Nigerian computer science students explore emerging careers beyond software engineering

The Nigeria Association of Computer Science Students (NACOSS), University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) chapter, has concluded a two-day technology summit focused on emerging career opportunities beyond traditional software engineering roles.

The event, tagged NACOSS TechFest 2026 and themed “The Other Side of Tech,” was held at the university’s Communication and Information Sciences Lecture Theatre (CISLT) and attracted more than 1,000 students.

According to the organisers, the summit was designed to expose students to evolving areas in the technology industry, including cybersecurity, product management, developer relations, artificial intelligence, and extended reality.

Speaking during the opening session, project manager Jacob Adetunji highlighted the growing importance of operational and time management skills in an industry increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence and automation.

The first day of the summit featured specialised sessions on immersive media and extended reality development, AI product workflows, and data privacy engineering.

Extended reality developer Awodi Abdul-Mujeeb led the immersive media session, while engineers Imran Abiose and Olalekan Akande Toheeb handled discussions on AI product-building workflows and emerging career opportunities within artificial intelligence.

A cybersecurity session was also led by Yusrah Okanlawon of the Data Protection and Privacy Club, focusing on data privacy and digital security awareness.

The event also featured networking sessions aimed at connecting students with professionals and industry stakeholders.

On the second day, discussions centred on employability and career relevance in a changing technology landscape.

Founder of SqaleUp Inc., Imam Abubakar, spoke on adapting to an AI-driven economy, urging students to combine technical expertise with multidisciplinary skills.

Olamide Ajayi of Ethnos Cyber Ltd., the headline sponsor of the event, delivered a cybersecurity awareness session for participants.

A panel session involving product management consultant Qazeem Oladejo, XR developer Awodi Abdul-Mujeeb, and BigOstack founder Taiwo Ajiboye focused on career growth and opportunities outside conventional software development roles.

The summit also featured a session on portfolio development and interview preparation facilitated by developer relations engineer and event convener Laniyan Abdul-Qawi.

Organisers said the programme reflected the need for students to understand emerging trends in the global technology industry and prepare for evolving job opportunities.