Forem: Abdulmalik Musa

Will AI Make Jobs Better or Obsolete? A Global and African Perspective

Abdulmalik Musa — Sat, 10 Jan 2026 22:04:53 +0000

In many global tech conversations, AI is discussed from a Silicon Valley lens — abundant infrastructure, stable power, fast internet, and mature job markets.

But in Nigeria and much of Africa, the question sounds different.

Here, the concern isn’t just “Will AI take my job?”
It’s “Will AI widen the gap between those who have access and those who don’t?”

That’s where the conversation becomes more nuanced and more important.

The African Context: Opportunity Meets Reality

Africa has one of the youngest populations in the world. Nigeria alone produces hundreds of thousands of graduates every year, many entering a job market that already struggles with:

High unemployment and underemployment
Skill–job mismatches
Limited access to global opportunities

AI enters this environment as both a threat and a once-in-a-generation opportunity.

Where AI Can Be a Net Positive for Africa

1. Leveling the global playing field

For the first time, a developer in Lagos, Accra, or Nairobi can compete globally with minimal resources.

AI tools help with:

Writing and reviewing code
Improving documentation and communication
Learning faster without expensive courses

Talent has always existed in Africa.
AI reduces the distance between that talent and global markets.

2. Empowering small businesses and startups

Many African businesses operate with:

Small teams
Tight budgets
Limited access to skilled labor

AI allows:

One-person startups to scale
SMEs to automate accounting, customer support, and marketing
Founders to test ideas faster without heavy upfront costs

This could significantly boost entrepreneurship, which Africa already thrives on.

3. Faster skill acquisition in a skills-first economy

Traditional education systems in many African countries struggle to keep up with industry needs.

AI-powered learning:

Shortens the learning curve
Provides on-demand mentorship
Encourages self-taught, skills-first growth

For a continent with millions of self-motivated learners, this is huge.

The Real Risks for Nigeria and Africa

Optimism without honesty is dangerous.

1. Infrastructure still matters

AI assumes:

Stable electricity
Reliable internet
Affordable devices

Millions across Africa still lack these basics. Without deliberate investment, AI could deepen inequality rather than reduce it.

2. Low-skill, repetitive jobs are vulnerable

Roles like:

Basic data processing
Routine customer support
Clerical back-office work are common in emerging markets and they’re exactly what AI automates first.

The risk is not mass replacement overnight, but gradual erosion.

3. Consumption without creation

Africa risks becoming:

Heavy users of AI
Light creators of AI

If we only consume tools built elsewhere without building local capacity, we remain dependent.

What Staying Relevant Looks Like in This Context

1. Focus on exportable skills

AI makes it easier to:

Work remotely
Freelance globally
Build products for international markets

Skills like software engineering, product design, data analysis, and technical writing are becoming more accessible—and more valuable.

2. Combine local context with AI

AI lacks African context.

Professionals who understand:

Local markets
Cultural nuance
Regulatory environments and can apply AI within those realities will always be valuable.

3. Use AI to build, not just to assist

Instead of only using AI to:

Write CVs
Generate content

Use it to:

Build tools for local problems
Automate inefficient processes
Create scalable solutions

Africa’s biggest advantage is problems worth solving.

The Real Divide in Africa Won’t Be AI vs Humans

It will be:

Those with skills + access + adaptability
Those without

AI won’t eliminate ambition, creativity, or resilience, qualities Africans already have in abundance.

What it will do is reward intentional learning and experimentation**.

Final Thoughts

AI will make some jobs obsolete — yes. But in Nigeria and Africa, its bigger impact could be job transformation and job creation.

The question is not whether AI will change work here.It already is.

The real question is whether we’ll:

Watch it happen, or
Shape how it happens

Africa doesn’t need to catch up. It needs to leap strategically.

AI used wisely can be part of that leap.

Detailed Step by Step Guide on How to Deploy .NET Core Application on Ubuntu

Abdulmalik Musa — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 08:48:13 +0000

Introduction
Prerequisites
Installing .NET Core on Ubuntu
Creating a .NET Core Application
Building the Application
Publishing the Application
Installing Nginx Web Server
Configuring Nginx as a Reverse Proxy
Setting Up Systemd Service
Securing the Application with HTTPS
Monitoring and Logging
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Conclusion
FAQs

1. Introduction

Deploying a .NET Core application on Ubuntu can be a seamless process if done correctly. This step-by-step guide will walk you through the process of setting up and deploying a .NET Core application on an Ubuntu server. We will cover the installation of .NET Core, creating and building the application, setting up a reverse proxy using Nginx, and securing the application with HTTPS.

2. Prerequisites

Before we begin, ensure that you have the following prerequisites in place:

A VPS or dedicated server running Ubuntu 18.04 or later.
A non-root user with sudo privileges.
Basic knowledge of working with the Linux command line.

