Most apps don't launch on pristine infrastructure. If you're like me, you've probably shipped code to a setup that's one power outage or bad config away from chaos. I remember my first real deployment in Lagos back in 2018. We were building a payment gateway for small businesses, bootstrapped with a team of three. Our infra? A single DigitalOcean droplet costing $20 a month, shared with our staging environment. No Kubernetes, no auto-scaling groups - just SSH, rsync, and a prayer that NEPA wouldn't cut the lights mid-deploy. That app processed millions in transactions before we ever touched AWS properly. The point is, imperfect infra is the norm, especially when you're starting out or running lean. Perfect setups are for companies with deep pockets, not the scrappy teams driving Nigeria's tech scene.
A few years back, I was that guy in Lagos who dreamed big about self-improvement but always fell short. Picture this: I'd wake up at 5 a.m., full of fire to devour books on coding or business strategy, only to crash after 20 minutes because my mind wandered to the day's hustle - dodging okadas on Third Mainland Bridge or prepping for another client meeting. Long study marathons sounded noble, but they never stuck. Then I stumbled on a simple shift: breaking learning into 30-minute blocks. It wasn't some flashy app or guru's course. It was just me, a timer, and a no-excuses promise to show up daily. Two years in, I've gone from zero coding knowledge to building small apps that earn side cash, all while juggling a full-time job and family.
I remember the day my nephew in Lagos came home buzzing about a WhatsApp forward. 'Uncle, see this! A pastor says if you pray with this oil at midnight, you'll get millions from an overseas account.' He was 12, eyes wide with excitement, already planning to share it with his classmates. In Nigeria, where WhatsApp groups light up with every rumour from 'herbal cures' for everything to election rigging stories, kids are swimming in a sea of unverified info. That moment hit me: we can't just tell them to 'be careful' - we have to teach them to question.
Starting a business sounds glamorous - the independence, the potential for big wins, the chance to build something from nothing. But when I launched my first venture in Lagos five years ago, a small online store selling affordable gadgets imported from China, reality hit hard. I had saved up some money from my banking job, quit to go full-time, and dreamed of scaling to multiple outlets across Nigeria. Within six months, I was scrambling to pay suppliers while dodging calls from angry customers. Looking back, here are the harsh truths I wish someone had hammered into me before I jumped in.
A few years back, I was knee-deep in building an e-commerce app for small businesses in Lagos. The idea was simple: help market traders sell online without the hassle of big platforms taking huge cuts. I spent months obsessing over every line of code. The database schema had to be bulletproof, the API endpoints needed perfect error handling, and the frontend? It was going to be pixel-perfect responsive design across every device imaginable. I rewrote the authentication module three times because I kept finding edge cases. By the time I was 'almost ready,' competitors had launched similar apps and grabbed the market.
Freelancing sounds like the ultimate dream for many Nigerian professionals - work from anywhere, set your own hours, and earn dollars while sipping garri in your Lagos apartment. I fell for it hook, line, and sinker back in 2019. Fresh out of a soul-crushing 9-5 in banking, I quit to become a full-time graphic designer on Upwork. Six months in, I was celebrating my first $1,000 payout. Two years later, I'm still freelancing, but the shine has worn off, revealing a grind that's equal parts exhilarating and exhausting. Here's the unfiltered truth about making it work as a Nigerian.
I've lost count of the times I've seen talented professionals in Nigeria stall their careers because they couldn't quickly access the right information. Picture this: you're a software developer in Lagos eyeing a remote gig with a US firm. You need to brush up on React hooks, understand salary benchmarks for Nigerians abroad, and scout visa options - all before tomorrow's interview. Without a system, you're drowning in tabs, forgotten bookmarks, and half-remembered Google searches. With one? You're prepared, confident, and one step ahead.
I've watched friends and colleagues in Nigeria grapple with this question for years: should I pursue a Master's degree? Some jet off to the UK or Canada on scholarships, others grind through local programs amid ASUU strikes, and a few skip it entirely to build skills on the job or online. It's a decision that can shape your entire career trajectory, especially in a job market where unemployment hovers around 33% for young people and connections often trump credentials.
A few years back, I watched my cousin Chidi unravel right in front of our family. He was the guy everyone turned to - the one who'd drop everything to fix a neighbor's generator at midnight, host uninvited relatives for weeks, or lend money he didn't have. 'No wahala,' he'd say with that easy Lagos smile. But one day, during a heated family meeting, he snapped. Tears streaming, he unloaded years of bottled-up frustration. 'I've been carrying all of you on my back, and nobody sees me breaking!' The room went silent. Chidi wasn't just tired; he was empty. Saying yes to everyone had cost him his peace, his relationships, and nearly his health.
There is a terrorism problem in Nigeria, period. And it doesn’t discriminate.
Before & after laundry transformation. Wrinkled clothes restored to fresh, crisp, clean perfection.
Working in the travel space for nearly a year as the Project Manager for a logistics team, overseeing and being involved in the planning of trips to over fifteen countries, and speaking with people from different parts of the world, has really changed how I see the world. So, here’s my list, a mix of countries I’ve admired for years and some that simply won my heart.
Before diving in, a quick disclaimer : my basic needs are met, and on a good day, having a job makes finding the next one easier. The market is unstable, and I am fully aware of that.
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AI has changed how we work, think, and even hire. It’s brilliant at handling data, automating tasks, and saving time. But even at its best, AI can’t do what makes us human.
There has been a number of blackouts from big-tech over the last couple of weeks affecting end-users and other companies around the world. Is it the effect replacing skilled workers with ai especially on the development aspect. Is this a case of cause and effect?