Tech alxafrica Nigeria Review | Full Review

Do Hard Things! When you hear that phrase, you know, of course, we are talking about ALX Africa. If you are in Nigeria looking to transition into tech and asking whether the ALX Africa programs are a good place to start, this guide will provide you with information that can aid you in making a decision.

On the ALX Africa website, you will find a 5-division learning path under their programs section, which includes Data, Programs & Development, Business, Career, and Tech.

Each division contains its own list of courses for specific specializations. Each of these areas of specialization offers promising future prospects.

However, the question is not about the intrinsic viability and relevance of the programs. Of course, no one can deny that backend development, for example, which is available in the list of programs offered by ALX Africa, is a relevant skill in today’s tech-inclined world.

The question is about the quality of ALX Africa’s courses. Are the courses rich enough and really worthwhile? Is there a guarantee that the entire learning period would not have been a waste of time? Do the courses make one job-ready at completion?

Something to note as you read on is that I hope to answer the above questions and more only by presenting you with information that can aid you in coming to a conclusion or decision about your next step.

It is strictly for educational purposes, and reader discretion is advised. I shall provide you with information on ALX Africa courses, tech hubs in Nigeria, applicants experiences and their rate of employment.

Essentially, I charge you with the duty of making your own decision. Let’s get into the details.

What About ALX Africa?

Fred Swaniker, one of the most influential people in the world, recognized by Time Magazine in its 2019 edition of the top 100 most influential people in the world, founded ALX Africa. He started out as the headmaster of a school his mom founded.

However, he believed that effective leadership is an indispensable requirement for Africa’s transformation, leading him to found the Africa Leadership Group, which focuses on developing ethical, entrepreneurial African leaders.

Also read: Best 10 Tech Bootcamps in Nigeria | 2025 Update

ALX Africa is part of this Africa Leadership Group, which is an ecosystem that also comprises Africa Leadership Academy, Africa Leadership University, and Sand Technologies.

When Was ALX Africa Founded and Why?

The ALX Africa Foundation is a charitable organization registered under the laws of the Republic of Mauritius. Fred Swaniker is its CEO, and according to its official website, it was established in 2018 for charitable purposes, including:

• Contributing to economic and social welfare development by equipping individuals with in-demand skills that boost workforce readiness, reduce unemployment, and promote community economic growth;
• Delivering innovative, capital-efficient skills development programs that develop leadership skills, aiming to produce ethical and entrepreneurial leaders for Africa and the world.

It is the goal of the Africa Leadership Group to transform Africa by developing 3 million ethical, entrepreneurial leaders at a fast pace and large scale.

The ALX Africa programs aim to achieve the following:

• Provide young professionals with access to the most in-demand tech skills that will power the future.
• Empower the next generation of technology innovators, entrepreneurs, and business leaders through challenging, real-world coursework.
• Build lifelong, impactful relationships with tech professionals that support them at all stages of their career journey.

Are ALX Africa Programs Online?

ALX Africa offers a variety of online programs designed to equip learners with in-demand skills for the digital economy. These programs are accessible to individuals across Africa, including those in Nigeria.

Some of the online programs available include: Virtual Assistant, Professional Foundations, AI Career Essentials, Front-End Web Development, Back-End Web Development, AWS Cloud Computing, etc.

These programs are designed to be flexible and accessible, allowing learners to participate remotely. Additionally, ALX provides access to local tech hubs in various locations, including Nigeria, where learners can study, connect, and collaborate with peers in a shared learning environment.

Also read: 10 Free Tech Training in Nigeria

In the next section, we will examine the locations of ALX Africa tech hubs in Nigeria and other African countries.

ALX Africa Tech Hubs

ALX Africa initially started its program through its platform online. However, as time went on, it created several hubs across 8 African countries.

We will examine the reason for the creation of these hubs and their locations.

Why ALX Africa Created Hubs for Learning in the African Countries

ALX Africa established tech hubs across eight cities on the African continent to tackle significant infrastructure and access challenges. The launching of these hubs heralded the introduction of ALX’s blended learning model.

These tech hubs are designed to mitigate the deficiencies in general infrastructure across Africa by providing crucial amenities such as high-speed internet and stable electricity.

Located in accessible co-working spaces, they aim to create conducive environments where students can thrive despite prevailing infrastructural limitations.

Beyond addressing infrastructure gaps, these hubs serve as hubs for productivity, enhancing collaboration, peer support, and professional development opportunities.

