On September 20, 2025, Uyo made history by hosting its inaugural WordCamp. Under the theme “Empowering the Digital Future,” over 200 developers, designers, entrepreneurs, and students gathered at the Vinpy Event Centre, Uyo.
The event, featuring 15 speakers, including panellists, created a platform for knowledge sharing and meaningful connections. “The energy in the room was electric,” reflected one organiser, “and the passion of every speaker, volunteer, and participant made the event unforgettable.”
Months of planning and coordination by a team of passionate organisers and dedicated volunteers, who handled everything from registration to technical support, resulted in an event that attendees described as both professionally valuable and genuinely welcoming.
It was made possible through the generous support of major sponsors, including Automattic, WooCommerce, WordPress.com, Bluehost, Hosting.com, Kinsta, Elementor, and Jetpack, whose backing enabled the community to focus entirely on creating a quality experience.
Key Takeaways from Local Leaders
Keynote speaker Hanson Johnson delivered a powerful reminder about the importance of community guidance and creating safe spaces for young people in Akwa Ibom, where they can learn and grow. His call for supportive learning environments set the tone for the day’s conversations on making technology more accessible and inclusive.
The speaker lineup tackled real challenges facing Nigeria’s digital community with candour and practical solutions:
Manti Umoh delivered a standout session on education and inclusion.“Education is the foundation of every opportunity,” she stressed, linking stability to dignity.. With WordPress offering tools from logos to languages, she reminded participants that it’s their responsibility to make platforms personal and reflective of their voices. Her closing challenge echoed across the room: “When you build, when you code, let it start with you.”
Emmanuel Bee Etim reframed freelancing as more than skills.“Freelancing isn’t just about skills, it’s about relationships and community,” he said, highlighting that careers in Nigeria’s growing gig economy depend on genuine connections.
Building on this theme, David Inyang-Etoh brought clarity to the realities of freelancing, urging participants to treat gigs as stepping stones rather than endpoints. His advice: aim for product companies or build agencies to secure long-term stability and growth.
Samuel Maurice simplified digital strategy into a memorable framework: “WordPress is a hub, SEO is an engine, social media is an amplifier.” He urged attendees to move beyond simply being online to creating meaningful digital impact through strategic use of these tools.
Blector Victor tackled perfectionism, encouraging attendees to “document your journey” and embrace failure as a necessary step toward improvement. Her message liberated many from the pressure of expertise, inspiring them to start sharing their work and progress in the open.
David Edet Orok connected technical skill with visibility in his session on AI development.“The world won’t know what you’re building unless you tell them,” he stressed, showing that technical excellence must be paired with communication and community engagement to truly make an impact.
Beyond individual sessions, the event also focused on the essential frameworks for sustainable business. The “Legal Lifelines for WordPress Startups” panel stood out as one of the day’s most practical sessions.
Lydia Aganin and Promise Ochibry addressed the legal blind spots that often hinder the growth of businesses, providing clear, actionable guidance that entrepreneurs can apply immediately.
On the design front, Chiehiura Basil emphasised human-centred design and the smart use of AI and automation. Her call was simple: create products people love, and use technology to strengthen human connection. She urged attendees to think beyond technical capability and focus on solving real problems for real people.
Taking this design-first mindset to a global stage, Sunday Ukafia expanded the conversation with a challenge to “integrate yourself into a global ecosystem.” He showed how local ambitions can align with global opportunities through the WordPress community, encouraging participants to build locally with a global mindset.
The Business of WordPress panel reminded us that WordPress is not just a tool but it is also a launchpad for growth.
Manasseh Victor, Emediong Emmanuel, Charles Izuoba and Emmanuel Etim, all shared real stories of starting out as freelancers, struggling to find clients, and then figuring out how to scale into agencies without burning out. They spoke about mistakes they made, the lessons learned, and how tools like AI and no-code are shaping the way forward.
The panel session delivered actionable insights for students, freelancers, and business leaders alike. Establishing the fact that, with WordPress, your skills can shape a thriving career, business, and community.
What’s Next?
The success of this inaugural event positions Uyo as an emerging hub for WordPress innovation in Nigeria. The event showed that building Nigeria’s digital future doesn’t require proximity to major tech centres, it requires committed people willing to share knowledge and support each other’s growth.
As one organiser noted: “This is just the beginning, and I’m excited to see the ripple effects of the conversations and connections that started here.”
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