Blessing Okwuaso

A Nigerian tech entrepreneur who revolutionized Africa's software development job market through AfriDevJobs, bridging talent gaps and fostering local innovation.

Blessing Okwuaso is a groundbreaking Nigerian entrepreneur and founder of AfriDevJobs, a platform that has fundamentally transformed how tech talent connects with employers across Africa since its launch in 2020. As a software engineer herself, she identified a critical gap in the continent's growing tech sector: while African developers were being recruited by international companies, local businesses struggled to find qualified talent. This observation led her to create Africa's first specialized job board focused exclusively on software development roles.

Through her innovative platform, Blessing has facilitated over 5,000 job placements by 2023, helping African developers secure roles with both multinational corporations and local startups. Her work addresses systemic issues like brain drain, as 68% of users report staying within Africa for career opportunities they wouldn't have found otherwise. The platform's unique features include AI-driven skill matching and curated career development resources, which have become industry standards across the continent.

Her initiatives extend beyond job matching. Blessing established the TechHub Africa community, hosting over 100 virtual and physical events annually to foster collaboration between developers, investors, and educational institutions. This ecosystem approach has directly contributed to a 300% increase in African tech startups hiring locally from 2020-2023. She's also pioneered the Africa Tech Visa advocacy campaign, working with governments to simplify work permit processes for tech professionals.

Recognized by Forbes Africa as a Top 30 Under 30 in 2022, Blessing's impact extends globally. Microsoft and Google now use her platform for local talent sourcing in Africa, while her open-source training modules have been adopted by 15 universities across the continent. Her TEDx talk 'Building Tomorrow's Tech Ecosystem Today' (2021) has over 2 million views, cementing her role as a visionary leader in Africa's digital transformation.