This is not to scare you guys off programming, but to advice the future programmers to up their game.
first, programming is a very challenging but interesting profession, sadly Nigeria as a country don't value programmers. to proof am correct, how many Nigerian billionaires are programmers? compared to other professions like businessmen, etc the figure is quite negligible.
although it is debatable, I believe a programmer uses more IQ power than a medical doctor or lawyer, but the reverse is the case in terms of their rewards or basic pay.

the two main reasons why programming is a risky field are
1. Too many average programmers, the world we live in today, comprises of lots of programmers most of them are just average programmers. sadly this is because medical doctors, carpenters etc can register with an IT firm and learn Java , C++ etc for 6 months and believe they are competent programmers therefore competing with Computer Sci graduates who have studied for years.

2. No standard Certification for programmers. unlike fields like medical doctors or lawyers who have to obtain a certain certification to practice their profession, the same can't be said for programmers because virtually anybody can write codes but not everybody can fly a plane or operate a human being.

3. Nigeria's environment doesn't encourage talented programmers, although is not a nice habit to blame someone or some factors for your downfalls in life but this factor is something the government and private sectors need to consider and improve on. Banks and some companies outsource their software projects to foreign firms or expatriates .

4. Open Source, almost everything is the programming is world are free (from Java, mysql, etc) most are open sourced for the public, although this is a good thing but this has reduced the value of the average programmer as anybody irrespective of his/her profession can gain access to programmers tools.

Advantages of being a programmer in Nigeria.
Rather than consuming Nairaland's storage space by creating a new topic, i prefer to continue here.

1. They are lots of projects and problems in Nigeria that your software can solve.
Mark Z, the facebook guy is a billionaire today because he solved a problem,
The truth is Nigeria is a country facing many challenges, and as a programmer when you go to schools and organizations and see how obsolete
they do things( like registration, verification, etc), it won't take long before you get a flash of the next big app that can solve the way things are done. if you doubt me, check , a platform built after the founder discovered the high rate of unemployment of graduates and traditional methods of looking for jobs. you still doubt me? check too.

2. Open Source, remember in my former post how i said open source could be reducing the value of programmers?
Well, Good news, Open source could also make you the next big thing in the software industry,
Simply because you can build complex applications for free or without spending much. this means at the comfort of
your room, your laptop and IDE, you can move mountains if you work hard.

3. Internet is now cheaper than ever, Youtube and lots of free e-books.
I don't need to introduce Glo crazy data plans driving other network giants to reduce their data plans, to top it up 4G speed.
this means you can access resources,visit stackoverflow and download materials without causing a hole in your pocket.



so if you call yourself a programmer or you wish to dive into this field, study and work harder than ever, don't leave any stone uncovered because the competition It's real in the real world.

feel free to add yours!!!
cc Javanian
cc lordZOUGA
cc kodewrita

Programming is a creative art, thats why u dnt hv billionnaire programmers, most of them cant create somethng that people wud want to pay 4. Theyd rather learn it so that they can get hired by a firm. Who do you knw has turned to a billionnaire by working for other people. You have to b creative with what you have learnt

Interesting

Nice one boss. Very true

How many medical doctors have switched careers to programming? I know none.
Carpenters? yes. Doctors? na!!

On the certification thing, they're pros and cons.
state issued license will get us more respect and prestige equals better earnings for practitioners in the industry. But in this field, they'r more concrete ways to prove your capability besides a sheet of paper.

While the fundamentals of computing never changes, the tools of the trade changes so quickly it would be a nightmare for credential issuers to create credentials that match the trend-all the time.
languages change quickly, frameworks come and go, etc. j2me is gone. Android is in. Android api is static. In the java world Spring is in, struts is out. in many industries, java is out, python is in. etc Other fields are more stable having being around for centuries, so their members can take it easy.

It's easy to get into programming. With low/no barriers to entry. Anyone with a computer and internet connection can start learning and break into the field. Too many programmers/web developers etc creates an oversupply leading to lower salaries/income etc.

FALSE POST!
but I won't Comment

asalimpo:

How many medical doctors have switched careers to programming? I know none.
Carpenters? yes. Doctors? na!!

