Abdulqudus Abubakre didn’t stumble into tech by accident. His journey began early—back in secondary school—when a holiday meant to be carefree was redirected by a father who insisted on purpose. Given a choice between hardware and software, Abdulqudus chose the latter, unknowingly setting the foundation for a career defined by curiosity, craft, and quiet consistency.
What started with basic HTML and CSS lessons at home grew into a deeper fascination with how things work on the web, eventually shaping his decision to study Computer Engineering and fully lean into frontend development. Along the way, exposure to peers deeply immersed in tech—and real-world projects with tangible impact—expanded his view of what building truly means.
A defining moment came during his internship at eHealth4Everyone, where a project he worked on went on to secure a grant worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. It was there he realised that technology isn’t just about clean code or elegant solutions—it’s also about value, sustainability, and impact at scale.
Today, Abdulqudus is a frontend engineer with a strong focus on accessibility and performance, driven by a belief that great products should work for everyone, regardless of ability, device, or network conditions. He approaches learning deliberately, values craftsmanship over speed, and believes that visibility, community, and intention matter just as much as technical skill.
In a fast-moving ecosystem often obsessed with hype, Abdulqudus represents a different kind of builder: one grounded in fundamentals, shaped by failure, and committed to making technology more inclusive, reliable, and human.
In this exclusive conversation, Abdulqudus Abubakre reflects on a journey into tech that began long before titles, frameworks, or LinkedIn visibility.
How did your journey into tech begin, and what almost stopped you from continuing?
My journey into tech started way earlier than most people think…. back in secondary school. We had just finished exams, and I was ready to enjoy my holiday, play with friends, and basically just rest. But my dad wasn’t having it. He wanted me to stay busy and learn something useful.
So he gave me two options: hardware or software. And to be honest, hardware sounded like stress. I knew it would mean leaving the house, going to a workshop, and learning how to fix computers. I didn’t want that at all. So I picked software.
He ended up hiring a web teacher for me, and that was my first real introduction to web development. I learned a bit of HTML and CSS, and it was honestly fun. After a few weeks, the lessons stopped, and I was even given a PHP book to continue learning… which piqued my interest in studying Computer Engineering at the university.
That was where I fully leaned into web development again. I met a friend who was really good at mobile development, and seeing how deeply he was in tech sparked my interest. We talked, and he shared some resources with me, which fully immersed me in tech.
What early experience most shaped how you think about building or contributing to technology today?
One early experience that really shaped how I think about building technology today was working on the ehealth4everyone project during my internship that ended up receiving a grant worth a few hundred thousand dollars.
At the time, it was honestly mind-blowing. I was mostly focused on learning, understanding how code works, and just having fun building things. I never imagined that something I was working on could attract that level of funding.
That experience was a huge eye-opener for me. It helped me realise that while writing code is fun and problem-solving is exciting, technology doesn’t exist in isolation. In many ways, it’s still a business. There’s a bigger picture beyond clean code or passing tests, and that picture includes value creation, sustainability, and impact.
Since then, it’s changed how I approach my work. I still enjoy building and solving problems, but I also think a lot more about why something is being built, who it’s for, and the value it creates in the long run.
Was there a defining career decision that changed your trajectory?
I wouldn’t say there was one big defining career decision that completely changed my trajectory. If anything, I’ve been quite consistent with the path I chose early on.
At the beginning, I did some exploration. I tried a bit of backend development, played around with Python, and experimented with different tools just to understand how things worked and what I enjoyed most. But over time, I naturally gravitated towards front-end development, and that’s where I’ve stayed.
More specifically, I settled into working with Vue, and it’s been my main framework for a while now. I still like to explore other frameworks from time to time, just to stay curious and understand different approaches, but front-end has always been my core focus.
What problem do you feel most drawn to solving in your work right now?
Right now, the problem I feel most drawn to solving in my work is accessibility, and closely after that, performance.
Accessibility is a big one for me because a huge number of people live with some form of disability, and it’s honestly painful to think that some of them still struggle to use the products we build. Many people already deal with challenges navigating the physical world, so they shouldn’t have to face more barriers in the digital world, too.
So anytime I’m building or reviewing something, I naturally look out for things like keyboard support, focus states, screen reader behaviour, and whether the UI is actually usable for everyone.
And performance matters for a similar reason. A fast, smooth experience isn’t just a “nice to have.” It affects real people, real devices, and real network conditions.
So yeah, if I had to summarise it, I’m most drawn to solving problems that make products more inclusive and more reliable for everyone.
Accessibility is often treated as a “nice to have” in fast-moving teams. Why should African startups take it seriously, especially when resources are tight?
