Dr. Peter Mbah, Governor of Enugu State, has commended the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) for decentralising Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and expanding opportunities for youth empowerment and job creation across the country.
The Governor of Enugu State said this at the newly-inaugurated South East Zonal Office of NITDA as the government agency begins driving youth empowerment, innovation and economic diversification across the region.
The commissioning of the NITDA regional office, located at the Nigeria Construction and Furniture Company (NCFC) Building on Onitsha Road, GRA, Enugu, is being hailed as a landmark moment that is repositioning Enugu as a frontier for Nigeria’s technology-driven future.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mbah commends Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, and Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director-General of NITDA, for decentralising Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and expanding opportunities for youth empowerment and job creation.
“The call to diversify our economy, both at the national and the subnational levels has never been more compelling than now,” Dr. Mbah says. “There are few sectors that hold the opportunities for us to accomplish that like the information and technology space.”
The Enugu State Governor stresses that real progress hinges on converting possibilities into practical outcomes.
“Just having the opportunity without bringing it to fruition won’t cut it for us,” he is noting. “This NITDA presence in Enugu represents an opportunity for our teeming young people to imbue themselves with lifelong skillsets that would prepare them for the dynamic global workplace of today and tomorrow.”
NITDA’s digital push: Building Nigeria’s future from the grassroots
NITDA is continuing its nationwide push to decentralise Nigeria’s digital development through regional presence, with the new zonal office in Enugu positioned as a catalyst for local innovation and digital capacity building, according to Dr. Tijani.
The Minister underscores the federal government’s vision of inclusive digital transformation that bridges national policies with local potential.
“This commissioning of the NITDA Regional Office in Enugu is far more than the opening of a building. It is the establishment of a permanent bridge between national policy and local potential,” Dr. Tijani says.
“What we are witnessing here is not just progress—it is momentum; and I am proud that today, we are adding fuel to that momentum,” the Minister tells attendees.
The Minister also reaffirms the federal government’s flagship Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative as a key channel that the Enugu office is deploying to equip Nigerian youth with globally relevant tech skills.
“This new office will serve as an engine room for digital skills development,” Dr. Tijani is explaining, “through programmes like the 3MTT; support for startups and indigenous tech solutions; regulatory advisory to help businesses thrive; and closer partnerships with state governments, academia, and the private sector.”
Home for innovation in the South East
The Enugu office is serving as a home for digital creators, developers and tech entrepreneurs, who are being encouraged to use the new hub as a launchpad for building locally-grown digital solutions with global relevance.
“To our young innovators, developers, and entrepreneurs – you now have a home in NITDA. Use it. Grow through it; and let it become the platform from which your ideas reach the world,” Dr. Tijani charges young Nigerians.
The federal government’s expansion strategy through regional tech hubs like the one in Enugu is being seen as critical to balancing Nigeria’s technology growth across all geopolitical zones and boosting inclusive economic opportunities.
Key Features of the South East Zonal Office of NITDA The NITDA South East Zonal Office is:
- Serving as a digital skills accelerator by implementing national programmes like the Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative.
- Providing regulatory and advisory support for startups and small tech-driven businesses to help them navigate compliance within Nigeria’s tech ecosystem.
- Supporting indigenous innovation by offering a direct channel for collaboration between local developers and the national digital economy strategy.
- Fostering public-private partnerships across academia, the private sector and government to build sustainable tech ecosystems at the sub-national level.
Enugu emerging as a tech hub
The launch of the NITDA Zonal Office is coming as Enugu is gaining recognition as one of Nigeria’s rising innovation hotspots, driven by a state-level focus on digital governance, startup support, and youth engagement.
“In just under two years, this state has emerged as one of Nigeria’s most promising frontiers for innovation,” Dr. Tijani notes. “We are proud to add fuel to this growing momentum.”
Dr. Mbah reinforces the state government’s commitment to accelerating this momentum with enabling policies, infrastructure, and partnerships to position Enugu as a beacon for digital transformation in the South East.
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