A student in a Lagos public school recently asked me, “Why do we need to learn this?” He was pointing at a simple line of code on a computer screen. My answer was simple:
“Because the future of this country will be written in code, and you have the power to write it.”
For over ten years, I have voluntarily walked into classrooms across Nigeria, from under-resourced government schools to private academies, with one mission: to demystify Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and make it tangible for the next generation. This journey has given me a clear-eyed view of both the immense potential of our youth and the critical gaps we must bridge.
The passion is there; The pathway is not
The curiosity is infectious. When students see a robot follow a command they programmed or understand the physics behind a drone, their eyes light up. They are not disinterested; they are disconnected. The major barrier is not a lack of intelligence but a lack of access and context. Too often, STEM is taught as a collection of abstract formulas to be memorised, not as a toolkit for solving real-world problems.
This is where volunteers from the tech industry can play a transformative role. We are the bridge between theory and application. We can walk into a classroom and say, “The math you are learning is the same math I used to build a company that serves thousands.” This connection is priceless.
Read also: Countries luring Nigeria’s tech talents to relocate
A decade of lessons: What effective STEM mentorship really requires
True mentorship is more than a one-off visit. It requires a strategic approach built on three pillars:
Access, Not Just Theory: You cannot learn to code without a computer. You cannot.
understand engineering without hands-on projects. Mentorship must involve advocating for and providing basic tools—whether it’s donating computers, creating simple coding kits, or using free online platforms. The goal is to move students from passive listeners to active creators.
Context is king: Students must understand the “why”. We don’t just teach coding; we teach computational thinking—a method of problem-solving that is valuable in any career. We show how data science can predict market trends, how engineering principles can solve sanitation issues, and how biology is key to food security. We connect the dots to their lives and their communities.
The teacher is a gateway: One of the most impactful parts of my work has been supporting the teachers. They are the sustained presence. By running workshops for educators, we empower them to become confident facilitators of digital skills, creating a multiplier effect that lasts long after we leave the school.
A call to action: Mobilise the tech ecosystem
The responsibility cannot lie with the government or a handful of dedicated volunteers alone. Nigeria’s growing tech ecosystem—its founders, senior engineers, and product managers—must see this as a strategic imperative. The talent we so desperately seek in our companies will not magically appear. We must cultivate it.
I call on my peers in the tech industry to formalise their mentorship. Dedicate a few hours a month. Partner with a local school. The energy you invest in a classroom today will directly fuel the pipeline of innovators, developers, and problem-solvers your company will need tomorrow.
The future is in their hands
We are at a crossroads. We can either watch as the global digital economy accelerates without a strong Nigerian contingent, or we can decide to build it ourselves, from the ground up. That construction starts not with bricks and mortar, but with curiosity, code, and confidence instilled in a child.
That student in Lagos may not become a programmer, but he will leave that class knowing that technology is a tool he can command, not a mystery he cannot solve. And that shift in mindset—from consumer to creator—is the first and most important line of code we will ever write for our nation’s future.
By Okereke Emmanuel, Managing Director of Ehizua Hub (With over a decade of experience volunteering in STEM education)