On the certification thing, they're pros and cons.
state issued license will get us more respect and prestige equals better earnings for practitioners in the industry. But in this field, they'r more concrete ways to prove your capability besides a sheet of paper.

While the fundamentals of computing never changes, the tools of the trade changes so quickly it would be a nightmare for credential issuers to create credentials that match the trend-all the time.
languages change quickly, frameworks come and go, etc. j2me is gone. Android is in. Android api is static. In the java world Spring is in, struts is out. in many industries, java is out, python is in. etc Other fields are more stable having being around for centuries, so their members can take it easy.

It's easy to get into programming. With low/no barriers to entry. Anyone with a computer and internet connection can start learning and break into the field. Too many programmers/web developers etc creates an oversupply leading to lower salaries/income etc.

java is out.....I doubt u are a full stack engineer...
..comparing python to java is lyk comparing a Volkswagen to a Bugatti!

i agree with your post, but!... even among the average's.. experts dey! i have met so many average programmers esp php that cannot undertake certain projects implementing some simple features... like i said before, some people just stick to you-tube vids and thats the end!.. they never want to pay to learn, so just want to learn programming cos of the quick cash, like i met one, a system engineer, when he saw what i created, all of a sudden wants to become a programmer and do same so he could compete with me... even among the flooded market, there are some that still get high pay as much as 650k, a friend of mine, and some gets more than a million, you see them very quiet and observant.. so let the carpenters come in, there i a place for every kind of programmer in the market, that's the beauty of it all!

asalimpo:

How many medical doctors have switched careers to programming? I know none.
Carpenters? yes. Doctors? na!!

On the certification thing, they're pros and cons.
state issued license will get us more respect and prestige equals better earnings for practitioners in the industry. But in this field, they'r more concrete ways to prove your capability besides a sheet of paper.

While the fundamentals of computing never changes, the tools of the trade changes so quickly it would be a nightmare for credential issuers to create credentials that match the trend-all the time.
languages change quickly, frameworks come and go, etc. j2me is gone. Android is in. Android api is static. In the java world Spring is in, struts is out. in many industries, java is out, python is in. etc Other fields are more stable having being around for centuries, so their members can take it easy.

It's easy to get into programming. With low/no barriers to entry. Anyone with a computer and internet connection can start learning and break into the field. Too many programmers/web developers etc creates an oversupply leading to lower salaries/income etc.

Raypawer:
i agree with your post, but!... even among the average's.. experts dey! i have met so many average programmers esp php that cannot undertake certain projects implementing some simple features... like i said before, some people just stick to you-tube vids and thats the end!.. they never want to pay to learn, so just want to learn programming cos of the quick cash, like i met one, a system engineer, when he saw what i created, all of a sudden wants to become a programmer and do same so he could compete with me... even among the flooded market, there are some that still get high pay as much as 650k, a friend of mine, and some gets more than a million, you see them very quiet and observant.. so let the carpenters come in, there i a place for every kind of programmer in the market, that's the beauty of it all!

You have said it all.

Hmm don't know what to say, not trying to re invent the wheel. Possibly I'd take my skill to another nation, hey, where is this Rwandan immigration, or Botswana.. I'd be going to see lions then, maybe code with them

This post is getting hotter! I think i will just go to WAKANDA.

.

Whytelyon:
Hmm don't know what to say, not trying to re invent the wheel. Possibly I'd take my skill to another nation, hey, where is this Rwandan immigration, or Botswana.. I'd be going to see lions then, maybe code with them

Then ... when you're chased by (a) lion(s), you'll have a race condition ! - maybe u'll understand the concept deeper after that.

asalimpo:

... then when you're chased by a lion(s), you'll have a race condition !

#include <stdio.h>

int main()
{
    int chase;
    switch(chase)
     {

          case lions:
              printf("i need to wake up from this dream \ n" );
          break;
         case humanbeings:
             printf("I'd stand and fight them \ n" );
          break;
           default :
           break;
      }
    return 0;
}

I wouldn't even pray to be chased by lions. I cannot run.

