In Africa’s top tech hubs – Lagos, Nairobi, and Cape Town – startup CTOs balance technical leadership, team management, and business strategy to drive innovation in challenging environments. Their day involves:

• Morning: Reviewing product roadmaps, addressing system performance, and aligning teams using tools like Slack and Jira.
• Midday: Conducting code reviews, solving scalability issues, and optimizing resources to manage costs effectively.
• Afternoon: Recruiting and retaining tech talent, building collaborative teams, and addressing compensation challenges.
• Evening: Networking with investors, forming partnerships, and engaging with local developer communities to strengthen ecosystems.

With a focus on solving local problems and creating scalable solutions, these CTOs are shaping Africa’s digital economy while navigating talent shortages, infrastructure gaps, and global competition.

The Paystack Story, with Ezra Olubi, Co-Founder and CTO #FoundersConnect

Morning: Planning and Daily Team Setup

The morning is a critical time for CTOs in cities like Lagos, Nairobi, and Cape Town. It’s when they juggle ambitious product goals with the ongoing challenges of tech talent shortages and infrastructure hurdles. By reviewing system performance and addressing urgent issues first thing, they lay the groundwork for sound strategic decisions. This early focus not only sharpens their technical oversight but also strengthens their leadership role within the team.

Reviewing Product Roadmaps and Setting Priorities

In the fast-paced world of African startups, reviewing product roadmaps requires a careful balance. CTOs must prioritize customer needs while managing technical debt and working within infrastructure constraints. With $2.2 billion invested in African tech in 2024, the pressure to deliver results quickly while building systems that last is immense.

During these reviews, CTOs evaluate which features are realistic to tackle, assess the impact of previous efforts, and pinpoint potential blockers that could disrupt the day’s progress. For example, Letshego uses user adoption metrics to decide which markets and features to prioritize.

The challenge doesn’t stop there. CTOs also analyze the previous day’s performance, constantly navigating the tension between their ideal vision for the product and the practical realities of development. With over 2,400 AI companies in Africa – 40% of which were founded in the last five years – the competition for talent and market dominance is fierce, adding another layer of complexity.

Team Alignment Through Tools and Communication

Effective communication is key to keeping remote teams on the same page, and CTOs rely heavily on tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, and GitHub to make it happen. Morning meetings go beyond simple check-ins. They often include collaborative problem-solving sessions to ensure everyone is aligned, even when real-time interaction is limited.

Take DataProphet’s collaboration with Atlantis Foundries as an example. By using its PRESCRIBE AI solution, the team worked across time zones and technical disciplines to help Atlantis Foundries cut its scrap rate in half, achieving an external scrap rate of less than 0.1%. This success came from regular alignment meetings where the CTO ensured that both AI developers and manufacturing engineers stayed focused on shared goals.

These sessions also address talent management, a critical issue given that 18% of startups fail due to team-related problems. CTOs work hard to foster a strong connection between their teams and the company’s mission, helping every member see how their contributions fit into the bigger picture.

Automated status reports further streamline team management, quickly flagging who might need extra support. This is especially important for distributed teams working across different time zones. Some African startups have even adopted “follow-the-sun” development practices, allowing work to proceed around the clock and ensuring that overnight progress integrates seamlessly with the day’s plans.

One of the things I like about AI is it takes over the mundane, routine tasks, so it makes you more efficient, and gives the human being more time to do more memory-intensive things.

– Harold Nixon, Ghanaian Radiologist

This sentiment captures how CTOs use automation and intelligent tools to handle routine tasks, freeing up their mental bandwidth for the strategic decisions that drive success.

With their priorities set and teams aligned, CTOs are ready to tackle the technical challenges that lie ahead as the day unfolds.

Midday: Technical Operations and Problem Solving

After a morning of strategic planning, CTOs shift gears to tackle pressing technical challenges. This part of the day is all about addressing immediate issues and ensuring the technical infrastructure runs smoothly.

Code Reviews and Architecture Discussions

Code reviews play a key role in maintaining software quality, reducing defects by 60%–90%, cutting development time by 20%, and lowering testing efforts by 25%. By setting clear guidelines, CTOs ensure bugs, security flaws, and technical debt are identified early. This not only prevents issues from reaching production but also encourages knowledge sharing and strengthens the engineering team’s collaboration.

