By Patrick Nwoye

As Lagos Tech Week 2017 draws innovators, investors, and technology leaders from across Africa, much of the focus is on big ideas — fintech disruption, digital inclusion, and the future of e-commerce. Yet beneath the glamour of funding rounds and launch events lies a discipline that rarely makes headlines but quietly determines whether technology succeeds or fails: Quality Assurance (QA).

To many, QA is simply “testing.” But for professionals like Mojisola Ojuri, it is the backbone of trust in the digital economy. A Nigerian-born QA Analyst, Ojuri has worked on multiple technology systems, guiding teams to deliver reliable, secure, and user-friendly platforms. Beyond her professional practice, she has also invested time in mentoring young professionals and speaking at industry seminars, arguing that Nigeria cannot achieve sustainable digital growth without embedding QA into its DNA.

In this special Lagos Tech Week interview, she explains her journey, the overlooked importance of QA, and her vision for how Nigeria and Africa can compete on the global technology stage.

Mojisola, let’s start with your professional journey. How did you transition into Quality Assurance, and what drew you to the field?

My entry into QA was not a straight line. I trained initially in veterinary medicine, but even in that discipline, the importance of precision, attention to detail, and process compliance was drilled into me. When I moved into technology, those same instincts translated naturally into quality analysis.

What drew me to QA was the realization that it is not just about “finding bugs.” It’s about ensuring technology delivers on its promise. If you launch a healthcare platform that fails during patient intake, or a banking app that crashes during transactions, the consequences are more than technical, they are economic, reputational, and sometimes life-threatening. QA appealed to me because it is a profession rooted in protecting people, not just software.

Many people still see QA as a support function. Do you agree with that perception?

That perception is one of the biggest misconceptions. QA is not a back-office support function; it is a strategic enabler. Think of it this way: every major innovation in Nigeria’s fintech or e-commerce space, Paystack, Flutterwave, Jumia relies on users trusting their systems to work every time. That trust is not built by branding alone. It is built by rigorous QA behind the scenes.

Globally, companies that prioritize QA outperform those that don’t. According to Capgemini’s World Quality Report, 85% of organizations say QA is critical to digital transformation. Yet in Nigeria, too many startups skip QA until something breaks. We need to shift that mindset and recognize QA as part of the value chain of innovation, not just the cleanup crew.

Could you walk us through a typical QA process in your work?

Certainly. It starts long before code is written. I work with business analysts to review requirements, making sure they are clear, measurable, and testable. Then I design test cases that cover functionality, edge cases, and user behavior. During execution, I combine manual testing with automation tools, depending on the project. For example, repetitive login or payment flows are automated to save time, while user-experience testing is done manually to capture real behavior.

But one of the most important parts is reporting. A QA Analyst doesn’t just say, “It doesn’t work.” We provide detailed documentation of what failed, why it failed, and how it can be fixed. That creates a feedback loop where developers, managers, and even clients can make informed decisions. In essence, QA ensures technology is fit for purpose and future-proof.

In the Nigerian context, what are the biggest challenges QA professionals face?

There are several. First is awareness. Many business owners don’t even know QA is a discipline. They assume developers can test their own work, which often leads to blind spots. Second is resources. Companies want to cut costs, and QA is seen as optional. Yet the irony is that skipping QA often costs more later when systems fail.

Then there’s infrastructure. Testing a mobile app in Nigeria requires considering network instability, multiple device types, and different operating system versions. A feature that works on a Samsung device might fail on an Infinix or Tecno. That fragmentation makes QA in Africa especially complex, but it also means we can develop models that are globally competitive because we test under the toughest conditions.

Can you share an example where QA prevented a major problem?

Yes. I once worked on a financial services platform where we discovered that transactions were not reconciling correctly under heavy load. If that had gone live, it would have led to financial mismatches, client disputes, and regulatory fines. Because we caught it early through stress testing, the company avoided both reputational damage and millions in potential losses.

That experience reinforced a truth I carry everywhere: QA is not a luxury, it is risk management.

You’ve been mentoring young professionals. Why is that important in QA?

Because QA is still an emerging field in Nigeria. When I started, very few people talked about it as a career path. By mentoring, I help young professionals see that QA is not just viable but highly in demand globally. I’ve seen mentees transition into full-time QA roles in fintech and telecoms, and that gives me joy.

Mentorship also ensures continuity. If Nigeria wants to build a sustainable tech ecosystem, we need professionals who not only code but also validate and secure systems. QA fills that gap.

For startups that say they “can’t afford QA,” what is your response?

I tell them: “You can’t afford not to.” A single system failure can wipe out investor confidence. Remember when banking platforms in Nigeria had multiple downtime incidents in 2016? Users quickly shifted loyalty. The cost of losing customers far outweighs the cost of embedding QA early.

QA doesn’t always mean hiring a 20-person team. It can start small: one QA Analyst, basic automation frameworks, and a culture of testing before launch. It’s about mindset, not just money.

Lagos Tech Week emphasizes global competitiveness. How does QA fit into that?

If Nigeria wants to build products that scale beyond our borders, QA is non-negotiable. International clients expect systems that meet global standards. Whether it’s HIPAA in healthcare, PCI-DSS in payments, or GDPR for data privacy, compliance frameworks depend heavily on robust QA.

I often say QA is Nigeria’s hidden export opportunity. If we develop a strong QA talent base, our professionals can serve global clients remotely, just like our developers do. That’s how we insert ourselves into the international value chain.

Looking ahead, what do you see as the future of QA in Nigeria?

I see it becoming central. As digital adoption grows in finance, healthcare, and government services, citizens will demand reliability. That demand will push companies to invest in QA. I also foresee greater use of automation, AI in testing, and continuous integration pipelines. But at the heart of it, QA will remain about people: analysts who understand systems deeply and advocate for users.

Finally, if you could leave one message with Lagos Tech Week participants, what would it be?

Innovation without reliability is a house built on sand. As Nigeria dreams big, let’s remember that QA is the foundation that turns those dreams into lasting solutions. Every app, every platform, every service must work not just on launch day but every day. That’s what builds trust, and trust is the true currency of the digital age.