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Top Policymakers, Regulators and Industry Leaders Converge on Nigeria’s Digital Future
Nigeria’s digital economic direction for the 2027–2031 political dispensation will dominate high-level discourse at the 15th West Africa Convergence Conference (WACC) 2026 and the 50 Most Influential Figures in Nigeria’s Digital Economy, scheduled to hold in Lagos in June 2026.
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The twin events will convene an elite collegiate of policymakers, regulators, investors, and technology leaders, reflecting a powerful convergence of technology, policy, and politics at a critical moment as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections.
Yilwatda Headlines Policy Colloquium on Technology and the Renewed Hope Agenda
The keynote address and headline policy colloquium will be delivered by Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He will lead discussions under the theme:
“Leveraging Technology for Development in Nigeria, 2027–2031: Delivering the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
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A respected academic, digital systems engineer, and political leader, Prof. Yilwatda holds a PhD in Digital Systems Engineering and brings over two decades of experience leading major ICT and digital transformation initiatives. He previously served for 12 years as Director of ICT at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi.
According to Yilwatda, WACC is strategically aligned with the APC’s vision for inclusive growth and long-term national development beyond 2027. He described the forum as a timely opportunity to engage policymakers, industry leaders, innovators, investors, and ecosystem builders on how technology can accelerate national development, while commending Knowhow Media International for sustaining a credible, non-partisan national platform.
MOFI’s Takang Leads Investment and PPP Conversations
Driving conversations around economic strategy, investment, and partnerships is Armstrong Ume Takang, Chief Executive Officer of Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI).
Takang, a seasoned investment consultant and public-sector reform expert, will showcase MOFI’s repositioning as a catalyst for Nigeria’s digital economy. His sessions will spotlight innovation-led investment initiatives, public–private partnership (PPP) opportunities, digital infrastructure expansion, smart governance, and financing frameworks for technology-enabled entrepreneurship and industrial growth.
A former Special Adviser to the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Takang led MOFI’s transformation into a Federal Government–owned private equity and venture capital institution with assets under management exceeding $40 billion. He also spearheaded Project Lighthouse, a big data analytics platform supporting Nigeria’s revenue generation agenda, and chaired both the National ICT Strategic Action Plan Committee and the National Software Development Task Force.
Olatunji Frames Data Protection as a National Security Imperative
On the regulatory front, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, National Commissioner and CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), will deliver an Executive Regulatory Address on:
“From Awareness to Accountability: Strengthening Data Protection Compliance in Nigeria’s Digital Economy.”
Olatunji, Nigeria’s chief privacy ombudsman and an accomplished public-sector analyst and corporate strategist, will also address protecting citizens in an AI-driven economy, focusing on data privacy risks, ethics, and regulatory readiness.
The NDPC, which recently partnered with INEC to protect the personal data of over 94 million voters ahead of the 2027 elections, views WACC as a critical platform for entrenching a national culture of data protection across sectors.
NITDA’s Abdullahi on Digital Infrastructure, Talent and Innovation
Also delivering Executive Regulatory Notes is Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director General and CEO of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Nigeria’s Chief Information Technology Officer.
A computer scientist, network engineer, and technology architect, Abdullahi has led NITDA’s initiatives in digital transformation, talent development, innovation and entrepreneurship, developmental regulation, emerging technologies, and indigenous IT content promotion.
His WACC engagement will focus on priority digital infrastructure initiatives, PPP opportunities, tech-enabled governance, youth skills development, talent pipelines, and job creation. He noted that WACC 2026 is especially strategic in an election year, given NITDA’s collaboration with INEC on ICT deployment and security.
Nnamani Brings Operators’ Perspective on Data Centres
Providing the operators’ viewpoint is Ike Nnamani, CEO of Digital Realty Nigeria and former President of the Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON).
Ike Nnamani
In his session, “Data Centres and the Digital Economy: An Operator’s Viewpoint,” Nnamani will examine the future of data centres as foundational infrastructure for Nigeria’s digital economy.
A pioneer in digital infrastructure investment and founder of Medallion Communications (now Digital Realty Nigeria), he is widely recognised for bridging the digital divide and attracting global capital into Africa’s technology sector.
Broad Industry and State-Level Participation
WACC 2026 will host CEOs of ICT and telecommunications companies, data centre operators, ISPs, banks and fintechs, regulators, venture capital investors, startup founders, academics, and professional associations.
State governments will also participate through dedicated investors’ pitch sessions, showcasing digital governance initiatives, infrastructure projects, and investment-ready opportunities.
Two Decades of Bridging Policy and Innovation
Organised by Knowhow Media International, publishers of IT Edge News.Africa, WACC has for over two decades served as a bridge between government policy and private-sector innovation. Chairman of WACC 2026, Sola Afolabi, said the conference remains critical to shaping national dialogue on digital transformation and economic development.
Honouring Nigeria’s Digital Economy Trailblazers
The event will also feature the 50 Most Influential Figures in Nigeria’s Digital Economy 2026 Awards, celebrating individuals and institutions driving innovation, growth, and capacity building.
Described as the sector’s “Oscars,” the recognition aims to reward excellence and inspire the next generation of digital leaders.
According to Olusegun Oruame, CEO of Knowhow Media International, Nigeria’s digital economy has emerged as one of the country’s strongest growth engines, making convergence between political leaders, policymakers, regulators, and industry indispensable for sustainable national growth.
ICT Growth Underscores Strategic Timing
WACC 2026 comes amid rapid expansion of Nigeria’s ICT sector, which now contributes over 18% of GDP, reinforcing its role as a key driver of economic diversification as the country heads into the 2027 election cycle.