3. Installing .NET Core on Ubuntu

In this section, we will install .NET Core on our Ubuntu server. Follow these steps:

Update the package index: sudo apt update
Install the necessary dependencies: sudo apt install curl libunwind8 gettext
Download the .NET Core SDK: curl -O https://download.visualstudio.microsoft.com/download/pr/12345678/abcdefghij/dotnet-sdk-3.1.100-linux-x64.tar.gz (Replace the URL with the latest version available)
Extract the downloaded archive: sudo tar -xvf dotnet-sdk-3.1.100-linux-x64.tar.gz (Replace the filename with the one you downloaded)
Move the .NET Core files to the appropriate location: sudo mv dotnet /usr/local/

4. Creating a .NET Core Application

Now that we have .NET Core installed, let's create a new .NET Core application:

Create a new directory for your application: mkdir myapp
Navigate to the newly created directory: cd myapp
Create a new .NET Core application: dotnet new web

5. Building the Application

In this section, we will build the .NET Core application:

Restore the project dependencies: dotnet restore
Build the project: dotnet build

6. Publishing the Application

To deploy the application, we need to publish it:

Publish the application for the desired runtime: dotnet publish -c Release -o /var/myapp

7. Installing Nginx Web Server

Nginx will act as a reverse proxy for our .NET Core application. Let's install Nginx:

Install Nginx: sudo apt install nginx
Start Nginx: sudo systemctl start nginx
Enable Nginx to start on boot: sudo systemctl enable nginx

8. Configuring Nginx as a Reverse Proxy

Configure Nginx to reverse proxy requests to our .NET Core application:

Create a new Nginx configuration file: sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/myapp
Add the following configuration:

nginx
server {
    listen 80;
    server_name your_domain.com www.your_domain.com;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:5000;
        proxy_http_version 1.1;
        proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
        proxy_set_header Connection keep-alive;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_cache_bypass $http_upgrade;
    }
}

Create a symbolic link to enable the configuration: sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/myapp /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
Test Nginx configuration for syntax errors: sudo nginx -t
Reload Nginx: sudo systemctl reload nginx

9. Setting Up Systemd Service

To manage our .NET Core application as a service, create a systemd unit file:

Create the unit file: sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/myapp.service
Add the following content:

[Unit]
Description=My .NET Core App
[Service]
WorkingDirectory=/var/myapp
ExecStart=/usr/local/dotnet /var/myapp/myapp.dll
Restart=always
# Restart service after 10 seconds if the dotnet service crashes:
RestartSec=10
SyslogIdentifier=myapp
User=www-data
Environment=ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT=Production
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Start and enable the service: sudo systemctl start myapp
Enable the service to start on boot: sudo systemctl enable myapp

10. Securing the Application with HTTPS

To secure our application with HTTPS, we will use Let's Encrypt SSL certificates:

Install Certbot: sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx
Obtain SSL certificate: sudo certbot --nginx -d your_domain.com -d www.your_domain.com
Certbot will automatically configure Nginx to use the SSL certificate.

11. Monitoring and Logging

Monitoring and logging are essential for maintaining a healthy application:

Install necessary tools for monitoring: sudo apt install htop
View application logs: sudo journalctl -u myapp

12. Troubleshooting Common Issues

Encountering issues? Here are some common troubleshooting tips:

Check application logs for errors.
Verify Nginx configuration for any syntax errors.
Ensure firewall settings allow incoming connections on ports 80 and 443.
Restart the application and services after making changes.

13. Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully deployed your .NET Core application on Ubuntu. Following this step-by-step guide, you learned how to install .NET Core, create and build a .NET Core application, configure Nginx as a reverse proxy, and secure the application with HTTPS. You are now ready to serve your .NET Core application to the world.

14. FAQs

1. How do I update my .NET Core application on Ubuntu?
To update your .NET Core application, follow these steps:

Pull the latest changes from your version control system.
Rebuild and republish the application using dotnet build and dotnet publish commands.
Restart the .NET Core service using sudo systemctl restart myapp.

Deploy a .NET Core App on Ubuntu

Abdulmalik Musa — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 12:22:03 +0000

To deploy a .NET Core application on Ubuntu, you can follow these general steps:

Prepare the Ubuntu Server: Set up a clean Ubuntu server with the necessary dependencies. Install .NET Core Runtime and any other required dependencies for your application. You can follow the official Microsoft documentation for detailed instructions on installing .NET Core on Ubuntu.

Build Your Application: On your development machine, build your .NET Core application using the appropriate build commands for your project. Typically, you would use the dotnet build or dotnet publish command to generate the necessary files for deployment.

Transfer Files to Ubuntu: Once your application is built, transfer the application files to your Ubuntu server. You can use various methods such as SCP, SFTP, or Git to transfer the files from your local machine to the Ubuntu server.