To streamline these reviews, many CTOs rely on automated tools like GitHub, CodeGuru, and Codacy to catch common coding errors. For security, tools such as SonarQube, Snyk, and Veracode scan for vulnerabilities. Feedback is timely and constructive, focusing on the code rather than the individual. Meanwhile, architecture discussions focus on scalability, ensuring the current codebase can handle future growth and identifying areas that may need refactoring.

This level of scrutiny and collaboration sets the stage for addressing larger challenges like scalability and resource management.

Managing Scalability and Resource Constraints

Economic shifts often force companies to rethink their infrastructure strategies. For instance, the naira’s 70% drop against the dollar from 2020 to 2024 led many Nigerian businesses to adopt local cloud solutions. In 2024, Fara Ashiru’s fintech platform, Okra, transitioned its cloud operations to data centers in Nigeria and South Africa. This shift eventually gave rise to Nebula, a separate company offering local hosting and naira-based transactions.

Similarly, Ugochukwu Okoro’s proptech company, Muster, moved from AWS to GigaLayer, a local provider, in August 2024. Okoro highlighted the trade-offs:

Their services are great, but I understand a lot of users might not want to use them because of skill issues. I have to manually integrate our system gradually, something most of my engineers can’t do because they are used to the seamless plug-and-play offered by AWS.

Cost optimization is another key focus. AWS Spot Instances can save up to 90% compared to On-Demand rates, while Google’s Preemptible VMs offer roughly 80% savings. For example, the video creation platform PlayPlay automated its Kubernetes migration to more cost-effective instances, saving $1,430 per month by replacing 13 nodes without service disruptions. CTOs are also preparing for the expiration of cloud credits by designing systems with cost efficiency in mind. Additionally, using Arm CPUs with Spot Instances can further reduce costs.

When outages occur, quick decision-making is critical. A fintech CTO in Tanzania managed a significant outage with a mobile money provider by switching payment partners and maintaining clear communication to ensure transactions continued without major disruptions.

Comparison of Tools for Technical Management

With performance and cost challenges in mind, CTOs evaluate technical tools to strike a balance between functionality, cost, and team skill sets. Here’s a comparison of some key options for African startups:

Category	Option 1	Option 2	Key Differences
Code Management	GitHub	GitLab	GitHub excels in third-party integrations; GitLab offers built-in CI/CD and security scanning.
Cloud Infrastructure	AWS	Google Cloud	AWS provides a wider range of services, while Google Cloud often offers better pricing for compute-heavy tasks.
Local vs Global Cloud	Local providers (e.g., GigaLayer, Nebula)	Global providers (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP)	Local providers support payment in naira and data sovereignty; global providers lead in automation and tooling.
Cost Optimization	On-Demand instances	Spot/Preemptible instances	Spot instances can save up to 90% but require fault-tolerant setups.
CPU Architecture	x86 processors	Arm processors	Arm CPUs are consistently more cost-efficient for both On-Demand and Spot pricing.

For analytical workloads, many CTOs are turning to open-source solutions like ClickHouse, which offer a low total cost of ownership. Collaboration tools such as TestRail, TestLink, and TestLodge also help streamline testing efforts. Additionally, as governments push for data localization, local cloud providers are becoming more appealing, despite their limitations in automation and tooling.

The technical work handled during midday sets the stage for the leadership and strategic initiatives that follow in the afternoon.

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Afternoon: Leadership and Talent Development

As CTOs progress in their roles, their focus often shifts from solving technical challenges to fostering and developing their engineering teams. This transition requires a completely different set of skills.

Recruiting and Retaining Top Engineering Talent

Africa’s tech talent scene is both promising and complex. With over 60% of its population under the age of 25 and more than 500,000 tech graduates entering the workforce annually, the continent offers a wealth of eager professionals ready to make their mark [21,25]. In 2021 alone, startups in Africa secured over $4 billion in funding, a clear signal of growing confidence in the region’s potential.

CTOs frequently tap into talent hubs like Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa. These regions stand out due to their strong English proficiency and ability to collaborate effectively on a global scale. Cost is another factor that makes Africa attractive – senior developers in South Africa earn around $35,000 annually, a fraction of the $120,000 or more that their U.S. counterparts typically command. In fact, African tech professionals are often 60–80% less expensive than their peers in the U.S. or Western Europe.