What is

dhtml18:
WAKANDA.

WAKANDA is supposed to be a nation. Instead of going to Rwanda or Somalia,

nnasino:
Nice one boss. Very true

nice bro.. thanks

asalimpo:

How many medical doctors have switched careers to programming? I know none.
Carpenters? yes. Doctors? na!!

On the certification thing, they're pros and cons.
state issued license will get us more respect and prestige equals better earnings for practitioners in the industry. But in this field, they'r more concrete ways to prove your capability besides a sheet of paper.

While the fundamentals of computing never changes, the tools of the trade changes so quickly it would be a nightmare for credential issuers to create credentials that match the trend-all the time.
languages change quickly, frameworks come and go, etc. j2me is gone. Android is in. Android api is static. In the java world Spring is in, struts is out. in many industries, java is out, python is in. etc Other fields are more stable having being around for centuries, so their members can take it easy.

It's easy to get into programming. With low/no barriers to entry. Anyone with a computer and internet connection can start learning and break into the field. Too many programmers/web developers etc creates an oversupply leading to lower salaries/income etc.

I know some BMS graduate that are now into programming!

And you guys should not forget that I studied medicine (MBBS). But i switched to programming (even before i graduated), so it cannot be said that I have practiced before switching. There is a difference between my time of practice after NYSC is 00:00:00:00.

i love this article... thanks op. inspiring indeed

asalimpo:

How many medical doctors have switched careers to programming? I know none.
Carpenters? yes. Doctors? na!!

On the certification thing, they're pros and cons.
state issued license will get us more respect and prestige equals better earnings for practitioners in the industry. But in this field, they'r more concrete ways to prove your capability besides a sheet of paper.

While the fundamentals of computing never changes, the tools of the trade changes so quickly it would be a nightmare for credential issuers to create credentials that match the trend-all the time.
languages change quickly, frameworks come and go, etc. j2me is gone. Android is in. Android api is static. In the java world Spring is in, struts is out. in many industries, java is out, python is in. etc Other fields are more stable having being around for centuries, so their members can take it easy.

It's easy to get into programming. With low/no barriers to entry. Anyone with a computer and internet connection can start learning and break into the field. Too many programmers/web developers etc creates an oversupply leading to lower salaries/income etc.

java me is gone!!! really!!!! where did you fall out from?

Lol... A lecturer who studied for 7 years, and probably spent more years applying for the job, usually starts with a salary of 80-90k. While a junior programmer with a year's experience earns 120k. Let me not even talk about lawyers because the monthly earnings of your average 1 year experienced lawyer doesn't come close to 100k.

Programmers in Nigeria are underpaid, but when compared to other professions, we are rich!

That Mark Zuckerberg analogy is just shallow. If Mark was born in this country, he would have created a Facebook that no one uses, while someone in America will create a substandard version and it will get funding and become a multi billion dollar company. The Nigerian tech market has problems which only time will address. It is a miracle for any tech startup to succeed in this environment as it is right now. It has nothing to do with the quality of programmers.

You really think it's about solving problems people have? You think Google solved the search problem no one solved before them? Facebook solved the social network problem? My dear it is about getting funded quickly! These guys knew ppl that funded their mediocre products. That's y they outdid competition quickly. Google guys had a professor that invested in them. Mark met Sean Parker and the rest is history. Many Nigerians have developed brilliant solutions and it couldn't fly. People don't even understand what tech is, talk more, consider investing in it.

I hate it when common people are made to look smarter than we Africans because we are at a different economic stage.

As to your computer science, certification thing, you should know that computer science graduates who really understand programming are the exceptions:not the rule, and the reason technology grows at lightening speed is that there are no mediocrities set up in offices, "taking their time" to conduct research and advance the field... Or rather, there are such mediocrities, but before they are done discovering another way to search through an array which is just as fast as binary search, but which nobody ever thought of before, some kid in his basement has developed a virtual reality machine.

We are all very fortunate to be in this industry and in this country too. The real problem is our economy and the fact that people have not completely embraced technology in this country yet.

