Interswitch has inducted the third and largest cohort of interns into its Developer Academy as part of efforts to strengthen Africa’s technology talent pipeline and support the continent’s expanding digital economy.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the company said the new cohort emerged from more than 20,000 applications received through a multi-stage selection process involving technical assessments and interviews.
According to the company, the strong turnout reflects growing interest in software engineering and digital career opportunities among young Nigerians.
The nine-month programme is designed to provide intensive training across engineering specialisations, including backend development, DevOps, mobile development, frontend engineering, and quality assurance.
Interswitch said the initiative combines classroom learning with hands-on exposure to enterprise-grade systems, enabling participants to acquire both technical expertise and workplace-readiness skills.
Speaking on the programme, Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer of Interswitch, Mitchell Elegbe, said the company remains committed to building long-term capacity within Africa’s technology ecosystem despite increasing migration of skilled professionals.
“At Interswitch, we have always believed in the capacity to see beyond the immediate challenges and focus on long-term impact. While the migration of skilled talent remains a reality, our approach is to actively shape the outcomes by building a strong and sustainable pipeline of technology professionals,” he said.
Elegbe added that the company’s goal extends beyond addressing its own workforce needs to strengthening the broader technology ecosystem locally and globally.
“We are therefore committed to equipping individuals with the capabilities to contribute meaningfully to the broader technology ecosystem, locally and globally,” he added.
The company said the Developer Academy forms part of wider efforts to address rising global demand for software engineers, which has contributed to the migration of skilled professionals from Nigeria and other developing economies.
Also speaking, Franklin Ali said the programme is focused on equipping young professionals with both technical and adaptive skills required to thrive in the technology industry.
“The Developer Academy reflects our long-term commitment to building talent at scale. We are equipping these young professionals not just with technical skills, but with the mindset, discipline, and adaptability required to thrive in diverse environments,” he said.
According to the company, participants will receive mentorship from experienced professionals throughout the training, while top-performing interns may secure full-time employment opportunities at the end of the programme.
Interswitch added that the initiative is also aimed at addressing rising demand for skilled engineers across fintech companies, banks, and start-ups in Nigeria.
As part of plans to expand the programme, the company disclosed that it has opened a dedicated learning facility in Victoria Island to support the Developer Academy and other talent development initiatives.
The company said the expansion aligns with its long-term vision of positioning Nigeria and Africa as major sources of globally competitive technology talent and innovation.
