By Adediran Adeola and Ohiri Jacinta
No fewer than 2,000 technology enthusiasts today converged on Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, for the highly anticipated KwaraBuild Tech 2025 Conference.
The conference, themed “Next Builders,” was held at the Ilorin Innovation Hub and attracted a wide range of participants including technology stakeholders, content creators, industry experts, policy makers, and business founders from across Nigeria.
Speaking to journalists, the Lead Organizer of the conference, Mr. Kamaldeen Kehinde, said the main focus of KwaraBuild is to nurture talents and empower young people with technical skills that will enable them to build innovative products and solve real-world problems using technology.
According to him, KwaraBuild has successfully built a growing tech community of over 10,000 members in the past eight years, connecting startup founders and entrepreneurs to opportunities that promote the use of technology in business and everyday life.
Mr. Kehinde further expressed confidence in the capacity of Nigeria’s young tech workforce, noting that they can leverage existing technological infrastructure such as CCTV, tracking systems, and artificial intelligence to combat the security challenges facing the country.
He called on government and key stakeholders to collaborate with the tech community by providing the necessary resources to drive such initiatives.
Also speaking, the Co-Founder of KwaraBuild, Mr. Ibraheem Zulkifli, reaffirmed the commitment of young innovators to addressing national security issues through technology.
Zulkifli revealed that three years ago, the community developed a security software solution, but its adoption rate was low due to poor motivation and lack of support.
Zulkifli stated that with the right encouragement and investment, Nigerian developers can create world-class solutions to tackle security challenges.
He described KwaraBuild 2025 Conference as an annual gathering that began in 2018, designed to foster innovation, mentorship, and collaboration among tech enthusiasts.
Another Co-Founder, Mr. Muhammad Yahaya, emphasized that the KwaraBuild Tech Conference is not only focused on security but also on strengthening the nation’s tech ecosystem and supporting startups to scale their ideas into viable businesses.
A panelist at the event and Director of Programmes at the Ilorin Innovation Hub, Zumah Yahaya, advised participants to acquire soft skills, conduct industry research, and adopt a problem-solving mindset to thrive in the technology sector.
She urged attendees to think globally while solving local problems, stressing that innovation must be driven by data and real societal needs.
Also speaking, the Founder of Algo Hub, Mr. Yusuf Jamiu, encouraged aspiring entrepreneurs to collaborate across tech communities, build locally, and think globally, noting that the global market offers limitless opportunities for Nigerian innovators.
Some of the participants that spoke with journalists expressed their satisfaction with the conference and described it as highly beneficial.
Aishat Akanji and Daniel Olowoniyi, said they attended to build valuable networks, learn new skills, and discover emerging tech trends that would help grow their businesses.
They affirmed that networking, mentorship, and access to industry insights were key takeaways from the event, expressing optimism about applying what they learned to improve their careers and enterprises.
Other participants expressed hope that with increased support from government and private stakeholders, the state could become one of the leading innovation centers in Africa.
