Mentorship in Tech: The Missing Bridge Between Skill, Impact in African Development

The rapid growth of technology across Africa presents immense opportunities, but it also reveals a critical gap, mentorship. Possessing technical skills alone is not enough to drive meaningful development or sustained innovation. Mentorship serves as the vital link that transforms raw talent into real-world impact by providing guidance, encouragement, and strategic insight.

Technical training programs and bootcamps have expanded access to coding and software development skills. Yet many talented individuals struggle to translate these skills into successful careers or startups. The reasons are often not technical deficiencies but the absence of mentorship, someone to help navigate challenges, offer industry knowledge, and foster professional growth. Without this bridge, many promising developers face isolation, frustration, or stagnation.

Mentorship goes beyond teaching skills; it connects emerging professionals with experienced leaders who have navigated similar paths. This connection provides context to abstract knowledge, shows how to apply skills in practical settings, and reveals the unspoken rules of the industry. Mentors inspire confidence, encourage resilience, and open doors to networks and opportunities that may otherwise remain inaccessible.

My own journey in tech began with mentorship. I am a product of the Enyata Academy, an intensive training program where I learned not just how to write code, but how to think like a software engineer. The program gave me the technical foundation I needed, but what made the real difference was the culture of mentorship that followed.

After completing the bootcamp, I became part of a strong peer mentorship network within the Enyata engineering team. I learned from colleagues who were steps ahead of me. They shared not only code reviews and technical advice, but also stories from real-life projects. We worked on projects and I learnt a lot by watching and observing.

This helped me understand how to apply my knowledge in practical settings and how to navigate the kind of ambiguity you cannot find in textbooks or bootcamps.

Later on, I had the privilege of mentoring engineers myself, guiding Enyata Academy trainees through frontend development and helping them move from bare HTML and CSS to writing full fledged React apps. Watching their growth reminded me of my own path and reinforced how vital mentorship is to individual progress and to the larger tech ecosystem.

In African tech ecosystems, where resources can be scarce and formal support structures limited, mentorship is even more critical. It empowers young talent to overcome systemic barriers and equips them to become problem solvers and innovators within their communities. By fostering a culture of mentorship, we nurture not just individuals but entire ecosystems of growth, collaboration, and sustainable impact.

Moreover, mentorship is a two-way street. Experienced professionals gain fresh perspectives and renewed purpose by investing in the next generation. This dynamic creates a cycle of continuous learning and evolution that strengthens the entire industry. As mentees grow into mentors themselves, the ecosystem becomes more resilient and self-sustaining.

For mentorship to truly close the gap between skill and impact, it must be intentional and accessible. It requires platforms and programs that match mentors with mentees, ongoing support, and recognition of mentorship as a valued contribution. Encouraging organisations and individuals to prioritise mentorship builds a foundation where talent can thrive beyond technical proficiency to achieve social and economic transformation.
Ultimately, the promise of African tech will only be fully realised when mentorship becomes an integral part of development strategies. Skills are the building blocks, but mentorship is the blueprint that guides construction. Without it, many talented individuals may remain disconnected from opportunities to create lasting change.

In closing, investing in mentorship is investing in the future of African innovation. It bridges the gap between knowledge and application, between potential and achievement. As we build the continent’s technological future, let us commit to nurturing the human connections that transform skill into impact.

Writes
Joshua Obodai
A cutting-edge software developer and data science expert, on track to earn his Master’s degree from the University of Hertfordshire.