Remote work is relatively new in Nigeria. The concept of remote working is all about working from the place that is most comfortable for you; usually not the office. I started my software development journey in Andela in the summer of 2014. The first software company I worked for were the pioneers for remote work in Nigeria. Up to that point, I had not heard of the concept of remote working, and when it started to gain more popularity and proved to be a viable concept, some brave companies started to adopt it.

Being such a new concept in my country, I had to put in the extra effort to ensure that I was able to do my work and connect with my team hitch-free. 

So here are my top tips of things you will need to work remotely:

1. Fast and reliable internet connection: As a remote worker, most of my meetings are held over the internet. In CookiesHQ, we’re working towards inclusivity so video calls are encouraged for people working remotely. Having video calls allows you and your teammates to simulate the idea of ‘seeing each other’. Seamless video calls are just not achievable without a good internet connection. Therefore, wherever I am, I have two major Internet Service Providers (ISPs) so if one is down, I can switch to the other.
2. Electricity: Power is an issue in my country. Places can go days without electricity. This does not bode well with remote working because you need your laptop, monitor and whatever electrical gadget you have to be powered by electricity. I initially tried getting an electrical inverter which would be charged by electricity. This worked for a while. I had 24/7 electricity and no qualms until the day my community’s transformer caught fire! We had no electricity for days and I had to figure something out fast. I decided to install solar panels; I mean, the sun is always available in Nigeria! With this, I was able to accomplish an authentic 24/7 electricity pattern.
3. Computer: My laptop is one of my closest friends. I pretty much do everything on it; code, Netflix, meetings, anime, movies, scheduling, WWE, reality TV etc. In fact, I have no use for a television at the moment. As a developer, I have to be able to collaborate with my team code-wise which makes a good quality computer one of the very important parts of remote working. Personally, I use a mac. For video calls, you definitely need a computer that has a webcam.

So far, I have enjoyed working remotely because I am able to work from any part of the world. I enjoy it more since it is something CookiesHQ supports provided I’m available for the core working hours.