Lagos, Nigeria — A promising career milestone for Nigerian software engineer Ridwan Akinfenwa turned into a painful setback when he lost a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) position worth over $260,000 per year—solely because of his nationality.
Akinfenwa shared the shocking development on his LinkedIn page on Sunday, recounting how what seemed like a dream job quickly collapsed due to compliance regulations that bar Nigerian nationals from holding the role. His detailed post, which began trending on Tuesday, resonated with thousands of tech professionals around the world and reignited conversations about discrimination against African talent in the global technology industry.
According to Akinfenwa, the CTO appointment had been a long-awaited breakthrough after years of dedication in the highly competitive tech sector. “Today, I find myself grappling with a deeply disheartening experience in my professional journey,” he wrote. “As a Senior Software Engineer with a solid educational and technical foundation, I recently secured a CTO position that offered a salary of up to $260,000+ per year including bonuses.”
However, his optimism quickly turned to despair when, without warning, he received an abrupt termination email. “Today, I received a termination email that shattered my hopes,” he said. “The message cited further compliance checks, revealing that the organisation could no longer work with Nigerian nationals due to regulatory constraints. This decision came without prior indication, leaving me blindsided and emotionally drained.”
The shock, he explained, was compounded by the fact that this was not an isolated incident. “This year alone, I’ve encountered multiple instances where my nationality has cost me significant career advancements, to the point where I’ve lost count of the setbacks,” he added, noting that he has faced similar barriers on several occasions.
Akinfenwa said he sought clarification after the termination notice but was met with a bureaucratic dead end. “The email exchange that followed was a mix of frustration and resignation. My attempt to negotiate or seek clarity was met with an apology acknowledging the decision was driven by external regulations, specifically from a government entity, leaving no room for recourse,” he stated.
The engineer reflected on the broader implications of his experience, pointing to the invisible obstacles confronting many African professionals, particularly Nigerians, who aspire to advance in the international tech industry. “It’s a stark reminder of the invisible barriers that persist, even in an industry that prides itself on innovation and inclusivity,” he wrote. “I’m left wondering how to navigate this landscape, whether relocating is the only viable path forward or if there are strategies to overcome such nationality-based exclusions.”
Akinfenwa emphasized that he chose to share the painful story not merely to vent but to draw attention to the systemic challenges faced by African talent and to seek guidance from his professional network.
His ordeal has since sparked a global conversation about nationality-based discrimination in remote and cross-border technology jobs. Industry observers note that while tech companies champion diversity and inclusivity, geopolitical regulations and compliance frameworks can sometimes create unintended barriers that shut out skilled professionals from certain countries.
For Akinfenwa and countless others in Nigeria’s vibrant tech ecosystem, the incident underscores an urgent need for both governments and global tech firms to rethink policies that limit opportunities based on nationality—policies that, as this case demonstrates, can abruptly end even the most promising careers.
