Is Tech for Everyone?
This is the question I asked myself after job hunting relentlessly for more than three long years all in pursuit of one goal: to become a software developer. Specifically, a Frontend Developer. I envisioned a life where I'd finally write clean, elegant code, get paid in dollars, and announce “I got my dream job!” with a shiny post on LinkedIn. But life and especially the job market in Nigeria had other plans.
I remember how it all started. The pandemic had hit, and remote work was booming. I was seeing tweets of people earning in dollars, landing roles at Amazon, Google, and startups I’d never even heard of, all claiming to have gotten the job in 3–6 months after "learning how to code." It was intoxicating. I said to myself, “If they can do it, I can too.” I spent late nights watching tutorials on youtube, taking online courses, building projects, and pushing to GitHub. I followed every tech influencer I could find. I even stopped going out this was my moment. But what they don’t tell you is what happens after the hype.
The Dark Side of Tech Job Hunting in Nigeria
After my 100th application, I started to lose count. The replies were always the same: "We appreciate your interest, but we’ve decided to move forward with other candidates." Some didn’t even bother to reply at all. Every “no” struck hard, started to feel like a personal failure. I spent months perfecting my portfolio, added more portfolio, redesigning my CV, learning TypeScript, diving into React, building projects I was proud of yet no offer came through. I started to wonder: Was it me? Was I not smart enough? Was I learning the wrong stack? I joined several developer groups on Telegram, Slack, Discord — anywhere that could bring me closer to a job opportunity. Most times, all I got were job postings asking for 5+ years of experience for a junior role, or freelance gigs paying ₦15,000 for a full website. One recruiter once told me straight: "I can find 10 frontend devs in Yaba alone who will do this job for less. Why should we pick you?" And that was my wake-up call.
The LinkedIn Illusion
You must have seen some of these posts: "From selling suya to Google in 6 months!" "I just got hired at Microsoft. No degree. Just vibes and LeetCode!" "Here’s how I earned $10k in my first month as a dev." Those stories flooded my timeline. And for a while, I was inspired, overwhelm with zeal, I believed them. I believed tech was this magic portal a fast lane to success, wealth, and freedom. But what I didn’t realize was that LinkedIn is a highlight reel, not a mirror. For every one success story you see, there are hundreds of people grinding silently, failing quietly, and doubting deeply. I was one of them.
Not Every Lucrative Career Is in Tech
It took time, but eventually I looked around me really looked. One of my friends is a fashion designer in Lekki. She earns six figures monthly from custom bridal wears and never had to learn HTML. Another friend is a medical laboratory scientist she travels internationally for workshops and just bought a car. I met a guy who is into agriculture supplying plantain and poultry to hotels and restaurants and his business is booming. I started to realize something profound: Tech is not the only path to success. But the hype had clouded my mind. Tech is glamorous, yes. But it’s also overhyped, saturated, and high-pressure especially in Nigeria, where the infrastructure and compensation often don’t match the workload.
The Harsh Reality of Tech Work in Nigeria
Let’s not sugarcoat it building a career in tech from Nigeria is like trying to code in the middle of a thunderstorm with a flickering candle. Every step comes with its own set of environmental battles.
There’s No Constant Power Supply
To thrive in tech, you need long, uninterrupted hours of work to build, debug, learn, attend Zoom calls, push code, and collaborate. But Nigeria makes this a daily gamble. Electricity is more of a visitor than a resident in many parts of the country. NEPA (or now DISCOs) can take light at any time with no warning, no reason, and no apology. In my case, there were days when I had to pause interviews midway because power went out and my backup died. Or nights when I couldn't finish a deadline because PHCN decided I didn’t deserve electricity that week. I’ve coded by candlelight. I’ve debugged React components sweating in total darkness, hoping my battery doesn’t hit 2%.
