As the clock ticks toward the January 2027 general elections, the All Progressives Congress (APC) will present its technology roadmap for the nation’s future at the 2026 West Africa Convergence Conference, scheduled for June 25 in Lagos, where party National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, is set to deliver the keynote address on leveraging digital tools for national development.
Professor Yilwatda, a technocrat and engineer who previously served as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction and as a Resident Electoral Commissioner, will headline a high-level colloquium themed “Leveraging Technology for Development in Nigeria, 2027–2031: Delivering the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
The two-hour session serves as the strategic policy centerpiece of the broader WACC 2026 event, which also features the 50 Most Influential Figures in Nigeria’s Digital Economy 2026 Recognition Ceremony.
“Professor Yilwatda is not only a scholar but a seasoned technocrat whose contributions to public service and Nigeria’s digital transformation are well documented,” noted Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, reflecting on Yilwatda’s emergence as APC National Chairman.
The conference, organised by Knowhow Media International, publishers of IT Edge News.Africa since 2004, arrives at a defining moment for the nation’s digital transformation journey. With the ICT and telecommunications sector now contributing over 18 percent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product, the forum provides a strategic, non-partisan but policy-forward platform to articulate the APC’s Technology and Digital Economy Blueprint for 2027 to 2031 as a core pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Organisers say the gathering will engage and mobilize influential stakeholders across ICT, telecommunications, fintech, infrastructure, data, innovation, and the broader private sector, strengthening party-industry alignment and reinforcing commitment to economic modernization, job creation, digital inclusion, and youth participation.
The audience will include chief executives of ICT and telecom companies, mobile network operators, data centres, internet service providers, financial institutions, fintechs, insurance firms, heads of regulatory bodies, professional associations, digital education and skills development firms, funding institutions, venture capital leaders, startup founders, and heads of academic institutions.
Recognising that sub-national governments are essential drivers of digital inclusion and infrastructure expansion, WACC 2026 extends a special invitation to state governors across Nigeria to participate as Special Guests and Strategic Partners. Participating governors will have the opportunity to present their states’ development priorities, digital economy initiatives, and technology-enabled governance strategies directly to investors through a dedicated pitch session.
“We are confident that the participation of state governors as leaders of Nigeria’s sub-nationals will strengthen collaboration between state governments and Nigeria’s digital economy stakeholders, while advancing opportunities that can deliver jobs, infrastructure growth, and technology-enabled prosperity for the people in their respective states,” said Olusegun Oruame, Chief Executive Officer of Knowhow Media International.
The forum will highlight states’ potential in digital infrastructure expansion, smart governance, youth digital skills development, and technology-enabled entrepreneurship.
Participating states will receive extensive visibility through pre-event and post-event media coverage, featured interviews, digital promotion across industry platforms, and a special feature in the Nigeria Digital Economy Report 2026, which will be distributed among government agencies, corporate leaders, investors, and international partners.
Governors will also participate in the Industry Colloquium focused on humanising Nigeria’s digital economy for people-centred impact, the 50 Most Influential Figures Recognition Ceremony, and an exclusive Digital Economy Leaders Business Lunch, providing opportunities for informal dialogue with influential private-sector leaders and policymakers.
“Building on over two decades of thought leadership through WACC, Top 50 Digital Economy Enablers, and 50 Most Valuable Personalities in Nigeria’s Digital Economy, this 2026 edition further reinforces the pivotal role of national political actors in shaping Nigeria’s next development cycle,” said Dr. Sola Afolabi, Chairman of WACC and the 50 Most Influential Figures in Nigeria’s Digital Economy 2026.
Knowhow Media International, publishers of IT Edge News.Africa since 2004, is a leading media and market intelligence organisation focused on Africa’s technology and digital economy landscape, connecting policy, innovation, and investment to drive sustainable development through platforms like the West Africa Convergence Conference and the 50 Most Influential Figures in Nigeria’s Digital Economy.
