It can be challenging to become a techie in Nigeria, especially if you do not have a STEM-core background (applied sciences, engineering and other sciences) or when you are switching careers. While it is true that you can always get there with a great deal of determination, succeeding without the help of other people can be daunting.
That is because self-learning is difficult. And, self-learning in tech is even more difficult.
So, either you are a currently learning a new skill in tech, looking to switch career paths or you are already doing well on the job, one way to make get your footing fast and early in the tech space is to join communities.
Often that is where early information about the latest tools and opportunities are shared. HTat is also the best place to meet people who share similar experiences with you and can guide you. Tech communities are made up of people who understand your passion, support your dreams, and provide you with the resources and opportunities to achieve your career goals.
So, we have chronicled a list of communities within the tech space that you can consider joining for accelerated growth.
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Communities for software developers
Everyone knows Google, but not everyone is aware that Google has a developer community called the Google Developers Group. The organisation operates in 140 countries worldwide, including Nigeria, where there are over 50 chapters.
These chapters are spread across all 36 states, with some states, such as Lagos, having multiple chapters.
These tech communities bring together developers by providing a platform for them to learn, grow, network, and connect with other like-minded individuals in the game, as well as gain career support from top expert professionals through workshops and events.
This is a global community of developers. Unstack is an open source-based conference with small meetups for all technical talents, offering hands-on workshops and world-class talks from around the world.
Since its inception in 2019, there have been tech communities established in seven African countries including Nigeria. Apollo, GitHub, and Google are among the sponsors.
This is a non-profit organisation that provides a community and a support system for aspiring African developers. It assists these aspiring individuals in furthering their careers in technology by providing them with the resources and tools they require (i.e. laptops) to aid their learning.
The organisation hopes to build a community of world-class software developers with the help of a team of experienced mentors. The organisation collaborates with hubs such as the Co-creation hub, Wennovation, and others.
This is a Lagos-based community of active learners. The community offers Artificial Intelligence among technical talents through structured study groups in core AI fields such as Machine Learning, Computer Vision, and Natural Language Processing.
The community is on a mission to create a community that will allow them to study, research, and build AI products for their community. Tejumade Afonja and Femi Azeez are two of the founders.
Do you intend to be a Cloud/ Security engineer? This community is an excellent fit for you. DevOps NG is dedicated to assisting and fostering the DevOps community in Nigeria and throughout Africa.
The community has over a thousand Engineers and IT experts from all over Africa who share news updates, series of meetups, and conferences. AWS, Microsoft, Korapay, Quidax, and others are among the community’s sponsors.
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Communities for designers
This is a community of web designers and other creative developers dedicated to helping one another grow and scale their careers, among other shared values. The mission of this community is to contribute to the growth of local design labour markets, and it is an ideal match for design experts and aspiring talents.
There are different groups of tech communities such as city-specific groups, on-campus groups, and interest-specific groups. Nigeria is home to 21 tech communities.
This is a community of individuals and designers interested in creating beautiful and functional products. This community has over 40 usable meetings and has 600+ members spread across two cities. Monthly meetups are held to discuss UX, UI, Visual design, user research, and the role of design in our daily lives.
This is a community of marketing and technology professionals from across Africa who can share the latest trends and insights, as well as connect with other digital marketers to help you identify your strengths and weaknesses in your digital careers.
The community organises career and personal development workshops/mentorships. The community also allows these individuals to learn, network, and collaborate on projects.
This is an African community that shares useful tips, meetups, and conferences that are relevant to the larger community of African designers on the continent.
Communities for women in tech
This is a community dedicated to celebrating and technically empowering young girls and women in technology throughout Africa. Over 10,000 women from various African countries are members of the community. The community hosts events and initiatives such as boot camps and mentorship programmes.
This is a Google community for women in technology that provides visibility, community, and resources.
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