Interswitch has inducted the third and largest cohort of developer interns into its Developer Academy, in a move aimed at strengthening Africa’s technology talent pipeline and supporting the continent’s growing digital economy.
The company said in a statement on Thursday that the new cohort was selected from more than 20,000 applications through a multi-stage process involving technical assessments and interviews, reflecting growing interest in software engineering opportunities in Nigeria.
According to Interswitch, the nine-month programme is designed to provide intensive training across several engineering tracks, including backend development, DevOps, mobile development, frontend engineering, and quality assurance.
The firm stated that the initiative combines theoretical learning with practical exposure to enterprise-grade systems, enabling participants to acquire technical and workplace readiness skills needed in today’s technology industry.
Commenting on the programme, the Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer of Interswitch, Mitchell Elegbe, said the company remains focused on 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,” Elegbe stated.
He added that the company was committed to equipping individuals with capabilities to enable them to contribute meaningfully to the broader technology ecosystem both locally and internationally.
“We are therefore committed to equipping individuals with the capabilities to contribute meaningfully to the broader technology ecosystem, locally and globally, not just for our own needs at Interswitch. In doing so, we are not only strengthening the industry but also reinforcing Nigeria’s position as a source of globally competitive engineering talent,” he remarked.
The company noted that the Developer Academy forms part of a broader strategy to address the increasing global demand for software engineers, which has led to the migration of skilled professionals from Nigeria and other developing economies.
Also speaking, the Group Chief Human Resources Officer at Interswitch, Franklin Ali, said the programme was aimed at equipping young professionals with both technical and adaptive skills needed to succeed in diverse environments.
“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,” Ali stated.
According to him, participants in the programme would contribute to the local technology ecosystem and represent the strength of Nigerian talent in the global digital economy.
Interswitch said the initiative also seeks to address the growing demand for highly skilled engineers by fintech companies, banks and startups across the country.
The company added that participants would benefit from mentorship by experienced professionals during the programme, while top-performing interns may be offered full-time employment opportunities at the end of the training.
As part of efforts to scale the initiative, Interswitch disclosed that it has opened a dedicated learning facility in Victoria Island, Lagos, to support the Developer Academy and other talent development programmes.
The company said the expansion reflects its long-term vision of positioning Nigeria and Africa as leading sources of globally competitive technology talent and innovation.