To maintain a steady flow of talent, savvy CTOs form partnerships with universities and specialized training programs. They also take advantage of time zone overlaps, allowing seamless collaboration with teams in Europe and North America.

Still, competition for talent is fierce. Nearly 38% of African developers now work remotely for international companies, which often prefer candidates with six or more years of experience. Meanwhile, local startups typically hire professionals with closer to four years of experience [27,32]. This dynamic creates a fluid talent market that CTOs must navigate carefully.

Building a Collaborative and Creative Culture

Once the right talent is onboarded, the next challenge is cultivating an environment where innovation can thrive. Building a strong company culture isn’t just about offering perks or trendy office spaces – it’s about creating a space where collaboration and creativity flourish. As Hon. Jane Sithole, South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Small Business Development, aptly puts it:

Collaboration across borders is the key to unlocking Africa’s shared prosperity and innovation-driven future.

CTOs embrace this philosophy by assembling diverse teams that bring fresh perspectives to problem-solving. They focus on creating workplaces that prioritize transparency, professional growth, and a healthy work-life balance. Offering flexible work options also allows companies to attract a wider range of candidates.

Mentorship plays a big role, too. Many CTOs encourage entrepreneurship within their teams by providing access to funding, networking opportunities, and guidance. For instance, LaStartupStation in Casablanca has supported over 2,000 startups, facilitated 103 purchase orders with major companies, and helped 65 startups secure funding since 2017. These initiatives show how targeted support can drive meaningful growth.

Ultimately, the goal is to create a workplace where employees feel valued and their contributions recognized. Africa’s young workforce brings fresh energy and innovative solutions to long-standing challenges, and CTOs who harness this potential often see remarkable results.

Challenges in Compensation and Talent Retention

Keeping top talent on board is another hurdle. Traditional compensation packages alone are no longer enough to ensure loyalty. For example, companies like Safaricom have faced voluntary turnover rates as high as 20%. However, with targeted employee engagement programs, they’ve managed to lower this to under 8%. Replacing a skilled worker in Kenya can cost 50–75% of their annual salary, making retention a critical focus.

CTOs must also compete with international firms offering salaries in dollars. For intermediate to senior-level developers in Africa, pay typically ranges from $25,000 to $50,000 annually. But as Gladys Ehimen from Interswitch points out:

People stay where they feel heard, where their work matters, and where they’re not stuck doing the same thing every day.

To address this, CTOs are adopting creative retention strategies. They actively listen to employees to understand what they value most. This includes fostering a sense of belonging through effective onboarding, mentorship, and a commitment to inclusion and diversity.

Professional development is another priority. CTOs encourage career growth by offering clear advancement paths, supporting attendance at industry events, and ensuring transparency in promotion policies. They also emphasize work-life balance by encouraging employees to set boundaries, take time off, and avoid burnout.

The most successful retention strategies combine competitive pay with flexible work arrangements, equity options, health benefits, and clear growth opportunities. Recognizing that formal education often leaves gaps, many CTOs invest in internships, university collaborations, and in-house mentoring programs. These efforts not only prepare employees for real-world challenges but also create a cycle where former employees return, strengthening the broader ecosystem.

Evening: Ecosystem Engagement and Networking

Once internal operations and team dynamics are under control, CTOs shift their focus in the evening to external connections. This is when they step into the world of strategic networking, laying the groundwork for future growth, funding opportunities, and partnerships that can shape their startup’s trajectory.

Engaging with Investors and Partners

For African startup CTOs, connecting with investors is about more than just securing funding. These relationships often bring valuable expertise, networks, and strategic advice that can influence the company’s direction in profound ways.

Creating a Compelling Narrative

A strong pitch starts with a clear and engaging story. CTOs craft their online profiles and presentations to showcase the real-world impact of their technology. Experts often stress the importance of aligning the pitch with investors’ priorities. This means highlighting not only the problem being solved but also key details like the company’s incorporation date, team achievements, target audience, and evidence of revenue growth. These elements demonstrate progress and potential, making the pitch resonate with investors.

Preparing for Due Diligence

Research is key when approaching investors. CTOs take the time to study potential investors’ criteria, past investments, and funding trends. This preparation allows them to tailor their outreach and make a stronger case when opportunities arise.

Take Ladda, for example. This Nigerian investment platform, founded by Oluwatosin Olaseinde, gained significant traction in 2020/21 when it became a finalist in the Seedstars World Competition. By participating in both the main competition and the Gender Equity Track, Ladda gained visibility that sparked meaningful conversations with investors. It’s a testament to how strategic engagement can lead to big opportunities.

