical role of innovation in shaping Nigeria’s economic trajectory.
He encouraged young people to make intellectual investments in attaining independence, even as he advocated for a paradigm shift from reliance on crude oil to the embrace of technology.
“Technology represents the future and is indispensable across all sectors.
“There is a pressing need to redirect our focus towards technology, as it remains the only sector capable of unlocking a brighter future for the youth of the Niger Delta,” he said.