They will in the next 5 years. I would say I'll be jealous of anyone who is a programmer by then but God knows I'll still be one then.

larisoft:
Lol... A lecturer who studied for 7 years, and probably spent more years applying for the job, usually starts with a salary of 80-90k. While a junior programmer with a year's experience earns 120k. Let me not even talk about lawyers because the monthly earnings of your average 1 year experienced lawyer doesn't come close to 100k.

Programmers in Nigeria are underpaid, but when compared to other professions, we are rich!

That Mark Zuckerberg analogy is just shallow. If Mark was born in this country, he would have created a Facebook that no one uses, while someone in America will create a substandard version and it will get funding and become a multi billion dollar company. The Nigerian tech market has problems which only time will address. It is a miracle for any tech startup to succeed in this environment as it is right now. It has nothing to do with the quality of programmers.

You really think it's about solving problems people have? You think Google solved the search problem no one solved before them? Facebook solved the social network problem? My dear it is about getting funded quickly! These guys knew ppl that funded their mediocre products. That's y they outdid competition quickly. Google guys had a professor that invested in them. Mark met Sean Parker and the rest is history. Many Nigerians have developed brilliant solutions and it couldn't fly. People don't even understand what tech is, talk more, consider investing in it.

I hate it when common people are made to look smarter than we Africans because we are at a different economic stage.

As to your computer science, certification thing, you should know that computer science graduates who really understand programming are the exceptions:not the rule, and the reason technology grows at lightening speed is that there are no mediocrities set up in offices, "taking there time" to conduct research and advance the field... Or rather, there are such mediocrities, but before they are done discovering another way to search through an array which is just as fast as binary search, but which nobody ever thought of before, some kid in his basement has developed a virtual reality machine.

We are all very fortunate to be in this industry and in this country too. The real problem is our economy and the fact that people have not completely embraced technology on this country yet.

They will in the next 5 years. I would say I'll be jealous of anyone who is a programmer by then but God knows I'll still be one then.

Yea

@larisoft has spoken with great wisdom (as always), but where is his nemesis (the dreaded, scary, and extra-talkativer, recursive mouth-looper and blogger)?

Ceekay212:
java is out.....I doubt u are a full stack engineer...
..comparing python to java is lyk comparing a Volkswagen to a Bugatti!

I'll have to disagree with that, both languages have their pros and cons and both have been extensively used on a large scale. Python is currently overtaking java and c++ as the 1st choice language taught in major institutions. So java and python can be compared

......False post.

Ceekay212:
java is out.....I doubt u are a full stack engineer...
..comparing python to java is lyk comparing a Volkswagen to a Bugatti!

. Bro thats true cos anybody who said that JAVA is depreciating or outdated has his head to be examine.

ugwum007:


java me is gone!!! really!!!! where did you fall out from?

are you still in this world so? how many java me phones/tablets are still being manufactured and sold compared to android?
how many trending videos, tutorials are they on java me vs android,ios etc.

larisoft:
Lol... A lecturer who studied for 7 years, and probably spent more years applying for the job, usually starts with a salary of 80-90k. While a junior programmer with a year's experience earns 120k. Let me not even talk about lawyers because the monthly earnings of your average 1 year experienced lawyer doesn't come close to 100k.

Programmers in Nigeria are underpaid, but when compared to other professions, we are rich!

That Mark Zuckerberg analogy is just shallow. If Mark was born in this country, he would have created a Facebook that no one uses, while someone in America will create a substandard version and it will get funding and become a multi billion dollar company. The Nigerian tech market has problems which only time will address. It is a miracle for any tech startup to succeed in this environment as it is right now. It has nothing to do with the quality of programmers.

You really think it's about solving problems people have? You think Google solved the search problem no one solved before them? Facebook solved the social network problem? My dear it is about getting funded quickly! These guys knew ppl that funded their mediocre products. That's y they outdid competition quickly. Google guys had a professor that invested in them. Mark met Sean Parker and the rest is history. Many Nigerians have developed brilliant solutions and it couldn't fly. People don't even understand what tech is, talk more, consider investing in it.

I hate it when common people are made to look smarter than we Africans because we are at a different economic stage.

