More than 11,000 tech enthusiasts and investors flocked the just concluded Port Harcourt Tech Expo (PH TECH EXPO-2025) which is the second edition so far, according to organisers who have dubbed it a resounding success in innovation and collaboration.
The event competed with the 2024 inaugural edition which recorded large turnout. Organisers said the first edition created over 200 jobs for young persons.
According to Chinwe Aninwe, Director of Communications, the Port Harcourt Tech Expo 2025 officially cemented its reputation as one of Africa’s most influential technology gatherings.
She said the 2025 edition with the theme: ‘Emergence’, brought together innovators, thought leaders, startups, and enthusiasts to explore the future of technology, foster strategic partnerships, and ignite transformative conversations.
The Expo was organized by TechNexus Limited with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as lead sponsor. Strategic support was said to have come from the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA), Pana Holdings, O.K. Isokariari & Sons, and other industry stakeholders. It is described as a testament to its growing influence.
The Tech Expo report said the Expo delivered keynote speeches, panel discussions, hand-on workshops, and exhibitions focused on cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain, robotics, and cybersecurity.
The Expo attracted prominent industry leaders who shaped the mindset of the tech enthusiasts and young persons. Samuel Ogbuku, the NDDC CEO, highlighted the role of innovation in Nigeria’s digital transformation.
Ogbuku noted thus: “Technology is the bridge to a prosperous future. We must embrace it, invest in it, and ensure it serves the needs of our people.”
His position was backed by a top engineer, Felix Omatsola, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), represented by another engineer, Nyoki Ita), who emphasized that Nigeria’s tech ecosystem must prioritize homegrown solutions to drive sustainable growth and global competitiveness.
Daere Akobo, group CEO of Pana Holdings, was said to have captivated audiences with a keynote on Digital Sovereignty, wherein he declared that God is the cloud, and people just have to tap from it.
Daks George Kelly, Director General of Boarder Communities Development Agency (BCDA), shared strategic insights on adopting a Blue Ocean Strategy (new fields and new opportunities) to create uncontested market spaces for tech entrepreneurs.
Alex Onyia, CEO of Educare, championed youth-led innovation, asserting, “Africa’s tech future is bright. The next generation of innovators must seize opportunities and build transformative solutions.”
Other notable speakers included Chukwuma Okpaka (Microsoft Africa), Paul Jemitola, Sibe Tombari Luther Lawoyin, Charlotte Essiet, and Ronald Ajiboye.
The Expo featured Startups, emerging ventures that presented pioneering solutions, catching the attention of potential investors and industry stakeholders.
During the panel discussions, experts explored Africa’s digital economy, championing sustainable innovation and policy integration across various disciplines.
There were also workshop and masterclasses, student engagement featuring 12 schools, cultural integration, green carpet experience (a media hub for networking), Game Zone/Immersive Experiences, After-party Extravaganza, etc.
Over 400 volunteers were said to be trained ahead of what many regarded as the biggest tech event in the Niger Delta, one of the biggest in Nigeria.
Addressing newsmen at the end of the event, Aninwe (communications director), declared that the Port Harcourt Tech Expo 2025 reaffirmed the city’s position as a fast-rising innovation hub in Africa. “More than an event, it was a movement; uniting policy shapers, teenage coders, investors, artists, and tech visionaries under one roof to shape Africa’s digital future.
