DEV Community: Ushahemba Shir

Everything Engineers Need to Know About Nigeria’s Payments Ecosystem.

Ushahemba Shir — Sun, 04 May 2025 22:53:21 +0000

Nigeria has rapidly evolved into West Africa’s digital payments leader. For engineers building fintech products, understanding this ecosystem is critical for success.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) regulates the sector, while the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) powers real-time interbank transfers through its NIP platform. Payment architectures typically integrate with issuing banks, acquiring banks, payment processors like Interswitch, Flutterwave, and Paystack, and sometimes directly with NIBSS.

Engineers must support a wide range of payment channels: bank accounts, mobile wallets (OPay, PalmPay), cards (Verve, Visa, Mastercard), USSD banking for feature phones, QR codes, and agent banking networks. With Payment Service Bank licenses, telecoms like MTN and Airtel have also entered the financial services space.
A standard payment flow involves initiation, authentication (via PINs, OTPs, or biometrics), authorization, processing, settlement, and user notification. Systems should handle messaging standards like ISO 8583 (for card transactions), ISO 20022 (emerging), SWIFT for international transfers, and REST APIs with JSON for fintech integrations.

Product development must prioritize flexible payment methods: account-to-account transfers, mobile money, USSD payments, bill payments, and QR-based merchant services. Each method has its own security and UX demands.

Emerging trends to plan for include open banking APIs, embedded finance, agency banking, eNaira integration, and cross-border payments. A modular architecture will help you stay adaptable.
Building for Nigeria also means designing for local realities: intermittent connectivity (use retries), multi-currency needs, strict KYC/AML compliance, fraud prevention tuned to local risks, and settlement delays. Your system must also manage Nigeria-specific formats like NUBAN account numbers and regulatory reporting obligations.

Foreign companies should partner with licensed local processors to navigate regulations effectively and ensure smoother integration.
Have you worked on a fintech product in Nigeria or plan to? I'd love to hear your thoughts or experiences with the payments ecosystem.
Relevant links for more detail.

https://www.cbn.gov.ng/
https://nibss-plc.com.ng/
https://interswitchgroup.com/home/

Does Your Coding Machine's OS Really Matter? My Windows-to-Linux Journey

Ushahemba Shir — Sun, 04 May 2025 22:51:45 +0000

As someone who jumped from Windows to Linux, I've found that your choice of operating system can definitely impact your coding life - but it's not make-or-break. Linux gives me a better command line, simpler software installation, and runs lighter on my hardware. I especially love how it matches most production servers, making deployment way less headache-inducing.

That said, Windows isn't the villain some developers make it out to be. It plays nicer with commercial software, gaming tools, and corporate systems. Windows users now have a solid option with WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux), letting you run Linux tools right inside Windows - giving you the best of both worlds without the commitment of switching entirely.

Ultimately, great developers build amazing stuff on all systems. Your OS is just one piece of your toolkit, not the defining factor of your skills. My switch to Linux boosted my workflow for web and backend projects, but I know plenty of rockstar devs crushing it on Windows and Mac.

What's your setup? Has switching operating systems ever changed your coding game? Share your story!

DevLife #TechChoices #CodingSetup

Choice of ORM for your Next NodeJS Project: Prisma or TypeORM

Ushahemba Shir — Sun, 20 Apr 2025 23:31:30 +0000

Database operations are central to backend development. While SQL handles database interactions directly, ORMs act as translators, letting developers work with databases using familiar programming concepts instead of writing SQL queries. For NodeJS applications, Prisma and TypeORM stand out as popular open-source choices.

TypeORM appeared in 2016 as one of the first hashtag#TypeScript-compatible database tools, supporting multiple database systems while giving developers detailed control over database operations. Prisma, launched in 2019, took a different approach with a simple schema language that automatically generates code for database operations, reducing the amount of code needed while improving error checking.

I personally find Prisma more developer-friendly despite TypeORM's flexibility for complex operations. Prisma's straightforward approach to data models has made my development faster and less error-prone.

What has your experience been with these tools? Have you tried either in your projects? I'd love to hear which one you prefer and why in the comments below.

Relevant links to read more
https://www.prisma.io/
https://typeorm.io/

REST vs GraphQL vs gRPC: A Simple Guide to Modern APIs

Ushahemba Shir — Sun, 02 Mar 2025 23:54:09 +0000

APIs are digital messengers that help different computer programs talk to each other. Think of them as translators who ensure your weather app can understand information from weather databases, or your food delivery app can communicate with restaurant systems. Web APIs specifically work over the internet, connecting the apps on your phone or computer with information stored on remote computers (servers).

The world of APIs has evolved over time. In the early days, a complex system called SOAP was commonly used, but developers found it too rigid and wordy. This led to the rise of REST APIs - a simpler approach that made it easier to connect systems. However, as mobile apps became popular, REST showed limitations because it often required multiple back-and-forth conversations to get all needed information, draining battery and data. To solve this problem, Facebook created GraphQL, allowing apps to ask for exactly what they needed in one conversation. Later, Google introduced gRPC, which focuses on speed but can be more complicated to set up.

Which one should you choose? REST is best for straightforward projects and widely understood by developers. GraphQL works great when you need flexible data requests, especially for mobile apps. gRPC is the speed champion, perfect for services that need to communicate quickly behind the scenes. Your choice ultimately depends on your specific needs - simplicity, flexibility, or raw speed. Have you worked with any of these technologies? Which one do you find most useful for everyday projects? Share your thoughts below!

