By Ephraim Oseji

 
Industry leaders have raised concerns about product development in Nigeria, pointing to issues of quality, workplace pressure and cultural barriers that affect how organisations build and deliver products.
The concerns were shared at Scrum Day Nigeria 2026 held in Lagos under the theme, “Building Better Products—Sooner, Safer and Happier.”

Speakers at the event said the push for speed in product delivery is placing pressure on teams and affecting outcomes. They warned that the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence could add to these challenges if not managed with care.

Convener of the event and Managing Partner at ValueHut Consulting, Sam Adesoga, said Scrum provides a structure for teams with different skills to work together and deliver results. He noted that many organisations focus on speed, often at the expense of quality and employee wellbeing.

He said this approach can lead to burnout and reduced output over time. According to him, organisations need to find a balance that allows teams to move at pace while maintaining product standards and supporting workers.

Adesoga also spoke about the pace of adoption of Scrum in Africa. He said uptake remains lower compared to regions such as the United Kingdom and the United States. He linked this gap to workplace culture, where hierarchy can limit open communication.

He explained that in many organisations, junior employees may find it hard to question decisions made by senior staff. This, he said, can affect team input and limit problem-solving. He added that these issues can be addressed when practitioners adjust the framework to reflect local conditions.

On future trends, Adesoga pointed to artificial intelligence as a key factor shaping product development. He said AI can support teams and improve processes but warned against its misuse. He noted that without proper control, AI could lead to systems that are not safe or place more demands on workers.

Bukola Ajayi, General Manager of Architecture and Engineering at MTN Nigeria, said leadership support is key to any change process. She explained that adopting Scrum improved how teams within the company work together and reduced the time it takes to launch products.

She said the process was not without setbacks, noting that early failures helped teams learn and adjust. She added that training and a culture that supports learning from mistakes are important for growth.
 
Dolapo Otegbayi, Principal Consultant at DKO Consulting, challenged views about innovation. She said innovation is not only about ideas or speed but about dealing with factors such as cost, risk and user behaviour.

She warned that many organisations build products based on assumptions rather than user data. This, she said, can lead to failure when products reach the market.

Otegbayi said organisations must align teams, test ideas and respond to feedback. She added that success depends on how well products meet user needs, not internal plans.

Jeremiah Odey, Principal Product Owner at Gopaddi, said planning alone does not lead to business success. He stated that organisations need systems that allow them to repeat results over time.

He said companies that depend only on planning may confuse short-term gains with long-term progress. He added that structured systems help businesses maintain performance and improve delivery.

Odey also spoke about the role of AI in product development. He said the rise of agentic systems will affect how tasks are carried out across teams. While concerns about job loss remain, he said his organisation has chosen to retain staff and use AI to support their work.

According to him, this approach allows teams to produce more while keeping jobs.

Abimbola Babalola, Agile Solutions Practice Centre Head at Sterling Bank Plc, spoke on the need to build quality into every stage of development. He said quality should not be left to testing alone but should involve all team members.

He noted that understanding user context is key to product success. He cited cases where products failed because they did not reflect local needs.

Babalola said team members should question what they build and why they build it. He added that debate within teams can lead to better results when managed well.

He explained that quality assurance is not only a process but also a mindset. According to him, teams must ensure that products meet user needs at every stage of development.

Speakers at the event agreed that organisations must rethink how they approach product development. They said success will depend on how well companies balance speed, quality, culture and the use of new tools such as artificial intelligence.