IMT Conference: Digital Skills Key to Job Opportunities, Commissioner Tells Students

Our Reporter 

The Enugu State Commissioner for Trade, Investment and Industry, Dr Sam Ogbu-Nwobodo, on Thursday urged students of the Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu, to acquire digital skills and embrace emerging technologies to remain relevant in the changing job market.

Nwobodo gave the charge while speaking as Special Guest and Chairman at the 2026 Conference of the Faculty of Communication Arts, IMT, Enugu.

The conference, themed, “Communication, Information Management and Entrepreneurship in the Digital Era,” brought together academics, students and other stakeholders to examine the impact of digital technology and artificial intelligence on communication, information management and entrepreneurship.

The commissioner said the rapid evolution of communication technology and the emergence of artificial intelligence had made digital knowledge indispensable for students and professionals.

He urged the students to take academic conferences seriously, describing them as intellectual exercises that complement classroom lectures.

“Those that can do that will be relevant in the job market, while those who don't will be left behind,” he said.

Nwobodo also cautioned the students on the ethical implications of artificial intelligence, saying the technology could enhance productivity and create opportunities for self-employment if properly deployed.

He urged them to develop the capacity to verify information and guard against misinformation.

“Information management helps you to source, process and communicate truthfully and efficiently. You must therefore be mindful of misinformation. There should be no shortcut,” he said.

On entrepreneurship, the commissioner said the Enugu State Government was focused on creating an enabling environment for businesses and investments to thrive.

He said the administration of Governor Peter Mbah had introduced measures aimed at reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks and making government services more predictable, transparent and accessible.

Nwobodo cited the Citizens' Charter and Executive Order 003 on Ease of Doing Business, as well as Executive Order 005 on service-level agreements and default provisions.

He said the policies were designed to improve service delivery and reduce bureaucratic hurdles in areas such as business permits and land transactions.

The commissioner added that infrastructure, including roads, water, schools and healthcare facilities, was also critical to creating an environment conducive to enterprise.

He said the government's interventions, including the Smart Green Schools, were connected to its broader objective of growing the state's economy from $4.4bn to $30bn.

According to him, security was also an important component of an enabling environment for investment and enterprise.

Nwobodo further said Enugu had improved its position in the ease-of-doing-business assessment, moving from 36th out of 37 states in an earlier ranking to sixth position in the World Bank ranking he referenced.

The Rector of IMT, Prof Gozie Ogbodo, said the conference was consistent with the institution's role as an academic and intellectual centre.

Ogbodo, who said it was the first conference of the faculty he had attended since becoming Rector about one year and eight months ago, said his administration's vision of a “New IMT” was anchored on excellence.

He commended the Faculty of Communication Arts for organising the conference and challenged other faculties to hold at least one academic conference annually.

Earlier, the Dean of the faculty, Dr Innocent Eze, said the communication and information sector remained one of the most dynamic sectors of the economy because of the rapidly changing media landscape.

Eze urged communication professionals to leverage emerging technologies for effective information management and national development.

The keynote address, titled “From Digital Possibilities to Sustainable Impact: Reimagining Nigeria's Development in the Digital Era,” was delivered by Prof Stella Chinyere Okunna, described as the first female professor of mass communication in sub-Saharan Africa.

She was represented by Prof Doris Muora of Madonna University's Department of Mass Communication.

Okunna said Nigeria must move beyond access to technology and focus on converting digital opportunities into measurable and inclusive development.

She noted that artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies were already being deployed in banking, agriculture, healthcare and education.

The keynote speaker called for increased digital infrastructure and literacy, particularly in rural communities, to bridge the digital divide.

She also advocated responsible digital governance, stressing that artificial intelligence should support rather than replace human intelligence.

“Future will not simply happen to Nigeria; Nigeria should deliberately design the future,” she said.

The conference was attended by the Royal Father of the Day, HRH Igwe (Lt. Col.) Okonkwo Mbah (retd.), Traditional Ruler of Nomeh-Unateze; the Head of Mass Communication and Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Dr Chukwudi Anyianuka; and Prof Jacinta U. Eze, University Librarian, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, who presented a paper at the conference.