Maintaining Ongoing Communication

Building trust with investors doesn’t end after the initial pitch. CTOs keep the lines of communication open by providing regular updates, celebrating milestones, and addressing challenges transparently. This consistent interaction not only strengthens trust but also keeps investors actively involved. CTOs also work to create mutual value by sharing their insights, industry expertise, and connections, ensuring the relationship benefits both sides.

Once investor relationships are in place, CTOs turn their attention to broader partnerships within the tech ecosystem, which are equally vital for growth.

Building Local and Global Tech Communities

CTOs understand that a thriving startup depends on a strong, interconnected tech ecosystem. This ecosystem includes a wide range of players, from angel investors and accelerators to government agencies, NGOs, and developer communities.

Leveraging Industry Events and Ecosystem Partnerships

Beyond internal strategies, CTOs actively seek partnerships with accelerators, government organizations, and NGOs. These collaborations can provide mentorship, resources, and access to new markets. Attending industry events – whether virtual or in-person – is another key strategy. These events offer opportunities to meet potential investors, partners, and collaborators. Instead of focusing solely on immediate gains, CTOs approach these gatherings with a long-term mindset, aiming to build meaningful relationships.

Cities like Lagos, Nairobi, and Cape Town are hotspots for networking. Lagos, with its booming fintech sector, offers access to Nigeria’s vast market. Nairobi serves as East Africa’s tech hub, particularly for mobile money innovations. Meanwhile, Cape Town provides a gateway to mature financial markets and the broader African continent. These cities offer unique opportunities for CTOs to connect with key players in the industry.

Ecosystem partnerships often go beyond what individual investor connections can offer. They provide guidance on regulations, insights into social impact, and ongoing mentorship, making them invaluable for startups navigating complex markets.

Fostering Developer Communities

Another critical focus for CTOs is engaging with local developer communities. By participating in coding meetups, hackathons, and technical conferences, they not only share their expertise but also identify emerging talent. These interactions help build a pipeline of skilled developers, keep CTOs informed about new technologies, and establish their reputation as thought leaders in the tech space. This visibility can be a major advantage when scaling operations or exploring new technical directions.

The time CTOs spend on networking and ecosystem engagement is an investment in their startup’s future. By nurturing relationships with investors, partners, and community members, they create a support network that extends far beyond their immediate team and technical resources.

Conclusion: Key Takeaways and the Future of CTO Leadership in Africa

Exploring the daily lives of startup CTOs in Lagos, Nairobi, and Cape Town uncovers the unique challenges and opportunities that shape Africa’s tech landscape. These leaders are not just managing technology – they’re actively shaping the continent’s digital future.

Key Insights from a CTO’s Day

The most effective CTOs in Africa’s tech hubs juggle a wide range of responsibilities, combining technical expertise with strategic foresight. They navigate resource limitations and infrastructure hurdles with creativity and resilience, crafting solutions that meet local demands.

One standout trait is their focus on cost efficiency. For many startups, technology expenses represent about 12% of their total budget, sometimes even higher. African CTOs embed cost considerations into every decision, creating scalable, sustainable solutions that thrive in resource-constrained settings.

Another critical priority is building and retaining talent. Africa’s tech growth heavily relies on its people, with talent scoring 68 out of 100 in ecosystem assessments. CTOs dedicate time to mentoring engineers, fostering innovative work environments, and nurturing collaboration. They recognize that their teams are their greatest asset.

Strategic alignment with business goals is another hallmark of successful CTOs. Companies with CTOs who actively engage in product roadmaps and stakeholder communication are 45% more likely to outperform their competitors in innovation and profitability. This highlights why African CTOs focus on more than just technical implementation – they aim to align technology with broader business objectives.

Finally, the emphasis on mobile-first design and ecosystem building reflects Africa’s unique tech journey. Unlike regions that transitioned from desktop to mobile, Africa leapfrogged directly to mobile-first solutions. This shapes everything from system architecture to user experience.

These insights lay the groundwork for the next wave of tech leadership in Africa.

The Future of African Tech Leadership

Looking ahead, the future for CTOs across Africa is filled with both promise and complexity. With over $3.5 billion in venture capital raised by African startups in 2023 – nearly 70% of which went to Lagos, Nairobi, and Cape Town – these cities are solidifying their status as the continent’s tech capitals.