Because accessibility is not charity, it is a smart product strategy. Africa has a huge mobile-first audience, a wide range of device quality, inconsistent networks, and many users who rely on assistive features like screen readers, voice input, larger text, and high contrast modes. When you design for accessibility, you usually improve the experience for everyone: clearer UI, better performance, better forms, better navigation, and fewer support issues.
It also protects growth. If you want enterprise customers, partnerships, or global expansion, accessibility and inclusive design increasingly show up in procurement, compliance, and due diligence. Getting it right early is cheaper than retrofitting later, and it helps you avoid product debt that slows teams down. Most importantly, accessibility is about reach. Startups win by serving the widest possible market, and you cannot do that if your product quietly blocks people from using it.
How do you approach learning new tools or skills in such a fast-moving industry?
In a fast-moving industry like tech, I try to be intentional about what I choose to learn. I’m not the type to jump on every trending tool just because it’s popular. I usually take a step back and ask myself: “Is this something that will actually help me grow or make me better at what I do?” If the answer is yes, then I commit to learning it.
My approach is also very hands-on. I’m not really a fan of long tutorial videos or spending too much time hopping between blog posts. I prefer going straight to the official documentation, understanding the basics, and then building something small with it.
For example, if I wanted to learn something like Angular, I’d start with the getting started guide, understand how the framework works at a high level, and then try to build a simple project to apply what I’m learning immediately.
One thing that makes learning easier for me is having a strong foundation in programming languages, so picking up a new tool usually feels more like learning a new pattern than starting from scratch.
And honestly, AI has made the process even smoother. I use it to quickly summarise new concepts, explain parts of the documentation, or unblock me when I’m stuck, which helps me move faster while still understanding what I’m doing. Overall, my main learning style is simple: read the docs, build something small, and learn by doing.
What’s one misconception people often have about your role or field?
One misconception people often have about my field is that front-end development is just HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, then you take a design and “just build it.”
And to be fair, at the surface level, that’s not completely wrong. But once you start going deeper, you realise front-end is a lot more than making things look nice on a screen.
There’s performance to think about, accessibility, security, responsiveness across different devices, and even the design engineering side of things, where you’re translating design into something that actually works in real life. You also have to think about edge cases, user behaviour, and how the product feels to use.
Front-end is usually the first point of contact for users, so you can’t afford to get it wrong. It’s not just replicating a design; it’s creating a smooth experience and ensuring users enjoy their first interaction with the product.
From your perspective, what is Africa underrepresented in—but exceptionally good at—in tech?
From my perspective, Africa, and Nigeria in particular, is underrepresented in terms of recognition and access, but exceptionally strong in resilience and tech talent.
As a Nigerian, I face many challenges, whether it’s infrastructure, access to opportunities, or the general limitations that people in more developed ecosystems don’t have to think about. But despite that, many Nigerians still push through, keep learning, and compete on a global level. And the results speak for themselves. There are many Nigerians doing incredible work globally across engineering, open source, and product development.
Another strong area is numbers and willingness to learn. There’s a huge pool of people actively getting into tech, contributing to open source, and building in public. At one point, Nigeria ranked among the top contributors to open source on GitHub, which speaks volumes about the level of interest and effort from the ecosystem.
Where we’re still underrepresented is in access and trust. Things like passport restrictions, regional hiring limitations, and existing stereotypes often make it harder for African talent to access global opportunities, even when their skills are there.
What do you think African founders or professionals should stop copying from Silicon Valley?
One thing I think African founders and professionals need to stop copying from Silicon Valley is the idea that tech alone can solve everything.
Many startup ideas are built around technical solutions that look great on paper but don’t fully account for realities on the ground, especially in places like Nigeria. Not every problem here can be solved with an app or a platform alone. We still have many foundational challenges, and solving them often requires a mix of technology, manual effort, and deep local understanding.
Silicon Valley operates in a very different environment. A lot of the basics are already figured out there, so it’s easier to build something and expect it to scale quickly or attract funding fast. That model doesn’t always translate well to our context.
How do you define impact in the African tech ecosystem?
When I think about impact in the African tech ecosystem, I think about two things: real change on the ground and visibility beyond the continent.
On one hand, impact means building things that genuinely improve people’s lives within Africa. Products and platforms that solve real problems, create jobs, open up opportunities, and make everyday life easier for people.
But there’s also the visibility aspect, which I think is just as important. When we build great products, we’re not only building for Africans, we’re also showing the rest of the world what’s possible here. It helps change the narrative that Africa is just a continent of problems, instead highlighting that it’s a continent of brilliant minds and strong builders.
When you look at companies like Paystack, Flutterwave, and other African startups that have grown and raised significant funding, they’re not just successful businesses. They’re proof points. They show that world-class products can emerge from Africa and compete globally.
What has failure taught you that success never did?
Failure has taught me that learning doesn’t always come from getting things right. In fact, most of what I’ve learned has come from things not working out.
