As part of activities leading to the third edition of ‘The Pivot’ Conference, tagged, ‘Pivot Conference 3.0’, coming up on October 18, the organisers have hosted a fireside chat and media interaction aimed at building conversations, anticipation and engaging the media ahead of the main event.
The session, held in Awka, on Wednesday, brought together selected speakers — including legal experts, cultural promoters, vendor conveners, and digital economy advocates — for an interactive and engaging panel conversation on digitisation, business growth, and community transformation in the South-East.
While interacting with journalists during the session, the Convener, Ifedy Ralph Eze, Esq, said The Pivot Conference is not just an event, but a movement and a bold declaration that South-East can define its own digital and economic future.
Eze said the programme launched in 2022 is aimed at ensuring that people, especially entrepreneurs and innovators in the South-East leverage digital tools/platforms that connect them to opportunities, as well as tools and networks that can scale up their ideas into prosperity.
He said this year’s theme, tagged, ‘Reimagine South-East: A digital future for all — Mainstreaming digital inclusion in homogenous communities’, is both urgent and ambitious, adding that ‘The Pivot’ has grown from a gathering into a catalyst for transformation — training entrepreneurs, sparking collaborations, and giving voice to a new generation of innovators.
According to him, the conference will feature two exciting pitch rooms – one showcasing MSMEs from its Pivot Bootcamp, telling their journeys of moving “from manual to mobile”.
He said, “When we launched ‘The Pivot’ three years ago, it was out of one conviction: that our people are not lacking in talent or creativity, but in platforms that connect them to opportunities, tools, and networks that can scale their ideas into prosperity.
“Since then, ‘The Pivot’ has grown from a gathering into a catalyst for transformation — training entrepreneurs, sparking collaborations, and giving voice to a new generation of innovators.
“This year, our theme is both urgent and ambitious. Why this theme? Because in our region, opportunity is often concentrated in a few hands, while many remain excluded. Our markets, our churches, our cooperatives, our schools, and our industries are vibrant — but they are not yet fully digital.
“The future we envision is one where every community, every cluster, every young person has access to the tools, knowledge, and networks that power prosperity in the digital age.
“On October 18, we will convene 5,000 participants — policy leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, educators, women in tech, grassroots innovators, and students. Together, they will engage in high-level plenaries, four dynamic breakout sessions, and pitch rooms that spotlight real transformation stories:
“We are also proud to be launching the Bridge4Scale Digital Innovation Hub – European Union supported region-wide platform driving sector-specific digital transformation. This landmark initiative will anchor long-term digital adoption across the South-East.
“And because the future belongs to the young, The Pivot Conference will feature two exciting pitch rooms: One showcasing MSMEs from our Pivot Bootcamp, telling their journeys of moving ‘from manual to mobile’.
“Another one is spotlighting young girls from the National Girls in ICT Competition, proving that the next digital trailblasers are already among us. But The Pivot is not about one day, or one stage. It is about what happens after. It is about partnerships formed, opportunities unlocked, and lives transformed long after October 18.”
He urged partners and the media, to carry the message across Nigeria and beyond, adding that together, “we can show that South-East is not just a place of potential, but a hub of possibility, innovation, and resilience.
“The Pivot Conference 3.0 is more than an announcement. It is a statement of intent. That we will not be left behind in the digital revolution. That the Southeast will lead with courage, creativity, and collaboration.
“That we will build a future where no one is excluded. We invite you to join us, partner with us, and tell this story with us. The journey to a digital, inclusive South-East begins here,” he added.
The Fireside Chat featured engaging discussions on real experiences, practical solutions, and future possibilities, with discussants offering business owners and community leaders relatable, practical insights on leveraging digital tools.
No fewer than 5,000 participants, including policy leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, educators, women in technology, grassroots innovators and students will converge on the International Convention Centre, Awka for the conference on October 18.