Local problem-solving is becoming the driving force behind African innovation. Infrastructure challenges, instead of being obstacles, are fueling creative solutions. As Tunde Kara, founder of Vendease, puts it:

Africa’s tech entrepreneurs are not just building businesses; they are creating solutions with transformative potential, from advancing healthcare to driving financial inclusion. This purpose-driven innovation, combined with one of the world’s youngest and most energetic workforces, positions Africa as a rising hub for global innovation

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While infrastructure scores remain low at 35 out of 100 in ecosystem assessments, CTOs are turning these limitations into opportunities. They are crafting technologies that function in environments with inconsistent connectivity, unreliable power, and complex regulations – skills that have global relevance.

A shift toward locally rooted funding is also reshaping the startup landscape. Diaspora funds, African angel investors, and pension-backed venture capital are creating new opportunities for startups deeply connected to their markets. This trend reduces reliance on foreign investment and builds more sustainable funding ecosystems.

Specialization and collaboration are emerging as critical trends. Fintech leads the way, accounting for 46% of all startup funding, while sectors like energy and climate tech are also gaining traction, attracting over 18% of total investment. This focus allows CTOs to deepen their expertise and strengthen their networks within specific industries.

Despite the optimism, challenges remain. Africa’s youthful population – over 60% under age 25 – offers immense potential, but innovation scores, measured by R&D spending and patent activity, remain low at 28 out of 100. CTOs must balance the immediate needs of their businesses with long-term investments in innovation.

The future belongs to CTOs who can navigate these dynamics while fostering the collaborative spirit that defines African tech. As Dr. Shikoh aptly states:

We must work together because no one is going to do it for us. Nobody is building Africa but us

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This collective mindset, rooted in local ownership and responsibility, will continue to propel Africa’s tech transformation. CTOs will remain at the forefront, making decisions that not only shape their companies but also drive progress across the continent and beyond.

FAQs

How do startup CTOs in African tech hubs tackle infrastructure challenges and talent shortages?

African tech hubs are buzzing with creativity, and startup CTOs are finding smart ways to tackle challenges like infrastructure limitations and talent shortages. One of their go-to solutions? Leveraging open-source software and cloud-based platforms. These tools help cut costs and work around resource constraints, making it easier to keep operations running smoothly.

Another game-changer is remote work. By embracing flexible working arrangements, CTOs can connect with skilled professionals not just locally but across the continent and even internationally. This approach broadens the talent pool while keeping projects on track.

To bridge infrastructure gaps, many CTOs invest in efficient team management. They rely on project management software and collaborative tools to ensure teams stay productive, no matter the circumstances. At the same time, they’re committed to upskilling local talent. Through mentorship and training programs, they’re helping to build a workforce that’s not only skilled but also ready to drive innovation forward.

These strategies are empowering African startups to grow, adapt, and compete on a global scale, proving that local challenges can inspire world-class solutions.

How do startup CTOs in African cities like Lagos, Nairobi, and Cape Town balance cost efficiency with delivering high-quality tech solutions?

Startups in Africa are finding smart ways to balance cost and quality, and one key approach is leveraging cloud-based services. With pay-as-you-go pricing, these services cut down on hefty infrastructure costs while offering the flexibility to scale as needed. Another strategy is adopting automation tools, which help streamline processes and keep operational expenses in check.

Many startups are also turning to fractional CTO models. This setup allows them to tap into expert leadership without the financial burden of a full-time hire. Additionally, working with local vendors and creating solutions designed specifically for the African market helps startups maintain quality without overspending. These methods are proving essential for staying nimble and competitive in Africa’s rapidly evolving tech landscape.

How do networking and community involvement contribute to the success of startup CTOs in Lagos, Nairobi, and Cape Town?

Building connections and staying actively involved in the local tech scene is essential for startup CTOs in cities like Lagos, Nairobi, and Cape Town. These efforts open doors to important resources such as mentorship, funding opportunities, and collaborative networks that fuel innovation and business growth.

By participating in local startup communities, CTOs can form strategic partnerships, share insights, and tackle the specific challenges of their markets more effectively. These relationships not only support professional growth but also pave the way for implementing advanced solutions designed to meet the unique needs of the African tech ecosystem.

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