With success, you can reflect and think about how things could have been better, but failure forces you to sit with what went wrong. There’s almost always a clear lesson there, whether it’s about preparation, decision-making, timing, or expectations.
I can’t point to one specific thing failure has taught me that success never did. It’s more about the mindset it builds. Failure taught me that it’s okay to fall, as long as you don’t stay down. You take the lesson, adjust, and move forward.
I once heard someone say you need to learn how to fail forward, and that really stuck with me. Failure isn’t the opposite of success. If you handle it properly, it’s part of the path. So yeah, I’ve learned to see failure less as a setback and more as feedback.
How do you handle burnout or periods of low motivation?
When I’m feeling burnt out or my motivation is low, I try to slow down and take care of myself properly instead of forcing it.
The first thing for me is sleep. I genuinely don’t compromise on it. I try to get 8 hours every day, and even when I sleep late, I still try to make up for it. I’ve noticed that once my sleep is messed up, everything else starts feeling harder: my energy and focus drop, and even small tasks feel like stress.
I also make sure I have proper downtime, especially on weekends. I play games, watch movies, watch football, and sometimes I even play football. Just doing things I enjoy helps me reset mentally. Recently, I’ve also started exercising more at home. I don’t go to the gym, but even small exercise sessions help a lot, it clears my head and improve my mood.
Another thing I’ve learned is that burnout isn’t always just “work stress”, sometimes it’s also things like not drinking enough water, which sounds small but affects me a lot. When I’m dehydrated, I get tired faster, I get headaches, and I’m not as sharp.
And if it gets to a point where I feel like the environment itself is draining me, I try to take a step back and be honest with myself, reevaluate what’s going on, what needs to change, and whether I need to adjust how I’m working or even consider a different situation entirely. In general, I try to rest properly, reset, and come back stronger, not just push through and crash.
What advice would you give your younger self starting out today?
If I could give my younger self advice starting out today, I’d say ignore the noise and focus on your own lane. It’s so easy to get distracted when you’re constantly watching what other people are building, learning, or achieving, and then you start feeling like you’re behind, even when you’re actually making progress.
I’d also tell myself to make friends and build genuine connections. Skills matter, but relationships matter too, and the people you meet along the way can open doors, support you, and even help you grow faster than you would alone.
And lastly, I’d remind myself to have fun. Yes, growth and upskilling are important, but you shouldn’t make life feel like a constant struggle. Enjoy the process, take breaks when you need to, and don’t forget to live while you’re building your career.
If you had a year off with no obligations, how would you spend it?
If I had a full year off with no obligations, honestly, I’d travel…. like travel, travel, travel. I’d spend the year exploring as many places as I could because the world is too beautiful not to experience.
There are so many different cultures, people, food, and lifestyles out there, and I genuinely want to see them all, or at least as much as I can. I feel like travelling teaches you things you can’t really learn from books or online.
So yeah, if I had a year with no responsibilities, I’d use it to explore the world and make memories.
What’s one belief you’ve changed your mind about in the last five years?
Before, I used to think the best approach was to focus, learn, get really good first, and then show up when everything is perfect. I wasn’t really a fan of people posting every small win online because it felt like unnecessary noise.
But I’ve come to realise that the tech ecosystem today runs on visibility. If you’re learning something, it helps to share it. If you’re learning HTML, post it. If you’re building a small project, share it. Put it on LinkedIn, Twitter, or whatever platform you’re active on because you genuinely never know who’s watching.
Sometimes, just one or two posts can open doors, attract opportunities, or connect you with the right people. And it also helps you stand out, because many people are learning the same thing, but not everyone is sharing their journey.
So yeah, I’ve learned that it’s okay to make noise, not in a fake way, but in a way that lets people see your growth.
What’s the best piece of feedback you’ve ever received about your work?
The most valuable feedback I’ve ever received wasn’t praise; it was a correction that completely reshaped how I work.
I was submitting a pull request and, during a quick review call, the reviewer paused and simply said: “Take your time.”
At the time, it sounded almost trivial. But it landed hard. Early in my career, I equated speed with competence. I wanted to close tickets fast, ship quickly, and move on. And while that mindset created momentum, it also came with blind spots, missed edge cases, subtle UI issues, and overlooked accessibility concerns.
Frontend engineering is unforgiving that way. Small details compound into real user experience problems.
That single comment forced me to recalibrate. I learned that speed without intention isn’t efficiency, it’s risk. Slowing down helped me think more deeply, estimate more realistically, and produce work that held up under scrutiny.
Interestingly, it also cured my procrastination. Once I accepted that good work deserves time, I stopped rushing at the end and started earlier, with more clarity and confidence.
“Take your time” sounds simple, but it taught me craftsmanship. It’s advice I still apply every day.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us
It’s a pleasure talking to you guys.
