Bosun Tijani, CEO of CcHub, advises young Nigerian developers against taking on multiple jobs
Bosun Tijani, CEO of CcHub, advises young Nigerian developers against taking on multiple jobs
With technology rapidly assuming control of the world as a means of resolving numerous global problems and achieving economic freedom, many young Nigerians are venturing into that space.
Apart from earning a comfortable living as developers and UI/UX designers, many of them are eyeing jobs abroad to increase their dollar earnings. This is in an attempt to evade the dwindling effects of the Naira's ever-dwindling value and to pursue a better life away from the country's numerous ills.
To address more pressing economic and financial issues, many of these developers have taken on multiple jobs, occasionally as freelancers and frequently as full-time employees of up to two different companies.
However, Bosun Tijani, cofounder and CEO of Co-Creation Hub (CCHub), believes that is not the best approach, particularly for developers seeking mega jobs at the world's largest technology companies.
According to the tech entrepreneur, developers would be wise to focus on one job at a time, focus on self-development, and build up their portfolios sufficiently to land those big tech jobs abroad.
“As a young developer, avoid the multiple gig culture. Locate a local organization that treats you well and pays a reasonable wage, then optimize and raise your game for global companies that can afford what you consider a 'great salary.' Bosun Tijani stated in a tweet, "The global market is yours to take."
While this sounds like sound advice, the country's harsh economic realities make one wonder if it is the optimal course of action. Indeed, several respondents raised legitimate concerns.
While some noted the difficulty of finding local organizations willing to pay and treat developers fairly, others noted that it may be better for a young developer to do what is best for their current circumstances; after all, multiple gigs have been a cultural norm long before being a techie became fashionable.
Bosun Tijani's CC Hub has been at the forefront of African technology development. The hub, which was founded in 2011, is focused on technology as a means of economic prosperity. After ten years of attempting to resolve this issue, its CEO is unquestionably an expert in this field.
Demand for senior developers on a global scale
Senior developers are in high demand on the global market, particularly in the west. Regrettably, Africa is short on senior developers. Adewale Yusuf, CEO of TalentQL, explained the issue in a chat with Technext just before launching his company's Pipeline Program:
The Pipeline Program was necessitated by the continent's massive shortage of Senior Software Engineers. While conducting TalentQL, we discovered that a significant number of available Senior Software Engineers lack the necessary soft skills to compete for global opportunities.
Similarly, Andela was forced to lay off 400 of its junior developers in September 2019. A few months later, in January 2020, the international developer outsourcing company sent a memo to its junior and mid-level developers informing them that they would be laid off in large numbers.
In May 2020, during the height of the Covid-19 lockdowns, the company dropped another 135 more. The reason for these layoffs was that Andela was unable to find enough jobs that matched the talent pool's skill set and experience. In other words, the international market served by it does not require junior and mid-level developers.
Essentially, much of what Bosun said revolves around this issue. Senior developers are in far greater demand globally than junior and mid-level developers. His advice was essentially for developers to develop their skills and experience to the level of a senior developer in order to be prepared for that high-paying international job.
This is sound advice in the long run. However, in Nigeria, the short term is just as important, if not more so, than the long term. That is the crux of the matter.
