Introduction
On Saturday October 17, 2026, the Google Developer Groups Warri - GDG Warri which I had the honor of founding in 2018, hosted its annual community-led tech conference - DevFest Warri 2026 with the theme "Build, Secure, Scale: Developers and Builders in the Agentic Era."
A group photo with of DevFest Warri 2026 Speakers and our special guests from Maton Engineering and PIND
A look at the Google Developer Groups Warri - GDG Warri
The Google Developer Groups - GDG , are a community-led, local chapter of developers, students, designers, and tech enthusiats interested in Google's technologies and APIs.
The GDG Warri is a part of the global Google Developer Groups. We began our local chapter in Delta State in 2018. You can learn more about the evolution of the GDG Warri here.
The Sessions at DevFest Warri 2026
Google Developer Expert on Cloud AI, Shadrack Inusah speaking at DevFest Warri 2026 on Build, Secure, and Scale.
We had an amazing line-up of speakers for this year's DevFest including having in person, for the first time, a Google Developer Expert from Accra Ghana, Shadrack Inusah.
Here are the session that were covered at DevFest Warri 2026.
- Ship an MCP server from your OpenAPI Spec by Constance Etiosa, Developer Advocate at Moniepoint.
- Technical Debt nobody talks about: the decisions that quietly slow down your project by Covenant Popoola.
- DevFest in 15 minutes by Charles Freeborn.
DevFest in 15 minutes by Charles Freeborn
- Shipping AI to Production: Backend Patterns, Cloud Deployment and Live Demo by Kingsley Akindele.
- Build, Secure, Scale: Engineering for a world of AI agents by Shadrack Inusah, Google Developer Expert
- Panel/Fireside Tech as an engine for security, employment and job creation - featuring Oghenetejiri Omojimite, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd, and Charles Othuke. Moderator: Charles Freeborn.
- AI and the future of Design by Philip Chidera.
Highlights and Lessons from DevFest Warri 2026
Some major highlights for us from this year's DevFest Warri was hosting the event at the W3W Creative Hub - a soace that reflects our commitment to creating opportunities for technology, creativity, innovation, and collaboration in Delta State, the Niger Delta region, and Nigeria.
Connecting Students with the Tech Ecosystem
A group photo with students of Ugborikoko Secondary School at DevFest Warri
Another highlight was having in attendance students of my alma mater - the Ugborikoko Secondary School, Effurun, Dleta State.Their participation was a reminder of why community-led technology initatives matter. By introducing these students to developers, industry professionals, and Artificial Intelligence, we can help them see the possiblities available to them and encourage them to begin exploring careers in tech.
Building Bridges across Industries
We were also pleased to welcome representatives from Tantita Security Nigeria Ltd, Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta - PIND, and Maton Engineering Nigeria Ltd.
Their presence added an important dimension to the event, creating opportunities for conversations about how we can influence the Niger Delta region.
Fireside chat on Tech as an engine for security, job creation and employment at DevFest Warri 2026.
Appreciating the support for DevFest Warri 2026
Charles Freeborn takes special guest and speakers on a tour of the W3W Creative Hub
DevFest Warri has run for eight in a row as a FREE conference, all thanks to our anazing partners and supporters who have made this possible.Most thankful to the following for their support:
- Maton Engineering
- Levitate
- Naija Grphics Designers - NGD
- The W3W Creative Hub
- The amazing team of co-organizers from the GDG Warri - Oghenetejiri Omojimite, Daniel, Martha, Edmiund Chibuzor, and Kelvin Forteta.
- The team of volunteers from the GDG Warri community.
To our speakers, attendees, partners, volunteers, and everyone who contributed in one way or another, thank you for being part of this journey.
Join the GDG Warri
DevFest is one part of what we do at GDG Warri. Throughout the year, we continue to create opportunities for developers, students, and technology enthusiasts to learn, connect, and collaborate through workshops, meetups, hackathons, and other community activities.
As we reflect on eight editions of DevFest Warri, our commitment remains the same: to help grow a stronger developer ecosystem in Effurun, Warri, and across the Niger Delta through technology, knowledge sharing, and community building.
Join the GDG Warri community to stay informed about upcoming events, connect with fellow developers, and be part of the next chapter of our journey.
Here's to building, securing, and scaling together.
If you read to the end, here's our special gift to you - the official DevFest Warri 2026 photos.