By Njodzeka Kernyuy
In Cameroon, heavy reliance on foreign technology persists, even as the nation’s schools train a new generation of tech engineers. 24-year-old Yaya Waliyudini is leading the charge to change this narrative.
Despite thousands of students graduating yearly from top technology universities, Cameroon continues to import nearly all its tech solutions.
Last year, the government signed a deal with a foreign company to produce biometric national ID cards—just one example among thousands.
This dependence again raises serious concerns about a mismatch between Cameroon’s education system and the actual needs of its job market.
A Glimmer of Hope
However, a new narrative is emerging. Yaya Waliyudini, 24, from Ndu in Cameroon’s North West region, is offering a powerful alternative.
“We have systems in this country that we consistently import from abroad, yet we are training engineers here,” he questions.
“Our instructors teach students, but when those very schools need software, they pay foreign contractors. That makes the training seem senseless. Are we fooling our students?”
He decries that Cameroonian universities often focus only on the basics, questioning why graduates from top institutions sometimes create faulty, sub-standard systems.
“Look at the system for producing ID cards; it was created abroad. There are countless software solutions like that. People don’t look inside Cameroon for talent. We have to ask: is what we are being taught different from what the market actually needs?”
Rather than merely complain, Waliyudini is taking action. He founded a software engineering company, Nexbyt Technology, focused on empowering local businesses and young engineers.
Through a project called Next Lab—a dedicated laboratory for software engineers—he aims to eradicate this very problem.
“I know it will require immense talent and significant finances,” he stated, acknowledging the challenge.
Journey to Tech
Driven by a zeal to impact humanity, Waliyudini dreamed of building something significant like a plane or a car while growing up in his native Wowo village. His journey began when he started manipulating a basic “choronko” phone and discovered his innate talent for technology.
At 13, he began studying computer science, which opened his mind to complex system operations.
As a natural problem-solver, he soon realized that Cameroonian businesses and institutions were running on outdated online systems—all created by foreign companies.
“Most software we use in Cameroon is outsourced,” he said.
“When we buy it, updating becomes a problem due to high costs, exacerbated by the disparity between the dollar and the FCFA.”
According to Waliyudini, these challenges have forced many Cameroonian companies to operate without modern digital solutions. He knew he had to do something.
Nexbyt Technology
In 2022, he started by creating Walis Media while working for someone else. Last year, he made the pivotal decision to become his own boss—a move essential to realizing his dream of fine-tuning solutions for Cameroon’s tech challenges.
The Purdue University computer science graduate then rebranded his venture to Nexbyt Technology.
“We have developed Empowa360, a system featuring an enterprise customer relationship management platform so businesses can manage their clients. It also includes the Vigilant Board, a system for monitoring privacy and protecting a company online. We are also advancing Next Lab, a laboratory for software engineers designed to endorse and validate technology,” he detailed.
Nexbyt Technology aims to reshape industries and empower businesses through intelligent, scalable, and forward-thinking solutions—from software and web development to digital marketing and SEO.