Fuel Costs Have Skyrocketed
Comes the savior: the generator. But now even that feels like a luxury. Fuel prices have shot up to ridiculous levels sometimes ₦750–₦1200 per litre making it unaffordable to run a gen consistently. At some point, you start calculating: "Is this API bug really worth 3 litres of fuel today?" Even inverters aren’t the ultimate solution. Once there’s no light to charge it for hours or days, it becomes nothing more than a large UPS that stares back at you while you pray. For remote workers or freelancers, the situation becomes even more dire. When you're trying to deliver client work or attend team stand-ups, having to explain "sorry, I had fuel issues" is not only frustrating but embarrassing. It's hard to compete globally when you're trapped locally by infrastructure failure.
The Network Situation is Another Headache
If you think power is the only enemy, think again. Most Nigerian telecom networks are a game of luck. You could have full bars but zero data connectivity. Zoom calls become frozen slide shows. Slack messages take forever to send. VS Code Live Share? Forget it. Sometimes, you’re forced to switch between MTN, Airtel, and Glo, praying one of them works just long enough to upload your work or take a technical test. The worst part? You’re burning data bundles that cost more than electricity itself, and still get 2G speed in 2025. Working in tech requires reliable internet, but in Nigeria, stable internet is a privilege, not a right.
Don’t Be Blinded by the Tech Hype
If you're new to tech or considering switching careers, let me speak to you not as an expert, but as someone who has walked this road and bears the scars to prove it. I won't lie to you. Tech is beautiful. Tech is powerful. Tech can change your life. But tech is not for everyone and that’s not an insult. It’s a reality that nobody says loud enough.
The Illusion
Everywhere you turn online, it feels like tech is the ultimate escape. "Learn to code in 6 months and land a remote job paying $5,000/month." "Tech is the future. Get in now or be left behind." "You don't need a degree, just vibes and YouTube tutorials." But what they don’t show you is what happens behind the success posts:
- Sleepless nights debugging that one elusive error,
- Imposter syndrome that eats away at your confidence,
- Learning something today only to discover it’s outdated tomorrow,
- Interview rejections that feel personal,
- Burnout from trying to keep up with everything and everyone.
Yes, the rewards in tech can be great. But so is the mental toll it takes especially when you’re starting out from scratch with no support system or mentorship.
Tech is a Skill, Not a Shortcut
A lot of people enter tech believing it's a guaranteed ticket to wealth. But the truth is, tech is not a shortcut it's a discipline. And like any discipline, it demands:
Patience Consistency Grit Resilience
There are days you’ll feel like giving up. Days when you feel dumb. Days when your code breaks and you don’t know why. And the truth? That's normal. That’s the real journey not the glitz on LinkedIn.
It’s Okay if You Don’t Love Tech
This is something we don't say enough. It’s okay if you try tech and don’t love it. It doesn’t mean you’re lazy. It doesn’t mean you’re not smart. It just means your passion may lie elsewhere and that is perfectly valid. You may realize that you enjoy design more than code. Or maybe you're a people person, and tech support or product management suits you better. Maybe you’re good at writing then technical writing or documentation could be your strength. Or maybe tech just isn’t your calling at all. Don’t let the tech hype bully you into a career path that doesn’t align with your gifts.
The Value of Soft Skills and Other Fields
If tech isn’t clicking for you, don’t panic. Explore other avenues. The world is much bigger than the tech echo chamber. Start developing other soft and transferable skills:
Communication Negotiation Leadership Teaching Sales Design thinking Problem-solving Creativity
These skills are powerful in any industry and often determine long-term career success more than coding alone. You can be in healthcare, media, education, agriculture, fashion, logistics, or finance and still be innovative, successful, and fulfilled. Not all success wears a hoodie and writes JavaScript.
Final Words for the Curious and the Discouraged
Tech is not a religion. You don’t have to worship it to live a meaningful life. If you’re curious about it, explore it. If it excites you, pursue it. But if it drains you, don’t feel ashamed to pivot. Everyone’s path is different, and there is no shame in choosing a road less hyped but more fulfilling. Let tech be one option not the only one.