SkilMony Co-Founder Edwin Orohu Launches Igede Tech Ecosystem to Solve Rural Digital Infrastructure Deficit

By: indexprima

September 21, 2026

Image Source: Edwin Orohu, co-founder of SkilMony

Edwin Orohu, co-founder of SkilMony, has announced the launch of the Igede Tech Ecosystem, a grassroots innovation initiative designed to dismantle the infrastructure and accessibility barriers preventing rural youth in Oju and Obi local government areas of Benue State from participating in the broader digital economy.

The move follows a strategic pivot from traditional one-off tech conferences and short-term virtual bootcamps toward building sustainable, community-anchored tech infrastructure in underserved rural corridors.

Overcoming Infrastructure Gaps in Rural Talent Pipelines

Reflecting on previous editions of SkilMony’s flagship initiative, Your Skills Can Pay Your Bills, Orohu highlighted how systemic bottlenecks—specifically erratic electricity, high internet costs, and a lack of functional hardware—disproportionately exclude rural participants from fully benefiting from national tech opportunities, government hackathons, and virtual skills programs.

While earlier editions provided financial micro-grants, mentorship, and tuition scholarships, the lack of local digital infrastructure meant that participants from outside the local community often derived the most value, leaving local rural talent behind.

“Spending so much on a one-day event that motivates people for a moment but leaves no lasting outcome isn’t good enough anymore,” Orohu stated, emphasizing that true digital inclusion requires establishing permanent access points and localized support systems rather than relying solely on virtual training programs.

Addressing Ecosystem Isolation Across Oju and Obi LGAs

Despite the growth of tech hubs across Benue State and national digital skill initiatives rolled out by state and federal authorities, rural communities across the Igede nation remain largely disconnected from regional venture support, startup funds, and digital skills pipelines.

Having raised these structural challenges at ecosystem stakeholder forums and state government levels, Orohu positioned the Igede Tech Ecosystem as an execution bridge designed to partner with state actors, private sector enablers, and regional tech leaders to solve rural access challenges.

Call for Ecosystem Volunteers, Instructors, and Sponsors

To drive the initial deployment phase, the Igede Tech Ecosystem is issuing a continental call for volunteers, mentors, domain experts, and strategic partners to build out its operational capacity.

The initiative is onboarding talent and contributors across key operational areas:

Technical Mentorship & Instruction: Instructors and mentors across software development, artificial intelligence, data analytics, and digital skills.
Creative & Media Operations: Graphic designers, short-form video editors, content creators, and social media strategists.
Community Leadership: Community managers and program coordinators to manage local student cohorts and ecosystem engagement.
Sponsorship & Infrastructure Partnerships: Corporate sponsors, donor agencies, and hardware partners to provide devices, solar power solutions, and internet connectivity.

By shifting focus from temporary event hosting to permanent ecosystem building, the Igede Tech Ecosystem aims to create an inclusive, resilient digital pipeline for young builders across rural Benue State.