Stakeholders from government, financial services, technology and business sectors are expected to examine the infrastructure required to support Nigeria’s evolving digital economy at a forum in Owerri, Imo State, on Thursday.
The forum, organised as part of the sixth edition of Interswitch’s TechConnect industry engagement series, will hold at Protea Hotel, Owerri, with the theme, ‘Built for What’s Next: Designing Adaptive Financial Infrastructure for a Dynamic Market.’
The discussions will focus on how organisations can develop scalable, secure and interconnected systems capable of responding to changing technology, customer expectations and business models.
The keynote address will be delivered by the Executive Chairman of the Imo State Internal Revenue Service, Mr Justice R. Okoye, FCA, ACTI.
Okoye is expected to examine the role of adaptive financial infrastructure in strengthening institutions, improving service delivery and supporting broader economic participation.
Speaking ahead of the event, Vice President, Business Innovation and Growth, Interswitch, Tyoyila Aga, said organisations must design infrastructure with the capacity to adapt to changing market conditions.
Aga said, ‘Markets, customer expectations and business needs will continue to evolve, so the systems that support them must be scalable, interoperable, secure and resilient enough to evolve with them.’
She said the focus should not be limited to adopting new technology but also on developing connected infrastructure capable of supporting new services, channels and opportunities as they emerge.
A key feature of the Owerri edition will be a panel discussion titled ‘Driving Digital Transformation Through Public-Private Partnerships.’
The panel will feature the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Zikora Microfinance Bank Limited, Dr Kalu Nnachi; Managing Director, Premise2Cloud ICT Solutions Limited, Celestine Obiosa Uzor; Technology and Process Automation representative of the Abia State Internal Revenue Service, Emmanuel Alozie; and Aga of Interswitch.
The session will be moderated by Faith Ukpai, Lead, Partner and Client Management (Sales and Accounts), Interswitch.
The discussion will focus on how government, financial institutions, technology providers and businesses can collaborate on digital solutions, with attention to interoperability, cybersecurity, data protection, resilience and the capacity of digital systems to respond to changing business and customer needs.
The programme will also feature a fireside chat titled ‘Building a Digital Economy: The Role of Government, Industry and Talent in Shaping the Future.’
The session will have the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Anambra State Government, Nomso Ebonwu, and Chief Sales Officer, Interswitch, Robinta Aluyi, as speakers, while Suliat Aliyu, Head, Partnership, Interswitch, will moderate.
The discussion will examine the roles of government, industry and talent in the development of a more connected digital economy.
The forum will also feature product showcases and networking sessions, providing participants with opportunities to examine payment and digital commerce solutions and their applications across businesses, financial institutions and public-sector organisations.
The Owerri engagement is the first stop in the four-city TechConnect 6.0 series, which will continue in Abuja on October 8, Ibadan on October 22 and Lagos on October 27, 2026.
The series is expected to provide stakeholders across sectors with opportunities to exchange ideas and practical experiences on the infrastructure, innovation and partnerships required to support the continued development of digital finance.