This approach integrates online learning with an in-person model, offering a comprehensive educational experience tailored to the needs of African students.

In essence, ALX’s initiative not only bridges the infrastructural divide but also nurtures a community-driven learning ecosystem aimed at empowering the next generation of African leaders and innovators.

Regarding the tech hubs, here is what the ALX Kenya General Manager Peter Maina said:

Our new tech hubs will enable deepened training, cultivate growth, and build professional competencies needed for the ever-changing world of work. We intend the hubs to be a space where learners will be developed into well-rounded tech professionals, equipped with not only technical skills but also the soft skills that are crucial to succeed in high-growth industries

In the next section, we will examine the locations of ALX Africa tech hubs in Nigeria and other African countries.

Also read: 15 Best Tech Courses for Beginners in Nigeria

Location of ALX Tech Hubs in Nigeria and Their Opening Hours

1. Costain, Lagos Hub

LOCATION

ITF House, Plot 12, Funsho Williams Avenue, Iponri Surulere

OPENING HOURS

Monday- Saturday | 8am – 8pm (Except public holidays)

2. Akowonjo, Lagos Hub

Location

Ralno hub 147/149, Akowonjo Road, Egbeda

OPENING HOURS

Monday- Saturday | 8am – 8pm (Except public holidays)

3. Ogba, Lagos Hub

Location

Musterpoint 1 Adekunle Owobiyi close, Ogba, Ikeja

OPENING HOURS

Monday- Saturday | 8am – 8pm (Except public holidays)

4. Ajah, Lagos Hub

Location

Workbay, 3rd floor, Viewpoint Plaza on Nepa Road

ADDRESS

Monday- Saturday | 8am – 8pm (Except public holidays)

5. Abuja Hub

Location

Novare Building, Room 205, 2nd floor, Zone 5, Dalaba Street, Wuse, Abuja.

OPENING HOURS

Monday- Saturday | 8am – 8pm (Except public holidays)

6. PH Hub

Location

Workcentral Caravan R2P7+8GQ, Port Harcourt – Aba Expy, Umueme, Port Harcourt 500102, Rivers

OPENING HOURS

Monday- Saturday | 8am – 6pm (Except public holidays)

Other African countries where you can find the ALX Africa tech hubs

• Morocco
• Ghana
• Egypt
• Ethiopia
• Kenya
• Rwanda
• South Africa

What Are the Programs Offered by ALX Africa?

ALX Africa offers a diverse range of programs designed to equip learners with the skills needed for long-term career success in the tech industry. They include:

• ALX Pathway Program
• Virtual Assistant
• Professional Foundations
• AI Career Essentials
• AI Starter Kit
• Front-End Developer
• Front-End Web Development
• Back-End Developer
• Back-End Web Development
• AWS Cloud Computing
• Salesforce Administrator
• Data Science
• Data Analytics

Also read: Top 15 Tech Universities in Nigeria

ALX Pathway Program (8 months)

• Designed for high school graduates
• Provides access to a global network of university partners and scholarships

Virtual Assistant (2 months, 30-40 hrs/week, Online)

• Develop in-demand skills essential for a career as a virtual assistant
• Includes training in Google Workspace, Asana, and expense tracking

Professional Foundations (3 months, 35-40 hrs/week, Online)

• Focuses on essential skills for future leaders
• Covers tools like Google Workspace, Miro, and introduces AI fundamentals

AI Career Essentials (6 weeks, 5-10 hrs/week, Online)

• Gain foundational AI skills to advance career opportunities
• Includes training in CLAUDE, COPILOT, and RESUMEGENIUS tools

AI Starter Kit (4 weeks, 7 hrs/week, Online)

• Learn practical applications of AI in various aspects of life
• Enhances critical thinking and productivity skills

Front-End Developer (8 months, 30 hrs/week, Online)

• Comprehensive training in front-end web development using Typescript, TailwindCSS, NextJs, React Native, and Figma

Front-End Web Development (8 months, 20 hrs/week, Online)

• Focuses on HTML, CSS, JavaScript, GitHub, and Figma to build foundational web development skills

Back-End Developer (8 months, 30 hrs/week, Online)

• Become proficient in Django, Python, SQL, Git, and GitHub for back-end web development

Back-End Web Development (8 months, 20 hrs/week, Online)

• Covers Django, Python, SQL, Git, and GitHub for building powerful web applications