Configure and Start the Application: SSH into your Ubuntu server and navigate to the directory where you transferred the application files. Make sure the main application executable (e.g., yourapp.dll or yourapp) is present. You may need to mark the executable as executable using the chmod +x command.

Run the Application: To start your .NET Core application, use the dotnet command followed by the name of the main application executable. For example, dotnet yourapp.dll or dotnet yourapp. This will start the application and make it accessible on the specified port.

Setup Reverse Proxy (optional): If you want to expose your application on a specific domain or port, you can set up a reverse proxy using a web server like Nginx or Apache. This step is optional but can provide additional features such as SSL termination, load balancing, and improved security.

Remember to ensure that your Ubuntu server is properly secured with firewall settings, user permissions, and other necessary measures to protect your deployed application.

These steps provide a general guideline for deploying a .NET Core application on Ubuntu. The exact process may vary depending on your specific application requirements and infrastructure setup.

Cloud Computing: Transforming the Digital Landscape

Abdulmalik Musa — Sun, 25 Jun 2023 19:42:33 +0000

Introduction

In the rapidly evolving digital realm of today, businesses incessantly seek ingenious solutions to optimize their efficiency, scalability, and overall performance. A technological marvel that has revolutionized the digital landscape is Cloud Computing. With its boundless potential and unparalleled capabilities, cloud computing has become a game-changer for organizations worldwide. This comprehensive article delves deep into the realm of cloud computing, exploring its advantages, practical applications, and why it has become an essential necessity for modern businesses.

Understanding Cloud Computing

In simpler terms, cloud computing refers to the delivery of computing services over the internet. Instead of relying on local servers or personal devices, organizations can access a shared pool of computing resources, including servers, storage, databases, software, and more, through the internet. These resources are diligently maintained and managed by cloud service providers, alleviating businesses from the burdens of infrastructure maintenance and enabling them to concentrate on their core operations.

Key Advantages of Cloud Computing

Scalability and Flexibility
One of the primary benefits of cloud computing lies in its unparalleled scalability and flexibility. Traditional infrastructure often poses challenges when businesses encounter sudden spikes in demand or need to expand their operations. Cloud computing obliterates these limitations by enabling organizations to swiftly and effortlessly adjust their resource allocation based on their specific requirements. Whether accommodating a sudden surge in website traffic or scaling up storage capacity for data-intensive applications, the cloud offers unmatched agility.

Cost-effectiveness
Cloud computing presents significant cost advantages over traditional IT infrastructure. Rather than investing in expensive hardware, software licenses, and maintenance, businesses can capitalize on the pay-as-you-go model provided by cloud service providers. This ensures that organizations only pay for the resources they actively utilize, resulting in substantial cost savings. Moreover, the cloud eliminates the necessity for in-house IT personnel to manage infrastructure, further reducing operational expenses.

Streamlined Collaboration and Accessibility
Cloud computing fosters seamless and efficient collaboration among teams. Irrespective of their geographic locations, teams can access the same files, documents, and applications in real-time, enhancing productivity and collaboration. Additionally, cloud-based solutions can be accessed from any internet-connected device, granting employees the flexibility to work from anywhere at any time.

Data Security and Reliability
Cloud service providers prioritize data security and make significant investments in robust security measures to safeguard sensitive information. These providers strictly adhere to stringent security protocols, including data encryption, regular backups, and comprehensive disaster recovery plans. By storing data in the cloud, businesses can mitigate the risks associated with data loss due to hardware failures or unforeseen events, ensuring uninterrupted business operations and peace of mind.

Practical Applications of Cloud Computing

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Infrastructure as a Service constitutes a fundamental cloud computing model that provides virtualized computing resources over the internet. Businesses can leverage IaaS to access virtual servers, storage, and networking infrastructure, allowing them to focus on their core competencies without the complexities of managing physical hardware. This model proves particularly beneficial for startups and small businesses seeking cost-effective and scalable infrastructure solutions.

Software as a Service (SaaS)
Software as a Service represents a cloud computing model that offers software applications over the internet on a subscription basis. Organizations can access and utilize a wide range of applications, such as customer relationship management (CRM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), project management, and more, without the need for local installations or maintenance. SaaS empowers businesses to leverage powerful software tools without substantial upfront investments, making it an ideal choice for enterprises of all sizes.

Platform as a Service (PaaS)
Platform as a Service provides developers with a platform to build, deploy, and manage applications without worrying about the underlying infrastructure. PaaS offers a comprehensive development and deployment environment, encompassing operating systems, programming languages, databases, and more. This model enables developers to concentrate solely on application development, accelerating time to market and fostering innovation.

Conclusion
Cloud computing has emerged as a revolutionary technology, reshaping business operations and transforming the digital landscape. Its scalability, cost efficiency, streamlined collaboration, and robust security make it an indispensable tool for organizations in today's hyperconnected world. By embracing cloud computing solutions such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS), and Platform as a Service (PaaS), businesses can unlock their full potential and gain a competitive edge.