For thousands of African graduates and career changers, the tech industry can feel like a locked room: a world that demands a computer science degree, a coding bootcamp, or a network most people simply don’t have. A new book launching this month argues that belief is not just wrong but is quietly costing the continent talent it can’t afford to lose.
Breaking Into Tech: Internship as a Pathway, curated by marketing and growth leader Oluchukwu Chiadika, brings together the personal, unpolished career stories of 20 professionals who broke into the tech industry through internships and went on to become founders, executives, and senior leaders at companies including Asana, Flutterwave, Moniepoint, Paystack, PiggyVest, TechCabal, Risevest, Interswitch, United Capital, LoftyInc, Bumpa, and Antler.
Why Internships Matter in a Global Talent Economy
The timing of the book is particularly significant.
As artificial intelligence, remote work, and distributed teams continue to reshape the global economy, technology talent is becoming increasingly borderless. African professionals are no longer competing solely within local markets. They are contributing to international teams, building products for global audiences, and participating in a rapidly evolving digital workforce.
Yet, for many aspiring professionals, the challenge remains the same: How do you get your first opportunity?
The book’s central argument is simple and, according to its contributors, underappreciated: the internship may be one of the most overlooked turning points in many successful tech careers. Each chapter walks through a contributor’s life before tech, how they found their first opportunity, the internship that changed their trajectory, and the lessons they’d pass on to someone starting where they once stood.
Contributors span far beyond software engineering — into product management, growth marketing, customer success, venture capital, community building, HR, design, and cloud engineering — reinforcing a message the book repeats throughout: tech is not one job. It’s an entire ecosystem with room for people from every academic and professional background.
“There’s a version of this industry that only gets talked about from the outside — the funding rounds, the exits, the headlines,” said Chiadika. “This book is about what actually happens before any of that: the internship nobody clapped for, the unglamorous first role, the manager who took a chance. That’s where careers are actually built.”
A Voice Already Shaping the Conversation
Chiadika currently serves as Marketing Lead at one of Nigeria’s leading fintech companies. She has spoken at more than 180 events and been featured across media platforms including Arise TV, Smooth FM, and Zikoko. She was named to She Leads Africa’s Top 50 Under 30 list, recognised in Brummell Magazine’s Ones to Watch 2025, and honoured on Crest Africa’s Tech Power List 2025.
She is also the founder of Your Personal Finance Girl (YPFG), a digital first financial educational platform dedicated to helping young professionals build stronger financial and career foundations.
Breaking Into Tech is her second published book.
Launch Details
Breaking Into Tech: Internship as a Pathway will officially launch on August 29, 2026.
The launch event will bring together contributors, industry leaders, students, graduates, career changers, and members of the broader technology ecosystem to discuss the role of internships in shaping the future of work.
Event details:
- Date: August 29, 2026
- Time: 2:00 PM–3:00 PM (WAT)
- Format: Hybrid (in-person and virtual).
About the Author
Oluchukwu Chiadika is a growth leader, community architect, and ecosystem builder working at the intersection of technology, fintech, and human capital.
She currently serves as Marketing Lead at one of Nigeria’s premier fintech companies and is the founder of Your Personal Finance Girl (YPFG). Through her work in marketing, education, and community building, she has become a recognised voice in conversations around financial literacy, career development, and talent growth.
Media Contact
For interviews, review copies, or additional information about Breaking Into Tech: Internship as a Pathway, please contact:
Rebekah – Email: byaudacious@gmail.com – Phone: 08085439337
