FG to Back Viable Innovations from Enugu Tech Festival

The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Udeh, has pledged that products exhibited and ideas presented at the Enugu Tech Festival 2026 will be collated and evaluated for commercial viability and possible sponsorship.

Udeh made the commitment at the Enugu Tech Festival 2026 (ETF 2.0), themed “Coal to Code: Energy in New Form,” held at the Enugu International Conference Centre.

He said the festival would not end as a mere event, assuring participants that innovations with strong commercial potential would receive funding support through collaboration involving the Federal Government, the Enugu State Government and venture capital partners.

According to the minister, the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to commercialise research outcomes and translate innovation into job creation.

Udeh commended Governor Peter Mbah and the state Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Lawrence Ezeh, for prioritising technology-driven governance and youth-focused innovation policies.

He noted that Enugu State’s investment in digital processes, smart infrastructure and forward-looking educational programmes was positioning it as a hub in Nigeria’s knowledge economy.

The minister said the festival had provided a platform connecting young innovators, startups, researchers, industry leaders and policymakers, adding that Nigeria must transition from being a net importer of technology to becoming a producer and exporter within the global innovation ecosystem.

Udeh expressed optimism that the solutions showcased at the event demonstrated the readiness of Nigerian youths to develop practical innovations addressing challenges in sectors including security, governance, business, artificial intelligence and the creative economy.

He added that science, technology and innovation had become practical tools for economic growth and national development, noting that the energy displayed at the festival underscored Nigeria’s growing capacity to compete globally in the technology space.