Youths Through Technology Conference 2021 Sparked with Gov Sule, Ooni of Ife, Ministers

TechSpace’s Youths Through Technology Conference on Wednesday, 10th November 2021, brought a palpable energy to the heart of Abuja as over a thousand eager young minds gathered under the resonant theme “Enhancing Digital Innovation amongst Nigerian Youth.” From the moment attendees crossed the threshold, they were greeted by corridors humming with possibility. Laughter spilt from impromptu coding challenges, animated discussions about blockchain in makeshift huddles, and smartphones aloft capturing every illuminating exchange.

When Sunday Dare, Nigeria’s Minister of Youth and Sports, took the stage, his voice carried both pride and urgency. He celebrated the daring spirit of the nation’s youth, recounting how a handful of tech start-ups had transformed local economies, and urged every young person in the room to view obstacles as algorithms waiting to be decoded. His words rippled through the audience, and one attendee later confided that Dare’s impassioned call to “think beyond today’s boundaries” had sparked a late-night brainstorming session that birthed what might become a revolutionary app for community savings.

Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, built on that momentum by weaving the story of Nigeria’s digital renaissance. He traced data-driven policies from nascent broadband expansions to the rollout of emerging 5G trials, reminding the crowd that their generation would define its contours. When he spoke of regulatory sandboxes and inclusive access, you could see heads nodding as young engineers and entrepreneurs alike envisioned the regulatory frameworks that might one day bear the names of these very pioneers.

Under the gracious auspices of Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule, Governor of Nasarawa State and Chief Host for the day, every segment of the program felt like stepping stones toward a collective ambition. His warmth in welcoming the Royal Father, His Imperial Majesty Oba Dr. Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, the Ooni of Ife, lent the affair a bridge between tradition and tomorrow. The Ooni spoke of technology as the new thread in the fabric of community leadership, reminding attendees that innovation must uplift cultural values just as much as it propels economic growth.

From the stage of thought leaders like Dr Olubayo Adekanmbi, who painted a vivid picture of what digital transformation means for government and industry, to Saadat Aliyu’s account of how Shamrock Innovations empowers grassroots inventors, each presentation was a masterclass in possibility. Mrs Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli wove stories of social enterprises scaling impact through data. At the same time, Mazi Ibe, better known as Ibe Kenneth, captivated the crowd with tales of startups that started in a garage and now employ hundreds. Nurudeen Yemi Hussain’s deep dive into cybersecurity shook the room into urgent awareness that every line of code carries both promise and peril. Akintunde Agbonde charted the journey from raw data points to actionable insights, and Nosa Afolabi, and Lasisi Elenu, infused keynote addresses with unanticipated laughter, proving that levity and learning can share the same stage. Even sports content creator Adepoju Tobi Samuel reminded everyone that technology’s reach extends beyond boardrooms into the stadium and living room alike.

Not to be overlooked, the presence of Mr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi of NITDA, Dr. Vincent Olatunji of the NDPC, and Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta of the NCC lent the event a weight of institutional commitment, as they moved through the crowds, engaging with coders and creatives eager to question and explore partnership avenues. Their conversations with attendees ranged from data-privacy concerns to the promise of new spectrum allocations, each exchange a testament to the conference’s ability to turn dialogue into action.

By evening, the conference hall vibrated with stories of collaborations formed on the spot such as coding duos who would cofound fintech platforms, design-thinking pairs who saw an opportunity in rural healthcare, and clusters of mentors and mentees forging relationships that promised to outlast the day’s sessions. As the final speaker stepped away and the lights dimmed, one could almost hear the collective heartbeat of a generation awakened to its potential. In every handshake, every lightbulb moment, and every contact exchanged, YTTC 2021 succeeded not merely as a gathering but as a crucible, where Nigerian youth found not just inspiration but the conviction to code, create, and catalyze a digital tomorrow.