Table of Contents
Table of Contents
William Nwogbo vividly recalls a transformative phone call. One of the developers ProDevs had successfully placed with an international firm, working remotely from outside Lagos, shared a remarkable update: he had constructed a home in his village and was now building another in Lagos.
“I was genuinely amazed,” Nwogbo reflects. “Here I was, yet to start building anything myself, and this developer was already making such strides.”
This narrative challenges the conventional startup success script, where founders reap the majority of rewards while employees receive the remainder. Instead, ProDevs’ mission-to illuminate hidden talent and open doors to economic advancement-is unfolding as envisioned, redistributing wealth more equitably from the outset.
Though this story isn’t front and center on ProDevs’ website, it encapsulates the company’s essence: a vital link connecting Nigeria’s untapped tech expertise with global enterprises eager to hire, grounded in the belief that Africa’s challenge isn’t a lack of talent but a lack of visibility.
How a Friend’s Referral Sparked a Vision
The genesis of ProDevs dates back to 2014, but not in the way Nwogbo initially imagined. Fresh from university, he found himself navigating the familiar struggle faced by thousands of Nigerian graduates-submitting countless applications and receiving little to no response-until a friend stepped in.
“A close friend introduced me to Andela,” Nwogbo recounts. “He vouched for me, convincing them I was worth a chance. I was given a 48-hour test and completed it in just four hours, landing the job.”
This experience highlighted a critical insight: many talented individuals lack advocates to open doors for them. “It made me realize that countless people are searching for opportunities but don’t have anyone to speak on their behalf,” he says.
This realization laid the groundwork for ProDevs. However, before launching the platform, Nwogbo spent years gaining industry experience and observing the systemic issues firsthand.
By 2018, alongside co-founder Faith Dike, Nwogbo had established Fluturetech, a software consultancy. While successful, they noticed a peculiar trend: Nigerian companies weren’t recruiting new talent; they were simply poaching from each other.
“Banks like Access Bank would hire away developers from GT Bank, and vice versa,” Nwogbo explains. “This wasn’t just about senior roles but junior and mid-level positions too.”
Meanwhile, skilled developers in cities like Jos, Enugu, and Imo remained overlooked and undervalued compared to their Lagos and Abuja counterparts.
“These developers were invisible to many companies, yet they offered quality skills at more affordable rates,” Nwogbo notes.
By 2020, Fluturetech had fully transformed into ProDevs, a talent marketplace dedicated to uncovering and connecting these hidden professionals with companies worldwide.
“Many talented individuals are out there seeking roles but lack someone to advocate for them.”
Launching Amidst a Global Shift
Starting a recruitment platform in 2020 was a double-edged sword. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated remote work adoption, creating a surge in demand for global tech talent. However, this also meant the market was saturated with startups promising to connect Nigerian developers to lucrative international jobs.
“There were numerous companies claiming they could place developers in dollar-earning roles,” Nwogbo recalls. “The competition was fierce.”
Yet, Nwogbo and Dike had unique advantages. Both engineers, with Dike’s product management expertise, they could discern genuine talent and understand the nuanced needs of hiring companies. Their deep industry experience also gave them insight into recruitment economics.
“We carefully studied the market and realized that recruitment isn’t one-size-fits-all; different clients have different needs,” Nwogbo explains.
Outsourcing contracts provided steady monthly revenue, helping sustain the business. Their inaugural client, INITS, hired a developer from Imo state who relocated to Lagos to work with Interswitch. This success became a proof point: if one life could be changed, many more could follow.
By the end of 2020, ProDevs had generated ₦20 million in revenue-a solid achievement for a bootstrapped startup. But beyond finances, earning trust was the true challenge.
Overcoming the Trust Barrier
Expanding into international markets revealed a significant hurdle: skepticism about African talent. “People often asked, ‘Why should we trust talent from Africa?'” Nwogbo says. “Negative stereotypes about Nigerian fraud made clients wary about code security and professionalism.”
This trust deficit is a common obstacle African startups face globally, requiring them to prove their credibility before business can begin.
ProDevs tackled this by implementing a rigorous, multi-layered vetting process. “When a candidate applies, we verify their CV, LinkedIn, GitHub, and for designers, their Behance portfolios,” Nwogbo details. “We assess their engineering level through a structured framework.”
