Moniepoint Inc., Africa’s leading digital financial services provider, has officially graduated the second cohort of its flagship DreamDevs Bootcamp, marking a significant milestone in the company’s ongoing effort to build world-class engineering talent from the ground up.

The graduation was celebrated at a Demo Day event held in Lagos, themed “Training Done! Demo Up!”, where participants presented capstone projects built to real-world engineering standards.

The graduation comes at a crucial time for Africa’s tech ecosystem. Although Nigeria’s tech talent is growing, it isn’t sufficient, especially at the mid-to-senior engineering level, where demand far exceeds supply. By 2030, the global shortage of software developers could reach 85 million, leading to economic losses of $5.5 trillion. For a continent developing its digital infrastructure, this is critical. Moniepoint’s DreamDevs Bootcamp is a strategic response to these challenges.

The nine-week curriculum, created by Moniepoint’s Engineering Unit in partnership with Semicolon, covered Java Object-Oriented Programming, Data Structures and Algorithms, Software Testing, MySQL, Spring Boot APIs, System Design, Docker, Messaging Queues, Frontend UI, and Cloud Infrastructure. Participants received programme stipends and mentorship from experienced Moniepoint software engineers, gaining valuable exposure to the production environment of one of Africa’s fastest-growing fintech firms.

During the Demo Day presentation, the participants paired into 9 teams were excited to showcase how they have deployed knowledge and skills gained during the course of the bootcamp  into real and useful  solutions in real estate, hospital management, event management, food and agriculture.

Commenting, Felix Ike, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Moniepoint, said, “DreamDevs is a structural investment in Nigeria’s digital economy, not a recruitment exercise, not a pipeline built solely to serve Moniepoint’s hiring needs. That said, we are proud that some graduates from our first cohort are already active members of our engineering team, proof that when young African engineers are given the right training and the right environment, they can compete at the highest level”.

Felix added that “Engineering excellence is not a naturally occurring phenomenon. It is a curated and intentionally built process that requires the right systems, the right resources, and sufficient time to take hold. Building that process and making it accessible to the brightest young engineers on this continent is a responsibility we have chosen to own.

Africa’s digital economy is attracting significant global capital, yet the talent infrastructure required to sustain that growth remains underdeveloped. The DreamDevs Bootcamp and our other capacity-building initiatives across some of Nigeria’s public universities demonstrate Moniepoint’s commitment to this responsibility.

The initiative also aligns with Nigeria’s broader national agenda on technology skills development. Moniepoint serves as a key sponsor of the Federal Government’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, which focuses on mass technical skills training across the country. While 3MTT addresses the scale challenge, DreamDevs provides depth, offering a specialised, end-to-end pathway from foundational training through to employment within Moniepoint’s complete development ecosystem.

As Nigerian fintechs deepen their infrastructure ambitions, the ability to grow engineering capacity that feeds these aspirations requires an urgent industry intervention, as Moniepoint is demonstrating to address Africa’s engineering talent challenge.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Agence des Systèmes d’Information et du Numérique (ASIN), the Information Systems and Digital Agency of the Republic of Benin, have moved to strengthen bilateral cooperation on digital transformation, digital public infrastructure, and innovation-driven governance.

The commitment was reaffirmed during a courtesy visit by the Beninese delegation to NITDA’s corporate headquarters in Abuja, where discussions centred on deepening bilateral cooperation, sharing best practices, and advancing digital development across the region.

Speaking during the engagement, the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, represented by the Director of Stakeholder Management and Partnerships, Dr. Aristotle Onumo, said regional collaboration remains critical to advancing Africa’s digital economy and building resilient digital ecosystems capable of supporting sustainable growth.

He noted that NITDA is committed to driving Nigeria’s digital transformation through the development of policies, standards, and strategic frameworks designed to modernise governance and improve service delivery across the public sector.

According to him, the agency has developed several foundational frameworks, including the Enterprise Governance Framework, Digital Transformation Framework, and Software Quality Assurance Framework, to guide Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in their digital transformation journeys.

“Our goal is to move government institutions beyond basic digitalisation to full digital transformation, and ultimately, to build an intelligent, data-driven government powered by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence,” he said.

Inuwa also disclosed that since 2018, NITDA has reviewed over ₦1.5 trillion worth of government IT projects to ensure compliance, technical alignment, and value for money.

He said the intervention has helped the Federal Government save more than ₦300 billion by eliminating duplication, promoting shared services, and improving the success rate of digital projects across ministries, departments, and agencies.

On digital public infrastructure, he revealed that Nigeria has transitioned from fragmented agency-to-agency data exchanges to a more integrated and citizen-centred digital ecosystem through the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platform.

He explained that the platform provides a federated and centralised framework for seamless data exchange among government institutions while preserving the autonomy of individual information systems.

According to him, the proposed e-Government and Digital Economy Bill will provide the legal backing needed to strengthen the platform and institutionalise digital collaboration across government.

The DG further highlighted NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0) 2024–2027, which aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and focuses on critical areas such as digital literacy, research and development, cybersecurity, innovation, inclusive access, and strategic partnerships.

Earlier, the Head of International Partnerships at ASIN, Tildy Erlong, said the delegation’s visit followed a recent Smart Africa workshop in Abuja and was aimed at strengthening institutional ties and learning from Nigeria’s digital transformation experience.

She described ASIN as the operational agency under Benin Republic’s digital ministry, responsible for implementing strategic digital development projects across the country in collaboration with key institutions, including the national identity agency, ANIP, and the cybersecurity agency, CENIN.

Erlong highlighted Benin’s achievements in digital public infrastructure, noting that about 98 per cent of the country’s population—approximately 13.6 million citizens—has been enrolled on its digital identity platform.

She added that more than 60 government agencies and service institutions are connected through Benin’s XROAD interoperability platform, enabling the delivery of over 250 digital services to citizens.

According to her, Benin is also prioritising digital inclusion, open-source systems, and the deployment of artificial intelligence to improve service delivery in sectors such as healthcare, education, and justice.

As part of its Children’s Day celebration, PalmPay, through its Young Stars initiative, has rewarded 60 outstanding students, inspiring young learners across public schools.

The initiative goes beyond rewarding high-performing students, it is also about building confidence, widening ambition, and reminding children that their future can be bigger than their present circumstances.

For Mohammed Jubril, one of the beneficiaries, the recognition has already changed how he thinks about what is possible.

Inspired by the support he has received, Mohammed shares a bold dream for the future: “I want to become a governor one day so I can help more children like me get access to education and opportunities.”

His words capture the deeper impact of the Young Stars programme. For many of the children recognised. The award is not just a reward for past performance. It is a signal that their efforts matter, their dreams are valid, and their future is worth investing in.

During the engagement sessions at the event, the pupils also excitedly shared their aspirations, speaking with enthusiasm about the careers they hope to pursue in the future. From doctors and teachers to engineers, pilots, and entrepreneurs, the children expressed big dreams and a strong sense of purpose, reflecting how early encouragement and recognition can help shape ambition and confidence.

For many students in public schools, access to educational support often determines not just academic outcomes, but how far they allow themselves to dream. Through the Young Stars Initiative, PalmPay is helping to change that narrative by affirming that excellence deserves recognition, and potential deserves investment.

For Mohammed’s family, the impact is both practical and deeply emotional. His father describes the recognition as a moment of renewed confidence for his son and a reminder that hard work can open doors to real opportunity.

As the initiative continues to reach more pupils across Lagos public schools, it leaves behind a powerful message; when children are supported, they don’t just perform better, they dream bigger.