By EMEKA AGINAM

At the just concluded developer’s workshop held recently in Lagos, the global software giant, Microsoft   sharpened  developers’ skills using its innovative products and solutions.

Being one of the biggest technology workshop which drew a large attendance of the Nigerian developers’ community , the  event was targeted at empowering developers to better position themselves  within the industry.

Speaking on the rationale for the workshop, Shina Oyetosho, Developer Platform Evangelism Lead, Microsoft Anglophone West Africa said: “The workshop was part of the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative geared towards empowering individuals’ innovation for global competitiveness and to educate the developers on how to position their software.”

The Developers Workshop was an offshoot of the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative launched on February 5th aimed at sowing seeds of growth and investment on the African continent.

Earlier in his address, Emmanuel Onyeje, Country Manager Microsoft Anglophone West Africa, charged the developers to create more user-friendly and innovative Apps that will help to enhance users’ experience.

He encouraged them to come up with consumable content that people can easily buy into. Onyeje advised that “Access” one of the pillars of the 4Afrika Initiative was needed to drive content consumption through devices.

He said  that the Corporation was focusing on giving people skills for them to employ people or to be employed.

According to him, the Microsoft was partnering with the Federal Government of Nigeria to launch an Innovation Centre in the country and to set-up an App Factory that will provide Windows apps by Nigerians for Nigerians, and also provide them skills for employability.

Donald Oyeleye, an app developer at Infoware Limited, developers of the Infoware Finance App spoke on apps for the financial industry.

He explained that the essence of developing apps is to help users solve specific problems in order to their enhance productivity.

Akinwale Ariwodola, an IT Consultant with Antinormal Limited and Sasha Winston-Onyiah, Lead Programmer at IDSL taught the developers on how to develop Apps for Windows store.

The workshop provided a strong networking platform for developers to interact and leverage on Microsoft products and solutions for effective application development. Participating developers commended the continuous efforts of Microsoft at encouraging technology penetration as well as personal growth.

Oluwayemi Samuel, a computer science at the University Of Lagos (UNILAG), one of the attendees said: “I learnt how to create my own apps with XAML. I now know more about Windows 8 and Visual Studio 2012 and also how to position my Apps to my target audience”.

Okoh Chukwudumebi, another developer said: ‘I was introduced to Windows Store applications; I also learnt about how to create Apps that will distinguish me from other developers by ensuring that my Apps offer great value to the user, thanks to Microsoft”.

At the end of the workshop, Oyetosho threw a challenge to the developers asking them to come up with more innovative apps.