Do tech titles really matter in Africa’s job market?
Yes it does, but in today’s African job market, skills will open more doors for you than titles ever will.
Let’s start with a story you might relate to
Chidi had just landed his first job in tech. His LinkedIn bio proudly read: Frontend Engineer at a leading fintech. He even got business cards printed.
Everywhere he went, when someone asked what he did, his face lit up:
“I’m a Frontend Engineer.”
But after just a year, the fintech restructured. Chidi was laid off. He spent months applying for jobs, still proudly waving his title, but the calls didn’t come.
Why? Because while he had experience with React, he couldn’t adapt when a company wanted Vue, Next.js, or other frontend frameworks. His identity was tied to a title, not a portfolio of adaptable skills.
One day, while chatting with a friend who freelanced across design, frontend, and WordPress, Chidi asked:
“How do you get so many opportunities?”
His friend replied:
“I focus on problems I can solve, not the title I put on my CV.”
That was the wake-up call.
In Africa’s tech space, companies, especially startups, are not just looking for someone to do one fixed task. They need people who can wear multiple hats, adapt fast, and deliver results.
You could be hired as a Backend Developer and still be asked to help with API documentation, fix an HTML bug, or contribute to product testing.
Titles are nice for LinkedIn bragging rights, but in the real world:
The person who can actually deliver results, across different areas, wins.
This is where skill stacking comes in.
What is skill stacking?
Skill stacking is the art of combining different skills (technical and soft) so you become more valuable and versatile. It’s not about being a “jack of all trades” with shallow knowledge in everything. Instead, it’s about having a few strong core skills, plus complementary abilities that make you more effective.
Example:
- Core skill: Frontend Development
- Complementary skills: UI/UX basics, version control with Git, writing clear documentation, communicating with designers
Now, instead of just being a frontend engineer, you’re someone who can take a feature from idea → design → code → deployment with minimal friction.
Why focusing on titles can hold you back
In Nigeria and many African countries, titles can be deceiving. You might see someone with “Senior” in their title but their skillset is outdated. Or another person with “Intern” in their title but they’re doing mid-level work because the company simply doesn’t update roles.
Here’s the trap:
- Titles can make you feel comfortable and stop you from learning.
- Titles can create a false sense of security.
- Titles can limit your opportunities, especially if you only apply for roles with your exact title.
In the global job market (and Africa’s remote work scene), companies hire for capability, not for the name on your CV.
Why Skills Trump Titles in Africa’s Tech Landscape
Here’s the reality we often don’t say out loud:
- Our market is still small and competitive.
In Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and across the continent, there are fewer big tech companies than in Silicon Valley. That means fewer roles and more competition for each one. If all you have is a title, you’ll struggle to stand out. - Tech changes too fast.
Imagine being a “Social Media Manager” in 2015 who never learned how to run TikTok campaigns or work with AI content tools. You’d be outdated by now. Skills keep you relevant. Titles expire. - Startups want problem-solvers, not job-title holders.
Founders in African tech care less about your fancy designation and more about whether you can build, fix, sell, or scale what they have. - The global market is coming for us.
Remote work means you’re no longer just competing with people in Lagos or Nairobi, you’re competing with people in India, Brazil, and Eastern Europe. The deciding factor? Skills.
The skill-first mindset: How to thrive without obsessing over titles
If you want to stand out in Africa’s fast-changing tech industry, here’s the mindset shift:
- Build deep expertise in your core area
Whether it’s backend, frontend, UI design, or data analysis, be solid in one. This is your anchor. - Add complementary skills
These could be in design, writing, marketing, communication, project management, or another programming language. - Learn adaptability
Tech changes quickly. The framework you love today might be irrelevant in 3 years. Keep learning. - Focus on solving problems, not job descriptions
Employers (and clients) value people who can figure things out and deliver results, even outside their “official” role. - Document your wins
Keep a portfolio of projects that show your range. Don’t just say “Frontend Engineer”, show the designs you improved, the features you built, the problems you solved.
Odurinde.com’s perspective
At odurinde.com, we’ve been championing this mindset through our classes, teachings, articles, real-talk content, and African tech career stories.
One of our most-read pieces, “Why Soft Skills Are Hard Skills in Tech – A Nigerian Tech Perspective”, explores how skills like communication, problem-solving, and adaptability are often more important than your ability to code or design in isolation.
If you combine technical excellence with soft skill strength, you become the type of professional that thrives even when the market shifts.
A reality check for African tech professionals
The African job market is unpredictable. You might work for a startup in Lagos today and a fintech in Nairobi tomorrow. If you lock yourself to a single title:
- You’ll limit your opportunities.
- You’ll struggle when tech trends change.
But if you build a skill stack, you become:
- Employable across industries
- Attractive to global clients
- Resilient when the economy shifts
Your Title is Temporary, But Your Skills Are Forever
Think of your career as a bank account.
- Your title is like paper money, it can lose value quickly if the market changes.
- Your skills are like gold, they hold value, and you can trade them anywhere.
So the next time you feel tempted to measure your worth by your title, remember: employers don’t pay you because you’re a “Lead Engineer”, they pay you because you can deliver results.
Conclusion
Yes, titles look nice on LinkedIn. They make your parents proud. They give you bragging rights at tech meetups.
But when the bills are due, and opportunities are scarce, it’s your skills, not your title, that will feed you.
So:
- Keep learning.
- Stack your skills.
- Build adaptability into your career DNA.
And remember, in Africa’s job market, being “The person who gets things done” beats “The person with the fancy title” every single time.
FAQs: Skills vs. Titles in Africa’s Job Market
Should I completely ignore job titles?
No. Titles are useful for clarity and branding, but they shouldn’t define your growth. Focus on expanding your skills alongside your role.
How do I know which complementary skills to learn?
Start with skills that make you more effective in your current work. If you’re a developer, learn design basics. If you’re a designer, learn how developers implement your designs.
How do I showcase my skills if my title is misleading?
Use a portfolio, case studies, or detailed LinkedIn descriptions that show what you’ve achieved beyond your official role.
Is skill stacking the same as being a generalist?
Not exactly. Skill stacking means having depth in one area plus complementary skills, not being shallow in everything.
Can soft skills really make a difference in tech?
Absolutely. Soft skills like communication, problem-solving, and adaptability often
Can soft skills really compete with hard skills?
Yes. In fact, in Africa’s team-based, often resource-constrained environments, soft skills like problem-solving and adaptability can be the difference between getting hired and being overlooked.
How does Odurinde.com help African tech professionals?
We provide teachings, practical insights, resources, and stories that focus on real growth, helping tech professionals in Africa adapt, stack skills, and thrive in competitive markets.