AWS Cloud Computing (10 months, 30-40 hrs/week, Online)

• Gain expertise in AWS Console and Linux Terminal for cloud computing solutions

Salesforce Administrator (9 months, 20-30 hrs/week, Online)

• Become skilled in managing customer data using Salesforce, including Google Sheets, Power BI, and Microsoft SQL Server

Data Science (16 months, 35-40 hrs/week, Online)

• Comprehensive training in SQL, data visualization using Power BI, and visual storytelling for effective decision-making

Data Analytics (8 months, 20-30 hrs/week, Online)

• Develop skills in SQL, Power BI for data analysis, and visual storytelling techniques

These programs are designed to cater to a variety of career goals and skill levels, providing comprehensive training through flexible online learning formats.

Also read: 15 Top Tech Unicorn Startups in Nigeria

ALX Africa: Reviews, Awards, Success Rate of Learners, Experiences, and More

ALX Africa is one of the leading tech trainers in Nigeria, but is that just a stat on the paper? What is the experience like for learners in Nigeria and other African countries?

In this section, we will examine some crucial elements that can help potential learners decide if the program is best for them.

Reviews and Learners Experiences

Everyone who enrolled in ALX Africa in its initial stages would be aware of the software engineering (SE) program. It was a dedicated program requiring 70 hours per week, designed to arm aspiring software engineers with the needed knowledge to be seasoned engineers.

The program had the same curriculum as the Holberton University software engineering program.

Holberton School, by the way, is a computer science school founded in Silicon Valley to address the gap in the education system for aspiring software engineers.

The curriculum was vast and deep, very robust and sufficient enough to get learners to be job-ready at completion. It was divided into two parts:

• SE Foundations
• Short Specializations

The SE Foundations was divided into 3 trimesters, where learners learn both low- and high-level programming languages, data structures and algorithms, DevOps engineering, soft skills, etc.

The short specializations were where learners got to choose what aspect of development they wanted to go into, whether front-end or back-end. Regardless of the aspect one picks, though, they will have access to the learning materials of the other at the end of the program, providing learners with full-stack development skills.

Also read: Tech 365 Nigeria | All you Need to Know

Applicants Opinions on the Program

The software engineering program was a very rigorous one, and opinions differ regarding its accessibility, even though ALX says the program doesn’t require any prior tech knowledge.

Some find the program overly fast-paced and somewhat unrealistic for total newbies to catch on.

While a portion of those who enrolled never even made it past the first 1-month probation or onboarding period, another portion of those who made it past the onboarding period dropped out along the way. There was another portion who made it to the end of the Foundations but never specialized. Another specialized but didn’t cross the finish line.

Some of the top complaints were that the program is overly difficult for newbies, has a short timeframe for project submission, and has an unrealistic pace of learning.

Since then, ALX Africa has continually refined its program and measures to ensure its accessibility. From introducing deferment options to creating tech hubs and ensuring easy access to mentors, ALX has continually strived to improve the quality of its programs.

Despite numerous complaints and a high number of unsuccessful applicants, the program has yielded a noteworthy number of graduates.

On the 14th of April, 2023, the ALX Software Engineering program graduated over 500 software engineers from all across Africa, which included people who had zero coding background. Another instance was its cohort 13, which had 650+ graduates.

At any rate, though, ALX Africa remains committed to its goal of producing millions of tech professionals in Africa, and it continues to tweak its programs to help it achieve this goal.

Consequently, the ALX software engineering (SE) program has recently metamorphosed into easy-to-follow, more focused, and friendly-paced programs.

The Revamp

When you visit the ALX Africa website, you won’t find the software engineering program as a distinct program anymore.

ALX explained on its website the reason for the change; their reasons were that the field of software engineering is constantly evolving, demanding specialized skills in both front-end and back-end development.

ALX recognized this shift and transformed its former 12-month Software Engineering program into two distinct 6-month tracks: Front-End Web Development and Back-End Web Development.

This strategic decision ensures the provision of a more targeted, efficient training that aligns with industry demands and learner preferences.

This also equips students with the depth of knowledge and practical skills needed to thrive in their chosen domain, whether it’s crafting engaging user interfaces or designing robust server-side solutions.

In the next section, we will examine the awards ALX Africa (or ALX Nigeria) has received.

