Fintech CEO: Abdullahi Right to Push Children to Aspire to Tech, But Government Must Set the Table

In a speech this month, Nigeria’s Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, spoke to children attending a STEM Training of the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. Within the speech, he instructed them to aspire to be like tech innovators Bill Gates and Elon Musk. In the speech, he also noted that there were limited educational offerings in the STEM area, which is why such trainings were necessary.

“There’s no doubt about it. Abdullahi is absolutely correct. Many of our early tech innovators began young at the outset of the industry, developed talents, and grew them into enormous MNCs. All you need to be successful in tech is the ability to create useful, cool things that enhance the lives of the citizenry or the bottom line of companies. If you can do either one, you’ve got something special,” said Richard Gardner, CEO of Modulus, a US-based developer of ultra-high-performance trading and surveillance technology that powers global equities, derivatives, and digital asset exchanges.

“You can start building your own software to be the next Bill Gates, Elon Musk. Some of these technocrats started when computers started and they developed their talents to be where they are today… Develop yourself and stop spending much time watching games. You need to develop the mindset of teamwork with others to learn more and succeed,” Abdullahi said.

“Tech is different from most other segments. It is, for example, much easier to innovate within the tech arena than to build your own insurance company from the ground up. To be successful in tech, you need to work hard and hone your skill set. I’d rather have a recent, self-taught community college graduate who understands how to code than somebody who came from a decades-long career at a top firm with two advanced degrees who, at the end of the day, doesn’t understand today’s technologies. The tech arena truly is the last frontier,” said Gardner.

“However inspirational the speech was, the government has a place in determining how likely a self-starter is to succeed. Do those kids have the STEM-related learning opportunities to succeed? STEM education is a line-item in a budget. That’s a question of resource allocation. Right now, we’re in the midst of a revolution in blockchain technologies. There’s a place where new innovators can build their own niche. Unfortunately, the government in Nigeria has taken a hard line against cryptocurrencies. That’s not to say that the only way to make a name in blockchain is via cryptocurrencies. That’s not true at all. However, if you’re trying to inspire young people to invest in themselves and pursue technological aspirations, that’s a much tougher sell when your government is also making innovation more difficult,” said Gardner.

Modulus is known throughout the financial technology segment as a leader in the development of ultra-high frequency trading systems and blockchain technologies. Over the past twenty years, the company has built technology for the world’s most notable exchanges, with a client list which includes NASA, NASDAQ, Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Barclays, Siemens, Shell, Yahoo!, Microsoft, Cornell University, and the University of Chicago.

“Let’s be clear. I’m not questioning the message. More kids need to hear it. More kids need to develop STEM skill sets, which will set them up for long, successful careers in technology, the sciences, and engineering. However, I think our leaders need to be cognizant that it isn’t just what they say that matters. Their actions matter just as much. It’s time for action,” said Gardner.