In a moment that signals the rise of a new generation of African tech talents, the Developers Foundry, an intensive, one-year, tuition-free Fellowship program by Tech4Dev, funded by the UK Government’s Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) and UK-Nigeria Tech Hub, held its first physical meetup on Saturday, June 21, 2025, at NITHUB, University of Lagos.
At the heart of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) mission to drive job creation, promote inclusive development, and build future ready economies across Africa, is a commitment to nurturing the continent’s talent.
Oyindamola Oyinlola Eyitayo, Program Manager at FCDO, emphasized the power of upskilling, describing the Developers Foundry as a launchpad for young developers to build meaningful careers and drive Africa’s tech future. She added that the hands-on, real-world approach bridges the talent and opportunity gap across the continent, which is why the FCDO proudly funds this initiative.
Presently in its first cohort, the Fellowship which trains promising early-career developers from Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone across five career pathways, has so far been delivered virtually. The meetup marked a major milestone for some of the Nigerian Fellows, serving as a chance to finally meet the faces of once entry-level engineers who have now grown into confident mid-level professionals after months of rigorous virtual learning.
The Developers Foundry launched in 2024, was created to strengthen Africa’s digital workforce by equipping early-career developers with hands-on experience, mentorship and real-world projects across five in-demand tracks: Frontend Development, Backend Development, Mobile Application Development, DevOps, and AI/Machine Learning. The Fellowship empowers participants to make the leap from junior-level to mid-level professionals, filling a critical talent gap across the growing tech ecosystem.
For most beneficiaries, the experience has been transforming.
“Before this program, I didn’t know I could go this far. Now I know I can go far and wide. My confidence has grown by more than 60%”, shared Rosemary Nnenna, a backend developer.
For Damilola Odeyemi, the program unlocked the ability to do things he once thought would take years to master. “I used to struggle with APIs, but now I can build with them efficiently. I feel awesome being here today.”
Over the last 6 months, the Fellows have worked on advancing themselves, improving their skills from junior-level to mid-level professionals; collaborating on projects, participating in outreach programs, and receiving mentorship from leading industry experts. The meetup featured engaging activities like fireside chats, powerful conversations on the future of tech in Africa, and interactive games to celebrate their hard work, progress, and the relationships that have been built along the way.
“It’s awesome to finally see the people we’ve been working with virtually,” said Bukky Abadaki, who emphasized how the program not only strengthened her technical abilities but also honed her soft skills.
As the first cohort celebrates their success, Developers Foundry 2.0 is now open for applications in Ghana and Nigeria. The next wave of junior developers in Africa will have the opportunity to follow in their footsteps: to grow, collaborate, and prepare for careers that shape industries.
“This is not just another training program. The Developers Foundry is where you move from potential to proficiency, from learning to becoming. It’s the platform that propels junior developers to the next level, no matter where they’re from.” said David Ogbiko, an instructor.
If you’re ready to build and grow, this is your opportunity.
Apply here for Developers Foundry 2:0
At Tech4Dev, we create opportunities for economic prosperity through digital skills empowerment and advocacy.
