Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo in Ogun State, has reaffirmed its leadership in advancing Nigeria’s digital transformation with a strong emphasis on sustainability, security, and innovation as it hosted the 2026 International Conference on Intelligent Technologies, Systems and Services for the Internet of Everything (ITSSoE).
President/Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Afolarin Ojewole in his welcome address, urged Nigeria to move from “being a passive consumer of technology to becoming a creator and exporter of solutions tailored to its realities and shape its own digital future.”
The two-day international conference themed, “Harnessing Technologies for a Secure, Connected and Sustainable Digital Future,” is an initiative of the Babcock School of Computing in collaboration with RiTECHS, Sycom Integrated Solutions and WOWBII aimed at advancing knowledge, innovation, and strategic collaboration in emerging technologies.
It also sought to shape the future of an interconnected world while bridging the gap between academic research, industry applications, and government policies.
The Director of Aerospace Research, Defense Research and Development Bureau, Air Vice-Marshal Akeem Adebomehin in his keynote address, says “AI introduces new cybersecurity risks that demand proactive management"
Speaking on the conference's theme Artificial Intelligence & Cybersecurity: Strengthening National Security and Resilience in an Era of Emerging Digital Threats, he highlighted AI’s role in enhancing cybersecurity through threat detection, behavioural analysis, fraud and anomaly detection, vulnerability assessment, and automated incident response.
His remarks echoed the priorities of the National AI Strategy 2025, which places cybersecurity and data protection at the core of national resilience.
For the CEO New Horizon Nigeria, Mr. Tim Akano, Africa’s greatest resource lies in its people, not its minerals, urging institutions to unlock human potential and turn it into prosperity.
“History will not ask how many speeches we gave about Africa’s potential. It will ask how much of that potential we turned into prosperity. Our greatest resource is not oil, gold or cobalt. It is the human being we have yet to educate, the inventor we have yet to discover, and the child whose future we are yet to unlock.”
He added that Africa must “build the machinery that turns human potential into human progress, build universities that produce innovators, industries that reward competence, technologies that solve African problems, and institutions that give every capable person a fair chance.”
Chief Executive Officer, Sycom Integrated Solution, Mr. Abdurrahman Akanbi warned of AI-driven cyber risks such as phishing, impersonation, and voice cloning, while emphasizing that sovereignty in the digital age depends on building local skills and capacity.
“Data centres and the best AI tools are not enough. If the people who run, watch and explain them are not ours, we have not secured our sovereignty. We have rented it.”
Even so, panelists and participants remain optimistic. As the ITSSoE 2026 Conference continues Babcock University’s tradition of fostering dialogue and collaboration on digital transformation, sustainability, and national development, confidence is growing that a multisystem approach will help counter cyber threats and strengthen resilience.
The challenges may be real, but the commitment to innovation and thought leadership ensures Nigeria’s digital future remains secure and sustainable.
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