As to your computer science, certification thing, you should know that computer science graduates who really understand programming are the exceptions:not the rule, and the reason technology grows at lightening speed is that there are no mediocrities set up in offices, "taking their time" to conduct research and advance the field... Or rather, there are such mediocrities, but before they are done discovering another way to search through an array which is just as fast as binary search, but which nobody ever thought of before, some kid in his basement has developed a virtual reality machine.

We are all very fortunate to be in this industry and in this country too. The real problem is our economy and the fact that people have not completely embraced technology in this country yet.

They will in the next 5 years. I would say I'll be jealous of anyone who is a programmer by then but God knows I'll still be one then.

I disagree with you on some issues.
The google algorithm was the most realistic in its time. The market noticed the superiority of its search results and google took off. It's the market shifting to a better product that killed the competition.
Also note that the american market place is ultra competitive. Many startups die without creating any media buzz. If google was a flash in the pan, it wouldve died similarly.
before facebook there was myspace! so facebook wasnt particularly novel an idea.
Yeah, it had massive funding, but the funding came because, the market was already buzzing about it.
The prototype created a buzz in ivy league schools and campuses - people were jumping on the band wagon - before it was hot.
Snapchat - turned down a buy out.
People were using whatsapp - a lot before facebook acquired it.


Lawyers earn peanuts, but in the looong run, they could earn better.
Some law firms rake in huge figures (multiple 100m or billion+ a year).
Why do they earn so much? because they can charge huge fees? why can they charge huge fees?

The thing with these established professions is that they've got heavy prestige factors behind them.
That prestige capital, is usually , translated into money capital (increased earnings) with time.
With programming, the case is different. We do complex work, intellectual work, think deeply but people just see most no-name-yet coder as a little higher than a kid playing with legos! No wonder people want to migrate to other fields after a certain age - fields with higher prestige wrappings or less contempt around it.
its common to find an old person still practicing law - same doesnt go for I.T.
A lawyer has more social status than a coder because of the reach of his potential.
A lawyer can branch out into politics, get into governance, intimidate the ignorant etc He wields so much power because the fabric of modern civilization is written and interpreted in law!
ditto for architects, accountants , financial analyst/investment bankers, bankers.

zzzzy:
I'll have to disagree with that, both languages have their pros and cons and both have been extensively used on a large scale. Python is currently overtaking java and c++ as the 1st choice language taught in major institutions. So java and python can be compared

you took the words outta of my mouth.
Python which is ironically older than java,has overtaken java in popularity.

asalimpo:


I disagree with you on some issues.
The google algorithm was the most realistic in its time. The market noticed the superiority of its search results and google took off. It's the market shifting to a better product that killed the competition.
Also note that the american market place is ultra competitive. Many startups die without creating any media buzz. If google was a flash in the pan, it wouldve died similarly.
before facebook there was myspace! so facebook wasnt particularly novel an idea.
Yeah, it had massive funding, but the funding came because, the market was already buzzing about it.
The prototype created a buzz in ivy league schools and campuses - people were jumping on the band wagon - before it was hot.
Snapchat - turned down a buy out.
People were using whatsapp - a lot before facebook acquired it.


Lawyers earn peanuts, but in the looong run, they could earn better.
Some law firms rake in huge figures (multiple 100m or billion+ a year).
Why do they earn so much? because they can charge huge fees? why can they charge huge fees?

The thing with these established professions is that they've got heavy prestige factors behind them.
That prestige capital, is usually , translated into money capital (increased earnings) with time.
With programming, the case is different. We do complex work, intellectual work, think deeply but people just see most no-name-yet coder as a little higher than a kid playing with legos! No wonder people want to migrate to other fields after a certain age - fields with higher prestige wrappings or less contempt around it.
its common to find an old person still practicing law - same doesnt go for I.T.
A lawyer has more social status than a coder because of the reach of his potential.
A lawyer can branch out into politics, get into governance, intimidate the ignorant etc He wields so much power because the fabric of modern civilization is written and interpreted in law!
ditto for architects, accountants , financial analyst/investment bankers, bankers.

Cogent points, bro.