The discover global tech communities series is a new feature highlighting some of the startup and tech communities that we are connected with through our global network of software engineers. We have the pleasure of working with developers from over 44 countries and we are happy to shine the light on these talented folks and the tech scenes in cities that they live in.
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Africa is home to the world’s fastest-growing tech markets, and Lagos has been dubbed as Africa’s unofficial tech capital. Young and aspiring freelancers around the world consider Lagos as their destination of choice. Established businesses and tech leaders also have Lagos on their radar.
To find out more about the Lagos tech scene, we caught up with a local Lagos software developer and Mission Contributor, Faith Adekgobe.
Meet Faith, a Frontend Developer Contributor at Mission
Born and raised in the vibrant city of Lagos, Faith Adekogbe has become deeply entrenched in it’s tech scene over the past few years. Faith discovered her love for software development at a young age, drawn to the logical and analytical dynamic.
A love for software development
Faith followed her passion and studied computer science at a local university. In 2016, she graduated with her BSC in Computer Science, ready to tackle the industry.
Faith kick-started her career as a graduate trainee at Vas2Net technologies where she got experience focusing on software development at an enterprise level. She was exposed to several projects at all stages of the development process.
The challenging environment was the perfect space to grow and develop a career in software development. Faith thrived in her job and within four years, she was the head of a software development team.
An opportunity for further growth
Recognizing that the tech scene extends much further than Nigeria, Faith made an effort to broaden her perspective. That’s when she joined Mission as a Software Developer Contributor at the start of 2021, attracted to the opportunity to combine her talents with those of handpicked tech professionals from around the world.
The Local Tech Community in Lagos
The startup scene in Lagos has become a magnet for investors, attracted by the potential of local talent. While there are many freelancers and aspiring entrepreneurs, there are also a few exciting companies that are leading the charge.
Faith pointed out one company in particular that is blazing a trail. Paystack, a payment processing company that was started by two young developers. The company has grown to become one of the major payment processing brands in the area, expanding their influence across Africa. Paystack even raised $200M and joined Stripe.
Lagos is especially popular for FinTech companies with more than half of newly launched startups focusing within that space.
Faith highlights the following FinTech companies that are particularly exciting.
● Flutterwave — Provides an easy way to make and accept payments both online and through POS. Founded in 2016, Flutterwave provides its tool to companies around the world and has a second office in San Francisco.
● Cowrywise — An app that acts as a consumers personal money toolkit. By providing personalized plans and educational resources, they are empowering their users to take control of their finances.
● Piggyvest — An app to help customers save and invest. They have already helped over 3 million people achieve their financial goals.
The Meetup Community in Lagos
Whether you’ve lived in Lagos for a long time, or you’ve recently arrived, there are plenty of meetups and developer groups to attend. These groups introduce developers, coders, and freelancers to like-minded people, providing a space for innovative collaboration.
Faith suggests a few groups and meetups that offer a great space to brush shoulders with fellow techies.
● Google Developer Group — an active group for developers, designers, and tech enthusiasts
● Dev Fest — a dynamic conference where speakers educate the local community on various topics
● Angular Nigeria — an active group that Faith highly recommends
● She Code Africa — a group that aims to get more women into tech, inviting newbies as well as attracting junior talent who want to upskill
Faith adds, “There is a really strong community of developers who attend a lot of meetups and really come together to share and grow.”
Innovative Coworking Spaces in Lagos
While some coders enjoy the hustle and bustle of a busy space, others enjoy a dedicated area where they can focus on their work and connect at the water cooler. Luckily, Lagos has a lot of productive spaces where freelancers can fire up their laptops and put in a few hours.
For example, Faith explains that the government has developed a startup hub that serves as a physical space for incubation. This space is called Lagos Innovates and is dedicated to supporting the growth of “Africa’s most exciting startup ecosystem”. There are several hubs around the state.
There are many other tech hubs that offer coworking spaces and incubators, such as CcHUB, Zonetech Park, and Leadspace.
Popular Cafes, Restaurants, and Bars to Network
Do you prefer to create magic in a more informal setting?
Faith confirms that there are several cafes, restaurants, and bars that are popular among tech enthusiasts. Visiting any of these spaces could put you in the right place at the right time.
Yaba, an area in Lagos, is known to have a large concentration of startups and a lot of entrepreneurs are drawn to the area. There is a selection of great venues to enjoy a cup of coffee or a delicious local meal. Faith recommends starting at White House which boasts a selection of 21 tasty dishes.
Expansive Growth Is on the Horizon
There’s no denying that Lagos is a hot spot for innovation, creativity, development, and technology. However, the heart of Africa’s tech scene isn’t only known (and loved) for FinTech. There is also a rise in health startups, with a focus on telemedicine, Health FinTech, and more.
Even more encouraging is that many startups are growing organically. Fewer entrepreneurs are relying on venture capital funding to support their growth and scaling up process. With that being said, there are some active venture capitalist firms in Lagos, such as VC4A and TLCOM Capital.
Mission is a market network made up of top software developers from across the globe. Through the Mission network you can get to know experts from all over the world, level up your skills with real-time contextual feedback, and gain access to curated opportunities working with some of North America’s most innovative companies.
