Lira City | Digital innovation, collaboration, and empowerment took center stage on Saturday morning as the second edition of WordCamp Lira 2025 opened at Lira Town College under the theme “Build, Connect and Empower with WordPress.”
The gathering has attracted innovators, students, educators, and residents who see technology not only as a tool for creativity but also as a driver of social and economic transformation.
Delivering the opening keynote, Milton Emmy Akwam, Founder and Managing Editor of tndNews, challenged participants to embrace WordPress as a vehicle for digital growth.
He acknowledged the opportunities and challenges technology has brought but stressed that what matters most is the determination of people willing to innovate. WordCamp, he said, “provides that vital platform for inspiration and action.”
The second edition builds on the success of the inaugural WordCamp in 2024, themed “Empowering Digital Creativity.”
Spearheaded by innovator and ITC teacher of Lira Town College, Emmanuel Angoda, the initiative has quickly evolved into a hub for young people passionate about technology not only in Northern Uganda, but across the country and beyond.
Akwam reminded participants that WordCamps worldwide have become more than conferences, and now serves as community-driven spaces where people exchange ideas, gain practical skills, and launch impactful projects.
Focusing on the three action words in this year’s theme—Build, Connect, Empower—Akwam urged participants to begin by building.
With WordPress, he added, innovators can create e-commerce platforms, news websites, or educational portals in hours or days, depending on design needs.
He highlighted WordPress’s dominance in the digital ecosystem, citing statistics that show it powers 43.4 percent of websites worldwide and commands a 60.8 percent share of the global content management system market.
By August 2025, more than 541 million websites were running on WordPress, supported by a vast ecosystem of over 30,000 themes and 70,000 plugins. For those interested in online commerce, the figures are equally compelling.
According to Akwam, WordPress powers nearly a third of the world’s top e-commerce sites. He also noted that with platforms like Jumia and Jiji Uganda based in Central Uganda, there is no reason why Northern Uganda cannot replicate such innovation.
With the right connections and commitment, he said, innovators in Lira could build platforms that generate jobs, market regional products, and put Northern Uganda on the global digital map.
The second principle—connection—was presented as the lifeblood of digital progress. Akwam emphasized the importance of networks, teamwork, and consistency, describing them as the three Cs: Connection, Collaboration, and Commitment.
He encouraged participants to maintain the relationships formed during WordCamp beyond the event, saying such ties could translate into mentorship, partnerships, and opportunities for scaling innovations.
Students, in particular, were urged to seize these networks as stepping stones into future careers.
Empowerment, the third principle, was framed as both a digital skill and a social responsibility. Akwam said participants should not only use new knowledge for personal advancement but also to empower their communities. Every skill gained, he argued, should move individuals and their groups forward, creating opportunities for families, schools, and businesses.
Empowerment, he added, is a multiplier effect whose benefits ripple across society.
To illustrate his point, Akwam shared his own journey as a media entrepreneur. In 2012, he founded tndNews—then known as The Northern Daily—without much technical knowledge but with a strong desire to innovate and inspire.
Twelve years later, the platform has influenced the creation of more than eight digital news websites in the Lango sub-region, 70 percent of them directly inspired by his pioneering work.
His story, he said, should motivate young innovators to take risks and remain focused. Success in the digital world, he added, is not limited to advanced technical experts but belongs to anyone with the courage to learn and persevere.
Akwam reinforced his message with global perspectives. He cited filmmaker Godfrey Reggio’s line that “It’s not that we use technology, we live technology,” and WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg’s reminder that “Technology is best when it brings people together.”
He concluded with his own reflection: “WordCamp is a learning center for digital-minded entrepreneurs.”
Akwam urged participants to be bold and start shaping their futures immediately, consult experts, and remain steadfast in their dreams. He stressed that early exposure to WordPress could open pathways into careers in software development, digital marketing, journalism, and entrepreneurship.
The growth of WordCamp in Lira represents a significant step in the region’s digital journey. Long overlooked in Uganda’s tech ecosystem, Northern Uganda is gradually carving out a space as a hub of digital talent and entrepreneurship.
By bringing together innovators, educators, and young learners, WordCamp is not only encouraging the use of technology, but also inspiring solutions tailored to local challenges.
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