Nyari Samushonga is a Zimbabwean-born tech leader and CEO of WeThinkCode, where she drives inclusive, tuition-free coding education across South Africa.
Born in Zimbabwe and trained as a chartered accountant, Nyari Samushonga began her career at Deloitte, where she worked in Harare and New York. She later became Managing Director of ThoughtWorks Africa, which exposed her to how global technology ecosystems function and how badly the African continent was being left out of the equation because of limited access and opportunities.
Samushonga moves to build coders
In 2019, Samushonga made a pivotal career move by joining WeThinkCode, a South African software training academy offering tuition-free coding education to young people aged 17 to 35. She became CEO in 2020, just as the world grappled with a global pandemic.
Since taking office, the organisation has scaled significantly, expanding its presence to three main campuses in Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town. Further, WeThinkCode now collaborates with six public TVET colleges to embed its training model within the formal education system.
Her goal is to lead the company’s mission of training 100,000 African coders over the next decade, positioning Africa not as a consumer of global technology, but as a creator of it.
WeThinkCode debunked
WeThinkCode offers a 16-month programme focused on full-stack software development and relies on peer-to-peer learning, which encourages collaborative problem-solving rather than traditional lectures. No prior qualifications are required to apply; only aptitude and enthusiasm. A significant part of her success has centred around inclusivity.
While the South African tech workforce remains over 60% white and male, Samushonga has led WeThinkCode to achieve gender parity, with 50% of its students now being women. This has been accomplished through intentional outreach, targeted recruitment, and financial support, such as stipends during the training programme.
The 2023 graduating class of WeThinkCode was the first to achieve gender parity, with 177 women out of 368 graduates (approximately 48%), as reported by sources. By the same year, 98% of WeThinkCode graduates had secured employment, many joining leading tech firms nationwide. The organisation is funded through industry partnerships, private donors, and grants, while its employer network includes companies like Telkom, FNB, and Standard Bank.
Beyond the classroom, the technopreneur is vocal about the urgent need to reform technical education in South Africa. She believes TVET colleges must shift from outdated curricula to industry-relevant, skills-based training.
Awards and more
In 2022, the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa (IITPSA) named Nyari Samushonga IT Personality of the Year. Amidst growing an academy and influencing national education policy, Samushonga remains grounded through road cycling and strength training.
