One of the most surprisingly moving moments I had at the Lagos Tech Expo came from a booth that didn’t have giant banners or sleek gadgets on display. It had people. Young, bright-eyed, determined people and mentors standing with them, offering life nuggets right there and then. That booth belonged to ADVANTRA, specifically their tech training platform called TMP — The Missing Pieces.
What drew me in wasn’t noise or spectacle. It was the quiet confidence and the way conversations were happening, intense, passionate, real. A few laptops were open, showing dashboards, code editors, and project work, while the team engaged people like they’d known them for years. I stood there for a few minutes just observing, and the longer I stayed, the more intrigued I became. Eventually, I introduced myself, and one of the coordinators walked me through what TMP really is — and what they’re trying to do for African youth.
TMP isn’t just another coding school. It’s a learning ecosystem, rooted in mentorship, built by people who know firsthand what it feels like to come from a place where opportunity is limited and access is a privilege. The initiative started with just three people in a web development class. That was the beginning. Today, they’ve trained over 40 people across multiple cohorts in data analytics, product design, and even software engineering, and they’re just getting started.
What struck me the most wasn’t the curriculum, though that’s clearly solid. It was the way they treat the entire learning journey , not just the skill-building part, but the human side of things. TMP helps participants build portfolios, structure their Upwork profiles, prepare for interviews, and position themselves professionally, especially on platforms like LinkedIn. I spoke to one participant who had never touched data software six months ago and is now building dashboards for small businesses in her community. Another person shared how they never imagined themselves getting a tech job until TMP helped them identify their strengths and build towards it.
Their structure is strong, their values even stronger. The team emphasized that this isn’t a handout. TMP is built to be sustainable. They’ve registered with the CAC, formed academic partnerships with institutions like Faz College in Lagos, and created systems where participants can not only learn but also earn — either through freelancing or full-time roles. The sincerity with which they spoke about their mission to reach underserved communities and scale youth potential really left an impression on me.
Walking away from the ADVANTRA booth, I realized I hadn’t just learned about a startup,I’d seen a movement to impact young dreamers and water the seed of innovation in them. TMP isn’t trying to change everything at once. They’re focused, intentional, and deeply human in their approach. It felt like the kind of work that doesn’t make headlines overnight, but in five years, you’ll meet a developer, a product designer, or a tech leader and find out they got their start right here at ADVANTRA
For me, that’s what made ADVANTRA stand out. Not the tech itself, but the heart behind it. They’re not building tools. They’re building people. And in Africa’s long journey to digital empowerment, that might just be the most important work of all.
