GitHub data reveals a continuous surge in the Nigerian tech ecosystem, with a remarkable growth of 45.62% in the number of software developers in 2023. The number reached 872,162 individuals, showcasing the significant impact of Tinubu’s 100 days in office. The developer platform made it clear that its count of developer accounts does not include users flagged as bots or deemed as spam in their internal systems. However, it’s important to note that the total number of developers on the platform, surpassing 100 million, does not provide the complete perspective. It was revealed to BusinessDay by software developers that the platform houses about 90 percent of developers.
The comprehensive report includes information about the expansion of developers in Nigeria throughout the year, from Q3 2022 to Q3 2023. Over this period, the count of developers increased significantly, rising from 598,921 to 872,162. Nigeria, as the foremost economic power in Africa, proudly possesses the largest pool of developers compared to any other country on the continent, with Egypt and South Africa following suit. By the closing of Q3 2023, GitHub encompassed a community comprising 792,790 Egyptian developers and 540,586 South African developers. Nevertheless, developers cautioned that the sheer quantity of GitHub users does not necessarily translate into everyone being employed.
Google stated that Nigeria had 84,000 professional developers in 2021.
According to Chime Somtochukwu, a Frontend Software Engineer at FlexFinance, there is a discrepancy between the number of professionals on GitHub and the figure given by Google for professional developers in Nigeria. Google stated that Nigeria had 84,000 professional developers in 2021, whereas GitHub’s data showed a lower number. Google also reported that Africa’s total number of professional developers increased by 3.8%, reaching 716,000. Furthermore, as of that time, there were 395,367 Nigerian developers on GitHub.
Also, according to Google, a significant factor leading to this growth was the surge in employment by small local businesses and the rising need for skilled technology professionals who can work remotely. The report states that the favourable development was driven by three key elements within the tech landscape. Firstly, the thriving local startup scene emerged as a prominent catalyst, employing over half of African developers and attracting an impressive $4 billion in funding throughout 2021, marking a 2.5x increase from the previous year.
Potential employers rely on GitHub profiles to assess job applicants.
Secondly, the global surge in demand for remote tech expertise, a direct consequence of the pandemic, has significantly expanded employment prospects for African developers in remote positions. In conclusion, local enterprises have embraced the Internet as a platform for expansion, enlisting the expertise of developers to foster their online business growth. According to Google, African developers tend to be younger compared to those in more established markets. Additionally, the continent has witnessed a surge in layoffs within start ups due to a decrease in available funding, potentially impacting employment rates within the developer community. Recent data from Briter Bridges unveiled about 2,500 job cuts among African start up staff in the year 2023.
Somtochukwu further explains that GitHub provides an opportunity for developers to work together and display their expertise simultaneously. Also, Olajumoke Oluwadamilola, a mobile app developer, emphasised the importance of GitHub, stating that potential employers rely on GitHub profiles to assess the potential of job applicants. By reviewing these profiles, employers can gain insight into the projects candidates have undertaken and examine the organisation and quality of their code. Oluwadamilola further shared her practice of assigning specific project tasks to other developers without manually sharing the code with them.
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Enhancing her collaboration capabilities, this remarkable platform effortlessly facilitates the merging of codes. An extensive collection of her entire project history is readily available, empowering her to distribute it to others effortlessly. She mentioned the necessity of acquiring an alternate email address for developers to possess multiple GitHub accounts. Nevertheless, there has been a surge in software development advancement, as start ups are actively investing in programs to nurture software talent. Consequently, this trend is projected to augment the number of developers within the nation.
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