Applicants claiming seniority might be reclassified as mid-level after evaluation. They then undergo technical assessments and a final interview with ProDevs’ engineering manager before client introduction.
“The initial vetting is intense, but once established, subsequent evaluations become more efficient,” Nwogbo notes.
However, no system is foolproof. Two years ago, a UK startup hired one developer through ProDevs and was impressed enough to onboard four more. Unfortunately, one of the new hires, despite passing all vetting stages, proved problematic and was let go after two weeks.
“Some candidates excel in interviews but lack the right work ethic,” Nwogbo admits.
Crucially, the client maintained their relationship with ProDevs, trusting the overall quality and continuing to hire.
“We remain stringent, especially with new clients, but occasional missteps happen. Managing these relationships carefully is key,” Nwogbo emphasizes.
“Candidates can ace interviews but still fall short in attitude and work performance.”
Enforcing Accountability Through Blacklisting
ProDevs enforces a strict policy rarely seen on similar platforms: blacklisting both clients and talents who breach trust.
Clients who ghost or act unprofessionally, and talents who fail to deliver, juggle jobs without consent, or behave unethically, face a minimum six-month ban from the platform.
“We blacklist anyone who misbehaves,” Nwogbo states. “Such individuals lose access to contracts, full-time roles, and gigs on ProDevs.”
While this approach is tough in Nigeria’s relationship-driven business culture, the founders believe it protects the community’s integrity.
“Word travels fast in communities,” Nwogbo explains. “Good work opens doors for others, but bad behavior closes them.”
This policy has become a hallmark of trustworthiness. Clients know ProDevs won’t compromise quality just to fill roles, and talents understand that their reputation is paramount.
Dike, who oversees operations, views it as fundamental accountability. “We personalize the experience but uphold a strict code of conduct,” she says. “There’s no room for compromise.”
Addressing the Talent Paradox
Nwogbo wrestles with a persistent contradiction: Nigerian companies claim a lack of local talent while simultaneously exporting billions in tech services abroad.
“When companies say Africa lacks talent, I challenge that,” he asserts. “Many firms hire African developers remotely or offshore, exporting our technology globally. It’s a paradox.”
On one hand, top developers leave Nigeria seeking better pay and opportunities abroad-a phenomenon often called “Japa.”
“Some developers outgrow local salary scales and move overseas,” Nwogbo explains. “On the other hand, companies complain about talent shortages but prefer hiring from countries like India, Ukraine, or the Philippines.”
“The talent you need is right here,” he insists. “Offer competitive packages, and they’ll stay. Yet many companies prefer outsourcing abroad while underpaying local talent.”
This cycle perpetuates a brain drain, reinforcing the myth of scarcity and creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Lessons Learned and Future Ambitions
Reflecting on ProDevs’ journey, Nwogbo offers candid advice to his earlier self: “Focus more on experiential sales and track metrics closely. Numbers don’t lie-they reveal what works and what doesn’t. Doubling down on data earlier would have accelerated our growth.”
Dike’s counsel is straightforward: “Start sooner. Entrepreneurship is tough-you’ll face sleepless nights and financial stress. But beginning early means learning faster.”
Today, ProDevs boasts a network of over 15,000 developers, designers, and product specialists. They’ve developed proprietary technology, including a marketplace platform and an assessment tool now licensed to other recruitment firms. Their placements have empowered individuals to build homes, support families, and uplift communities.
Yet, their vision extends far beyond their current scale.
“Our ambition is to facilitate the hiring of 50 million people across Africa by 2040,” Nwogbo reveals. While this figure may seem audacious, the strategy focuses on building scalable infrastructure rather than direct placements.
“We aim to create technology that enables not just us but others to reach this collective goal,” he explains.
ProDevs is expanding its scope to identify talent early-starting from primary and secondary education-and chart career paths well before university. Their goal is to become the backbone of Africa’s talent ecosystem, transforming discovery from a chance occurrence into a systematic process.
“Many see us as a recruitment company,” Nwogbo says. “But fundamentally, we’re a technology company enabling hiring.”
This distinction is crucial. While recruitment firms focus on individual placements, infrastructure companies prioritize scalability. To truly demonstrate that Africa’s talent challenge is one of visibility, not scarcity, scalable discovery mechanisms are essential.
Four years in, ProDevs’ approach is proving that unlocking hidden talent through technology and trust can reshape the continent’s tech landscape.
