Evolve Tech Summit to Unravel Opportunities in Digital Space – Technoville Boss

He has over time become a very special personality, somebody that has become very pivotal to the growth in knowledge of digital technology and the knowledge equation of Bonny Island as a whole. His name resonates amongst young people across Bonny LGA, Rivers State and beyond. He is Richard Sodienye Pepple, and chief executive officer of Technoville Innovation Hub, a Community Builder, Tech Advocate, and a member of Forbes Black Community.

In this interview with Kristina Reports’ editor-in-chief, Godswill Jumbo, he announces the imminence of Evolve Technology Summit 6.0 billed to hold in Bonny come Saturday, November 15, 2025 at the Ibani-Se Hall, Bonny. He also utilizes the occasion to x-ray issues relating to the transitioning of opportunities from traditional to virtual and how young people can create a future that they desire by embracing the digital economy. Enjoy the read!

Kristina Reports: Welcome, Sir. Please, let’s meet you.

Sodienye Pepple: My name is Richard Sodienye Pepple, I’m the CEO and founder of Technoville Innovations Nigeria, a technology company based in Bonny Island that is focused on digital literacy and digital solutions.

So, we are talking about Evolve 6.0, what is it about?

So, Evolve 6.0 is actually called the Evolve Technology Summit and it’s one of the biggest youth-driven initiatives in the city of Bonny Island, of course, championing innovation and digital inclusion in the Niger Delta, and of course, by extension, Nigeria.

Evolve Technology Summit is a flagship program where we drive conversations about digital inclusion, technology, digital literacy and of course, all the emerging technologies. Bonny Island seems to be sort of like a secluded environment and if it’s not oil and gas, if it’s not politics, you barely hear about Bonny and we want to change that narrative. We want to ensure that even whilst these sorts of conversations are ongoing, there is something that is also around the world today which is technology and Bonny is not taking the back seat but, of course, leading in the frontline in technology and innovation in Nigeria and, by extension, Africa, and that is what Evolve is about; championing that conversation.

We understand it’s in Bonny Island, so can we have more details about when this event is holding?

So, the Evolve Technology Summit will be held on the 15th of November at the Ibani-Se Hall and the Ibani-Se Town Hall is one of the biggest auditoriums in Bonny as we speak and we’re expecting around 1,200 people from all walks of life, all ages and all groups to be in attendance. It would kick off on the 15th of November by 10am at the Ibani-Se Hall and we also have an interesting line-up of activities. I mean, one of the things that people think about conferences is all talk and talk and talk and talk but we’re not just talking at this point, we’re engaging, we’re supporting people’s dreams and ensuring that they are able to achieve 10x themselves.

Evolve Tech Summit: The Venue, Ibani-Se Hall, Akiama, Bonny

One of the things we saw online you were talking about is gaming. So, people are like, are we coming there to play?

We’re not coming there to play games but you see gaming as it is, is evolving. Many years ago, gaming was just a form of, you know, carrying your mobile phone or a game console and just playing game as a form of recreational activity in your house but what we’re driving with this year’s Evolve is looking at gaming as a form of a career path, as a form of empowerment, right? We’re saying that our people can become game developers and innovators, right? And that is one of the conversations we’re having and not just gaming, we’re looking at AI, artificial intelligence. We’re looking at illustrations and animations because you see a lot of all these cartoons and video games require all of these people to create those kinds of concepts and that is what we’re trying to achieve with this year’s Evolve; having that conversation, showing people that it is possible and, of course, the people we’re bringing that knowledge upon in this particular field to be able to teach the people and engage them and, of course, spur them to dream.

Now, in the conversations around bridging the skills gap in Nigeria, the biggest challenge everybody has had is the issue of off-taking. Skills acquisition programs are held, training programs in different fields but after the programs the participants are given certificate of participation and then they go back home. What are we looking at with what you have listed and what I’m sure this is like more about a conference, these are things that Technoville has been doing over time? So, what’s the off-taking plan to all of this?

THE VISIONER Quote: “What if the next global innovator is sitting here in Bonny, not waiting for charity, but for opportunity.”

So, you see, one of the things about digital inclusion, digital literacy and the rest is not that it held. It’s in the impact of what the person who participated is doing afterwards and another thing is when you train somebody, especially, in an environment like Bonny, where access to digital tools in even limited. Whilst we have enough access to information and digital literacy, access to tools, tools are things like laptops, computers and the rest that enables them to continue to pursue their careers. Those things are limited here and what we’re doing and what we’ve done and proven over time is when you train somebody, provide access for them.  

