Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, has commissioned the South East Zonal Office of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), describing it as a catalyst for youth empowerment and a significant step toward diversifying Nigeria’s economy.
The office, located at the Nigeria Construction and Furniture Company (NCFC) Building on Onitsha Road, GRA, Enugu, was inaugurated on Friday.
Governor Mbah commended the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, and the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, for the initiative, and pledged his administration’s collaboration with the Ministry and the Agency.
“The call to diversify our economy—both at the national and subnational levels—has never been more compelling than now. Few sectors offer the kind of opportunity that the information and communications technology space provides,” Mbah said.
“But just having the opportunity is not enough. We must take deliberate steps to actualize it. That is what this NITDA presence in Enugu represents. It is an opportunity for our teeming young population to acquire lifelong digital skills that will prepare them for the evolving global workforce.”
Earlier, Tijani praised what he described as a remarkable digital transformation taking place in Enugu State.
He said the NITDA South East Zonal Office would serve as a strategic link between national digital policy and local innovation potential.
“In just under two years, this state has become one of Nigeria’s most promising frontiers for innovation. What we are witnessing is not just progress—it is momentum,” he stated.
“This commissioning goes beyond the opening of a building. It is the establishment of a permanent bridge between national policy and local potential.
“It aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which aims to decentralize opportunity, deepen inclusion, and unlock the power of the digital economy in every region.”
Tijani said the Enugu office would drive digital skills acquisition through initiatives such as the Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) program, support startups and indigenous tech solutions, offer regulatory guidance, and promote partnerships with state governments, academia, and the private sector.
“There is no better place to launch this initiative than in Enugu — a state that is not only dreaming of the future but actively building it,” he added.
He urged young people in the South East to fully embrace the opportunities presented by the new office.
“To our innovators, developers, and entrepreneurs — you now have a home in NITDA. Use it. Grow through it. Let it be the platform from which your ideas reach the world. The story of Nigeria’s digital economy will not be written from one location alone — it will be co-authored across every region, and Enugu is leading the way.”
Also present at the commissioning was the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, alongside other dignitaries.
