By IFEOMA AKA

The Enugu State Government says the state is prepared to host no fewer than 50,000 participants at the 2026 Enugu Tech Festival holding between Feb. 24 and 27.

Chief Lawrence Ezeh, the Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, told newsmen in Enugu on Friday that technical installations for the event were nearing completion.

“The exhibition stands are being finalised, the broadband capacity around the venue has been strengthened, this is to support physical and virtual participations,” he said.

The commissioner said that cybersecurity systems had also been upgraded, and that seamless digital registration platforms had been integrated to guarantee a world-class experience.

Ezeh described the festival as an expression of the digital transformation vision of the Gov. Peter Mbah-led government.

“The governor is committed to positioning Enugu as one of the leading knowledge-based and digitally-enabled economies in West Africa.

“Our future lies in innovation, enterprise and youth empowerment. Our deliberate investments in digitisation, technology incubation, and infrastructure modernisation are laying the foundation for a resilient digital economy,” he said.

He said that the 2026 festival with the theme: “Coal to Code: Energy in New Form,” was a reflection of Enugu’s transition from its historic identity to a modern technology-based society.

“It is a festival to showcase Enugu as a modern innovation hub powered by ideas, research, and entrepreneurship,” he said.

The commissioner further said that the festival would gather participants from across Nigeria, Africa and beyond. (NAN)