Hi, welcome to Tech This Evening, an After-Work Tech Newsletter from Techparley Africa. Sure, there is a lot to unpack right now. Sit back, while I walk you through.
Top Story: Skills vs Location: Viral Social Media Debate Reveals Why African Talent Struggles for Global Jobs
For young Nigeria and African talents, the struggle to secure decent work is often framed as a skills deficit. Yet, a recent viral exchange on social media has reopened a conversation about this. What if the issue is not a lack of ability, but a lack of opportunity tied to geography?
The conversation gained momentum after a Twitter post by Dauda Sulaimon Abiola, popularly known as Omoalhaja, struck a chord with thousands of users. Abiola, the founder of Skill Afrika, a talent hub that trains and connects African professionals to global work opportunities, wrote that changing his online location to Germany led to recruiter interest within hours.
“I changed my location to Germany and surprisingly received a job offer within hours. Crazy stuff,” he posted.
The claim quickly went viral, with many interpreting it as evidence that African professionals are routinely overlooked by global employers simply because of their geographic location.
The debate intensified when Corey Odonis, a Nigerian product manager and UX designer, shared a similar experience, noting that switching his LinkedIn location to the United States resulted in contact from a senior recruiter at Microsoft. He got an interview invitation.
“At that point, I knew I wasn’t the problem. My location was,” Odonis wrote, reinforcing a sentiment that resonated widely across the platform.
Other Tech News Stories You Should Read:
Ooredoo Fintech and Western Union Partner to Transform Mobile Money Transfers and Simplify Digital Remittances. Read now.
Cybersecurity Startup, Outtake, Raises $40m to Pioneer AI-Led Fight Against Digital Identity Fraud. Read now.
XSML Capital Raises US$142M for Fourth African Fund, Surpassing Target in Strong Vote of Confidence for SME Financing. Read now.
On Startup Spotlight:
Owllup Is Building a Digital Marketplace Where Nigeria’s Young Creators Can Learn, Grow, and Earn
Owllup, a Nigerian startup founded in 2023 by Chimaobi Stanley Anyanwu, is aiming to merge mentorship, community, and commerce to help young creators and tech professionals turn their skills into income.
The platform offers structured learning, real-world projects, and a marketplace where users can provide services and receive payments seamlessly through digital wallets and an integrated escrow system.
“I kept meeting talented people who were eager to build a career in tech and the creative economy,” Anyanwu says. “But the problem young people have in Nigeria is that they lack access to mentorship.”
Anyanwu observed a generation of ambitious young people caught in social media loops, performing “stupid things just to trend,” because there was no clear path to professional growth. Now, he wants to solve this by creating a digital neighbourhood for young Nigerians to learn, validate their skills, and earn.
Quadri Adejumo brings you all the details. Read here.
Also Read:
Obiex is Betting on Africa as Nigerian Crypto Exchange Targets Ghana and South Africa After Billion-Dollar Growth Surge. Yakub Abdulrasheed brings us the details, here.
Quote of the Day:
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is equivalent to magic.” – Arthur C. Clarke.
Thank you for joining me yet again this evening. Stay safe, and see you tomorrow for the next tech newsletter.
Best, Quadri
