News Highlights:
- Nigeria’s digital economy, now contributing over 18% to GDP, takes centre stage as policymakers, investors, and tech leaders converge in Lagos for WACC 2026.
- MOFI’s strategic partnership and the APC Chairman’s keynote underscore growing alignment between government policy, political leadership, and private-sector innovation.
As Nigeria’s digital economy consolidates its position as a major driver of national growth, policymakers, investors, and technology leaders are converging on Lagos for the 15th West Africa Convergence Conference (WACC) 2026, a forum increasingly seen as pivotal to shaping the country’s next development phase.
The conference, alongside the 50 Most Influential Figures in Nigeria’s Digital Economy recognition ceremony, is drawing strong institutional backing, reflecting heightened interest in a sector that now contributes over 18 per cent to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
With participation confirmed by state governments, private sector leaders, and development stakeholders, the event is expected to serve as a strategic interface between policy direction and market execution.
At the centre of this year’s engagement is the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), which has joined as a strategic partner, signalling deeper alignment between public asset management and technology-driven economic expansion.
Established in 1959 as the Federal Government’s asset-holding and investment management institution, MOFI oversees more than 130 portfolios, including Government Owned Entities, with an ambitious target to grow its assets under management to ₦100 trillion within the next decade.
Speaking on the partnership, the Chief Executive Officer of MOFI, Dr. Armstrong Ume Takang, emphasised the alignment between the conference’s objectives and the agency’s mandate.
“The conference theme aligns with MOFI’s mandate as the Federal Government of Nigeria’s assets and investment management institution, and we welcome the opportunity to engage with the policymakers, investors, and digital economy stakeholders that this platform convenes,” he said.
He added that the organisation is committed to contributing meaningfully to policy discussions and stakeholder engagement. “MOFI is committed to actively participating in the conference and contributing to the policy dialogue, including delivering the proposed presentation and engaging with key stakeholders across the public and private sectors.
“We believe this platform aligns strongly with our mandate to catalyse investment, foster public-private partnerships, and drive innovation-led economic growth.”
Providing political context to the conference, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has also endorsed the initiative, describing it as timely given Nigeria’s transition toward a new development cycle beyond 2027.
Recently re-elected at the party’s 8th National Convention in Abuja, Yilwatda noted that the conference offers a critical opportunity for cross-sector engagement on technology’s role in national transformation.
“The opportunity to engage policymakers, industry leaders, technology innovators, investors, and ecosystem builders on the role of technology in accelerating national development is both timely and important,” he said, while commending the organisers.
“I commend Knowhow Media International for sustaining this credible, non-partisan platform that bridges policy vision, political leadership, and private-sector execution.”
Yilwatda is expected to headline the event with a keynote address at a high-level policy colloquium themed “Leveraging Technology for Development in Nigeria, 2027–2031: Delivering the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
The presentation will explore how digital innovation can drive economic expansion, improve governance frameworks, and enhance public service delivery in the coming political and economic cycle. Organisers say the colloquium will serve as the intellectual anchor of WACC 2026, preceding the recognition of leading figures shaping Nigeria’s digital landscape.
The timing of the conference coincides with sustained growth in Nigeria’s information and communications technology sector, which continues to expand as a cornerstone of economic diversification.
Against this backdrop, WACC 2026 is positioned to interrogate how digital tools can be leveraged to deepen inclusive growth, strengthen institutions, and reduce reliance on oil revenues.
Organised by Knowhow Media International, publishers of IT Edge News.Africa, the conference has, for over two decades, functioned as a bridge between government policy and private-sector innovation.
This year’s edition is expected to attract governors from Enugu, Kogi, Plateau, Akwa Ibom, and Imo states, alongside chief executives of telecommunications firms, data centre operators, fintech companies, regulators, venture capitalists, startup founders, and academic leaders.
A key feature of the event will be an investors’ pitch session, where state governments will present digital governance initiatives and investment-ready projects to potential partners, reinforcing the role of subnational entities in driving technology adoption and infrastructure development.
Chairman of WACC 2026, Sola Afolabi, noted that the conference continues to shape national conversations on digital transformation and economic growth, while also recognising individuals and institutions whose contributions are advancing Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem.
For the organisers, the significance of WACC 2026 lies in its ability to convene critical stakeholders at a defining moment for the country’s digital economy.
Chief Executive Officer of Knowhow Media International, Olusegun Oruame, underscored this point, stating, “The continuous relevance of this sector cannot be overstated. Equally crucial is the need to bring political leaders, policymakers, and the business community together. This convergence is critical to achieving real and sustainable growth.”