We have a program called the Bonny Digital Literacy Initiative Program. It is in partnership with the Youth Resource Center and it is sponsored by the Digital Innovation Department of Nigeria LNG and one of the things that we do when we’re graduating those people is we give them computers because we know that after you’re done training, if you don’t have somebody to keep you engaged, you will go back to doing nothing and that’s not what we want.  

We’ve done four cohorts already. We didn’t just stop there because we also realized that based on financial constraints, we may not be able to give out computers to everybody. So, what we did was to set up a hub and, in that hub, we have computers and we say, okay, after your training, you can come to our office, to the hub and use computers at ease, do whatever it is you want to do, practice, learn. We just want to ensure that you are practicing those things that we’ve taught you.

It’s not for us, it’s not about learning, it’s about empowerment, it’s about engagement. So, when you learn, what are you doing after you’ve learned? So, the same thing people are thinking, okay, when I come to evolve, would I get a computer? I cannot guarantee they’re going to get a computer but you may likely meet somebody whom you have a conversation with and based on your conversation, the person will pick interest and want to even get your computer. Somebody got me my first computer, and look at the impact of what that first computer has done for me. So, I believe that when we’re able to impact on people this way, the future which was looking blank will become something that is very feasible and interesting for people.

Now, stakeholding has been another aspect of what this conversation should incorporate. We see, like you just said, the NLNG coming in, in partnership with the Youth Resource Centre and giving support to what Technoville is doing. But there are gatekeepers like the Amanyanabo of Bonny, the Bonny Chiefs Council, the Bonny Title Citizens, Bonny Women Forum, Bonny Youth Federation, what is it you want to tell them about having a buy-in into the vision, the goal of Technoville?

So, before we continue, it is also important to say that this year’s Evolve Technology Summit is not just hosted by Technoville. It’s co-hosted by Creative Gaming Entertainment. It’s a gaming lounge based in Bonny, which is very passionate about gaming technologies and gaming literacy and the rest. And we also have Kah Studios. Kah Studios is like a global name but also being funded by someone from Bonny, a Bonny person, and they’re also like championing animations and, you know, design and, of course, in Bonny and beyond. So, you see that this is being championed by people from Bonny, right? They’re not people that are not from Bonny as it is.

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS

What is my word to Chief Council, respected Chief Council and, of course, other organizations and leaderships in Bonny is that we really cannot do this alone? You see, the thing about Bonny is Bonny is growing into a cosmopolitan society and environment. It’s not one that will just be built by a fragment of people. It is one that requires everybody, regardless of office, title, whatever it is, or position to come together. And of course, as we’re planning this conference, we’re reaching out to the various arms and seeing how we can collaborate because we’re not just looking at it as a Technoville program or as a program for people in Bonny that are in technology. We’re looking at the ripple effect across every leadership or every organization and so we’re also looking forward to collaborating with all of these people, engaging with them to see how we can get the women involved into learning digital skills, we can get the youth, we can get the men, we can get the fishermen society, we can get the teachers, we can get everybody together, you know, because in 2025 and going beyond, if you don’t have any form of digital literacy, you know that you’ll totally be cut off with the war that is coming and this is us preparing our people for the future.

So, before we let you go, a lot of youths are like excillarating about this, they are expectant, so if you were to speak to them now about Evolve 6.0, which is like a couple of weeks away. So, what is it you want them to bear in mind and that’s a very strong, compelling reason, motivation why they need to attend this program?

So, one of the things that I did not mention is even the line-up of speakers that we have. We have incredible speakers from across Nigeria with notable expertise and achievements and beyond all of these people, we also have the Special Assistant to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Capacity Development, Mr. Sadiq Rabiu. He will be coming as well with his people.

What we’re seeing in Evolve is not a concert. Evolve is not a social gathering. So, don’t come with that mindset. But one key thing you can take away from Evolve is that it would be that spark that will never go down. A spark that will make you dream beyond yourself. So, we’re asking you to come with an open mind, come to connect, come to engage, come to learn, because by the time you are done with all that you’ve experienced and you go back to your house, you begin to think not just about yourself and your career, but even to think, what can I do for Bonny? What can I do for Nigeria? What problem can I solve? Knowing that these things, these problems exist and these problems can be solved through technology, how do I boost myself into those space and begin to solve those problems? So, Evolve is a problem-solving program, an ideational development program.