Minister, Tech Community, Others Advocate Youth Innovation At Workshop

The Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, along with other government officials, industry leaders, and innovators, reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s technological ecosystem at XPLORE 2025, held over the weekend at the National Stadium Velodrome in Abuja.

Representatives from key government ministries and agencies underscored the importance of innovation in advancing national development, noting that Nigeria can no longer remain a spectator in global technological shifts.

The event, themed, “Shaping Africa’s Digital Future,” brought together young innovators, tech entrepreneurs, policymakers, and private-sector players to drive conversations around digital transformation and Africa’s place in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Comrade Ayodele Olawande, who was represented at the event by Mr Usman Yohanna, commended the second edition of the XPLORE Disruptors initiative, noting that young people across Africa are driving a continent-wide digital revolution. He emphasised that innovation flourishes through partnerships between government, the private sector, academia, and development institutions. The Ministry, he stated, would continue to promote digital literacy, entrepreneurship, startup incubation, and policies that ensure no young Nigerian is excluded from opportunities in the digital economy.

The Director-General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Dr Matthew Adepoju, who highlighted the event’s alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, stated that Nigeria must accelerate its efforts to participate fully in the ongoing Fourth Industrial Revolution. He lamented that Nigeria and Africa had missed the first three industrial revolutions and warned that the nation could not afford to be bystanders again.

He emphasised the need for stronger collaboration between the government and the private sector, describing the latter as the primary driver of technological advancements worldwide. “The private sector remains the biggest driver of technological exploration and advancement. This event is therefore timely,” he said.

Calling on young Nigerians to embrace robotics, artificial intelligence, and innovative enterprise, he commended the organisers for providing a platform that allows youths to explore new possibilities. He added that NASRDA had created new departments dedicated to AI, space robotics, and space enterprise initiatives aimed at supporting young innovators and transforming ideas into market-ready solutions.

Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the director general of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Ms Maimunat Lawal praised XPLORE 2025 for creating a platform where innovators, investors, SMEs, policymakers, and young talents converge to shape Africa’s digital outlook. She said ACCI believes the continent’s next phase of growth will be driven by innovation, technology adoption, and empowered youths.

She highlighted the strategic roles of ACCI’s four centres—the Dispute Resolution Centre, Policy Advocacy Centre, Abuja Trade Centre, and BEST Centre—in supporting capacity development, policy advocacy, trade facilitation, and investment promotion for startups and SMEs. She added that the goals of XPLORE 2025 align strongly with ACCI’s mission to strengthen Nigeria’s competitive edge in the global digital economy.

In a separate address, leadership expert Dr Linus Okorie urged participants to develop personal leadership capacity if they hope to compete globally. “The world is transforming at a faster rate than ever before. Anyone who wants to excel in tech is competing not just with the best in Nigeria but with the best in the world,” he said, adding that transformational leadership is essential for building meaningful innovations.

The convener of XPLORE Disruptors, Engr. Light Ihesiulo appreciated participants and partners for their overwhelming support for the event. He said, “One of the few driving motivations for me is to see that young people across Africa gain some depth of stability when it comes to building global businesses, and that is one of the few driving forces for us as a company.”

According to the organisers of XPLORE Disruptors 2025, it is the largest tech event in Africa, adding that this year’s event is dedicated to spotlighting the innovators and trailblazers who are redefining the boundaries of technology and driving unprecedented change across industries.