NDDC MD urges Niger Delta youths to shift from oil to tech at PH Tech Expo 2026

Samuel Ogbuku, managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has called on youths in the region to transition from oil-dependent livelihoods to technology-driven opportunities. He made the appeal during the opening of the Port Harcourt Tech Exposition 2026 (PHTECHEXPO26) on Thursday, June 11, 2026. The two-day event, now in its third year, aims to foster innovation, create jobs, and promote tech-based wealth creation among young people. Ogbuku described technology as a leveler accessible to both rich and poor, emphasizing that the new source of wealth lies in tech, not oil.

Ogbuku urged collaboration between public and private sectors to support emerging talents and developers. He said government should fund identified innovators to stimulate job creation. "This is the real job area," he stated, adding that laziness, not lack of parental support, defines the modern orphan. He encouraged youths to develop apps, calling them "your own oil well." Ogbuku also warned that Artificial Intelligence could displace jobs, but those ahead of the curve would lead. The 2026 theme, 'Syntropy,' which refers to increasing complexity, order, and organization, was described by him as fitting for the current tech era.

Representing NITDA Director-General Kashifu Unuwa Abdullahi, Aristotle Onumo, director of corporate planning and strategy at NITDA, said Nigeria must move from startup emergence to scale-up growth. He stressed that invisible assets—ideas and innovation—are now more valuable than physical resources. Aleruchi Akani, permanent secretary of the Rivers State ICT Department, said many Port Harcourt startups have already gained traction in Abuja and internationally. She disclosed that Rivers State is set to launch its ICT policy and a corresponding law soon.

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