Also read: 10 Best Tech Institute in Lagos

Awards Received by Tech ALX Africa in Nigeria

Which awards has Tech ALX Africa received in Nigeria?

In 2024, ALX Nigeria’s impactful work in empowering youth through high-quality tech and entrepreneurial skills was recognized with multiple prestigious awards.

The organization, a strong force in the tech accelerator space across Africa, particularly Nigeria, received ten awards, validating its significant contributions to the tech sector.

One of the standout accolades was the GAGE’s EdTech Company of the Year Award. This recognition from the renowned GAGE Awards is a testament to ALX’s dedication to developing young talent who are poised to drive Africa’s innovation forward.

Ruby Igwe, ALX Nigeria’s Country General Manager, expressed pride in the achievement, attributing the success to the hard work and perseverance of both the team and the learners who consistently defy the odds to transform their communities.

Additionally, ALX Nigeria was honored as the Most Innovative EdTech Company of the Year at the 20th anniversary of the Titans of Tech Awards. This award highlighted ALX’s commitment to providing innovative learning experiences and its role in advancing tech education across Africa. The recognition affirmed ALX’s mission to create lasting impact through its top-tier programs and strategic collaborations.

These accolades, alongside ALX Nigeria’s impressive milestone of transforming the careers of over 76,000 Nigerian youths in 2024 alone, underscore the accelerator’s vital role in shaping the future of tech professionals in Nigeria and beyond.

The organization’s extensive network of partnerships with key stakeholders, such as the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Wema Bank, Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), 9mobile, and many more, further supports its success and its capacity to continue empowering young people with in-demand skills.

A list of Awards Received by Tech ALX Africa (ALX Nigeria) in 2024

• Social Innovation Award from the Art of Technology Awards 5.0.
• EdTech Company of the Year from the GAGE Awards.
• Online Learning Platform of the Year from the Tech Unite Africa Awards (TIRA).
• Most Innovative EdTech Company of the Year from the Titans of Tech Awards (TOTA).
• Africa’s Best In Class Quality Technology Training Services Company of the Year 2024 from the African Quality Achievement Awards (AQAA).
• Outstanding Leaders in Technology Accelerator Award from the WEETS 2024.
• African Technology Brand CEO of the Year from the African Brands CEO Forum.
• Tech Champion of the Year (Education) from the CIO & C-Suite Awards.
• Education Excellence Award, 2024 from The Premia Award. 

Applicants Success Rate and Other Achievements

Since 2021, over 205,000 learners have joined ALX. Among these learners, 116,833 have successfully found work opportunities, underscoring the effectiveness of the ALX programs in preparing individuals for the job market.

Additionally, ALX Africa has supported 12,326 young entrepreneurs, fostering innovation and business growth. Through these efforts, ALX Africa’s initiatives have contributed to the creation of 65,542 jobs.

These achievements reflect ALX’s dedication to not only equipping learners with essential skills but also fostering a culture of entrepreneurship and meaningful employment opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

ALX Africa is not relenting in its goal to make tech skills accessible to millions of Africans. From starting out as an online program to having physical hubs that provide applicants with the right infrastructures and facilities, ALX continues to empower young Africans with digital skills.

Its collaboration with prominent stakeholders like Mastercard and others ensures it won’t be closing down anytime soon.

Whether the program will be worth your time or not is totally up to you. Your abstract and concrete investment in the program will determine how far you’ll go and the fruits you’d reap from the program.

Those who closely observe the core values of ALX programs understand that completing the program requires grit. In fact, Fred Swaniker, the CEO, never fails to mention the following when he addresses students:

• Do Hard Things!
• Solve big problems
• Hold on to your grit

It will be strange for any student of the ALX program not to remember these words. Everyone at ALX is charged with the duty to “Do Hard Things,” which is the trademark of the program.

Would you like to do hard things or solve the world’s problems today?

Follow us on X (formerly Twitter), @SiliconAfriTech for informative reads and interesting updates in the tech space. Do you have anything to say about this piece or your experience as an ALX student? Let us know in the comments section.

References

• Alxafrica.com
• Wikipedia – Fred Swaniker
• Nairametrics – ALX Nigeria empowers nearly 100,000 Nigerian Youths and wins 10 awards in 2024
• Proshare – ALX Receives GAGE’s EdTech Company of the Year Award
• Businessday – ALX recognised as most innovative EdTech company in Africa
• Alaxafrica.com – Where Did the ALX Software Engineering Programme Go?