In 2017, Oluwatobi Fagbohungbe noticed a quiet but persistent problem in Nigeria’s tech ecosystem. Training programs were producing learners at scale—but far fewer professionals who were ready, trusted, and employed.
Rather than starting with a company or a curriculum, he began with people.
He gathered those around him; friends he grew up with, peers curious about tech, and taught them what he knew about software testing. There were no fees, no grand promises. The goal was simple: teach practical skills, guide people through the realities of the industry, and see what happens when access meets preparation.
What followed was telling.
Today, over 500 software testers trained through his initiatives are working across Nigeria’s tech landscape and beyond, in companies such as Andela, Moniepoint, Interswitch, Sterling, Konga, Carry1st, OPay, MTN, VerifyMe, Indicina, Flutterwave, uLesson, FBN, Zone, Wema, First Bank, Peerless and others.
What started as informal mentorship has since evolved into a connected ecosystem: Qace Academy, the QaTechBro Mentorship, and TestForge. Each shaped by the same conviction: real impact happens when skills, career readiness, and access are designed together.
From training to transition
Qace Academy emerged not as a certification factory or a fast-scaling bootcamp, but as a response to a question many educators avoid:
What does it actually take for someone to move from learning into work?
The answer, Fagbohungbe realised, went beyond tools.
Learners needed to think like quality engineers, not just execute test cases, but understand risk, business impact, systems behaviour, and user trust. The academy’s curriculum was therefore built around industry relevance, global standards, and real-world reasoning rather than surface-level familiarity.
To address one of tech education’s most persistent failure points, the gap between technical knowledge and workplace readiness. Qace Academy integrated mentorship, portfolio development, interview preparation, and exposure to professional standards directly into its learning process. The objective was not confidence alone, but credibility.
Mentorship as calibration, not motivation
Outside the academy, this thinking extended into complementary systems.
The QaTechBro Mentorship Program, now in its forth year, connects early-career professionals with active practitioners, including co-mentors from outside Nigeria. Its purpose is not inspiration, but calibration by helping participants understand how the industry actually operates, what is expected globally, and where gaps truly lie.
TestForge followed a similar philosophy.
Rather than replicating large, performative tech conferences, it was designed as an access mechanism. Across its first two editions, more than 50 participants received full scholarships into Qace Academy programs. Many funded by alumni reinvesting into the ecosystem. These were not symbolic gestures; recipients transitioned directly into structured cohorts with clear outcomes.
As TestForge evolved, its conversations expanded. Fagbohungbe introduced discussions on quality engineering in the age of AI, framing artificial intelligence not as a threat to testers, but as a forcing function. One that demands stronger reasoning, broader system awareness, and a clearer definition of quality in intelligent systems.
A connected pipeline, not isolated programs
What distinguishes these initiatives is intentional continuity.
Qace Academy, QaTechBro Mentorship, TestForge, and even Qace Academy Kids operate as connected components of a longer pipeline, from early exposure, to structured learning, to professional integration. Each addresses a different stage of the same systemic challenge.
This approach offers a useful signal for the future of tech education in Africa. Sustainable impact may come less from chasing trending skills and more from designing systems that reflect how careers actually form. Software testing’s rise as a credible entry point reflects real market need, but its long-term value depends on leaders willing to build patiently and think structurally.
Beyond scale: intent and impact
What sets Oluwatobi Fagbohungbe apart is not scale alone, but intent.
He has built systems that allow people to change their own trajectories. Environments where learning is practical, mentorship is accessible, and opportunity is tangible. In doing so, he has helped shape a new narrative for software testing in Nigeria, one where quality is valued, careers are intentional, and impact is measured in lives transformed.
Scholarships & sponsorship call:
Today, Qace Academy and TestForge are expanding our scholarship pathway to support aspiring tech professionals who have the talent and discipline, but cannot afford the full tuition fee. We are actively inviting forward-thinking companies to sponsor cohorts through the Qace Academy × TestForge Scholarship Program, not as charity, but as a practical investment in building Nigeria’s next generation of quality engineers. Sponsors will directly enable selected learners to access structured training, mentorship, and career readiness support, with clear reporting on participation and outcomes. For companies that care about impact and ecosystem growth, this is a chance to be part of the reason more people enter tech and to build a legacy around measurable lives transformed.
If your company wants to sponsor a learner or a cohort, we’d welcome a conversation on how to structure it for measurable, transparent impact.
As this work continues to expand, one truth remains clear: this is not simply about building institutions. It is about building people, and in the process, strengthening the future of tech in Nigeria, Africa, and beyond.
Stay Connected
Follow @qatechbro, @qaceacademy, and @qacetech for updates on events, scholarships, and insights from the growing QA movement.
