Everyone Thought I Was Wasting My Time
My name is Emmanuel. When I told my family I wanted to study robotics instead of going to university, they thought I had lost my mind. Nobody took playing with wires seriously.
I enrolled at PhotoSynergy Technology's electronics programme when I was 16.
What I Actually Learned
From the first week, we were building things. We started with basic circuits: LED blinkers, voltage regulators, alarms. Then microcontrollers, Arduino boards, motors and sensors.
By the third month, I was troubleshooting real circuit boards. I learned schematics, oscilloscopes, and systematic fault diagnosis.
The Business Started by Accident
A neighbour brought a broken charger. I fixed it in 20 minutes. Word spread. By 18, I was earning N80,000-N120,000 monthly from repairs.
Today at 19, I have two apprentices and a proper shop. Monthly revenue averages N250,000. I am saving to expand into solar installation.
My Message to Young Nigerians
University is not the only path. Practical skills gave me a head start that my university-attending friends are still catching up to.