JavaScript Iterative Methods: A Simple Guide

Ushahemba Shir — Sun, 02 Mar 2025 23:52:30 +0000

Think of hashtag#JavaScript iteration like following a recipe for multiple dishes at once. A method in JavaScript is a function attached to an object that performs a specific task. Instead of writing lengthy hashtag#loops to process data one by one, JavaScript provides helpful methods like .map() (for transforming items), .reduce() (for combining items), and .filter() (for picking specific items). These methods make handling data much easier and your code cleaner - like having the perfect kitchen tools for each task!

Some of these methods change your original data (destructive methods like .sort() and .splice()), while others create fresh copies (non-destructive methods like .map() and .filter()). It's like the difference between cutting vegetables directly in their bag versus working with a copy on your cutting board. Usually, working with copies is safer and prevents unexpected changes to your original data.

In real-world applications, these methods are incredibly useful. For example, when building a shopping hashtag#website, .map() displays products in different currencies, .reduce() calculates your cart total, and .filter() helps find items in your price range. Best practices include keeping hashtag#code simple, being mindful of performance with large datasets, and preferring methods that don't change your original data. Remember to handle edge cases - like empty shopping carts or missing prices - to make your code more reliable.

In the following weeks, I will do a deep dive on some of these methods.

Raw SQL vs ORMs: Pros and Cons

Ushahemba Shir — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 23:37:56 +0000

Structured Query Language (SQL) is a powerful tool developed in the 1970s for managing relational databases like PostgreSQL and MySQL. SQL efficiently retrieves, updates, and deletes structured data by working directly with tables and defined relationships. By contrast, non-relational databases like MongoDB organize data as documents or key-value pairs, useful for flexible data structures but differing significantly from SQL.

Object-Relational Mappings (ORMs) and Object-Document Mappings (ODMs) were developed to simplify database interactions for developers. Tools like Prisma and Sequelize (ORMs) and Mongoose (ODM for MongoDB) allow code to interact with data as objects, making complex operations more accessible without writing raw SQL. This abstraction speeds up development and enhances code readability, though it may add processing layers that impact performance.

Recently, while working on dashboard stats, my supervisor suggested I switch from Prisma to raw SQL. Our project stack is with NestJS, Prisma, and PostgreSQL, initially, I used JavaScript and Prisma for daily visitor counts, turnaround times, and processing metrics. However, my original approach involved multiple loops to compute stats, which wasn’t as efficient.

Switching to raw SQL, I restructured my queries to calculate everything—sums, counts, averages—directly in SQL, which cut down loops and simplified the code. The database handled the heavy lifting, resulting in faster execution and lower memory usage, showing how SQL can be optimal for complex, data-heavy tasks.

While ORMs are excellent tools that make development faster and more accessible, raw SQL often offers significant speed advantages. Backend developers should consider raw SQL for data-intensive operations, as it allows for streamlined, high-performance queries that ORMs sometimes can't match.
What is your experience with ORMs, which is your favorite and why?

ChatGPT: Should Software Developers Worry about AI Taking over their Jobs?

Ushahemba Shir — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 11:07:18 +0000

"Software engineering is a dying profession," a Microsoft engineer wrote in a Blind post in April, 2023 titled "Face it, the golden age is over." There is a growing concern over the possibility of AI taking over Software Development but I strongly disagree that this will ever happen. In my opinion, software developers should be excited about the new possibilities and capabilities that AI offers.

When I started teaching myself how to build websites in 2018 with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, it was exciting and challenging. One of the courses I bought on Udemy introduced me to Stackoverflow, which became my favorite place to seek help, anytime I got stuck. Today, I haven’t visited Stackoverflow for the past three months. ChatGPT, and Google Bard have since taken up that role. Oftentimes, I wonder how it was possible to code without ChatGPT.

Software developers should not worry about AI taking over their source of livelihood, however, they should be concerned about the effects it is having and will continue to have, they should monitor and pay close attention as things will obviously not remain the same.

Big salaries and entry-level positions have already been affected. Five years ago, beginner knowledge in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript alone was sufficient to land you a high paying job; today it is nearly impossible. Your best bet as a beginner will be to go beyond the basics. The industry is not open to beginners any more. You need to master at least one programming language and also master a popular framework or library in that language to be on the safe side.

There has been a massive layoff from Tech behemoths like Twitter, Meta, Google, etc. in recent times, this might not be unconnected with AI. Regardless, one thing is certain, the times are changing and will continue to change even faster. Developers shouldn’t be asleep, they should monitor these changes and adjust accordingly.

Ushahemba Shir.
Senior JavaScript Developer.
http://usha.com.ng/

TIPS ON FIXING BUGS.

Ushahemba Shir — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 09:03:11 +0000

Bugs occur when your code does not give you the expected output. In some cases, the code won't even run. Several things can cause bugs, e.g typo error, syntax error, compatibility issues, external APIs etc.

Here is my recommended tips on fixing bugs in order of appearance.

Read your error messages. Take your time to read and understand the error messages in the compiler. Review your code and console log strategic blocks or units to confirm their outputs. If you don't understand your error messages, Google them.
One of my mentor Damilola Babalola will always remind me that codes aren't magic. "It is not. magic, it is code" lol.
If you do this correctly, you will be able to know exactly where the problem is coming from meaning your problem is 50% solved.
Check Official Docs. Spend time on official documentation. For some reasons which I am yet to understand, most developers don't like spending time on official docs. Myself inclusive until recently. But trust me, official documentation is the best place to go when you are stuck.
Call a mentor, colleague or friend that is very familiar with the technology stack that you are working on. This works like magic. If the person is well experienced, he or she will tell you exactly what do even before you are done explaining the bug. But remember No 1. Understand your bug first, don't go a waste somebody's time.
Stack Overflow: No need to elaborate on this one. lol
Read blog articles: Blog articles can be very insightful.
Check relevant projects on GitHub and see how others approached similar challenges.

In all of these, I consider number one the most important. I once spend over two weeks on a bug during my beginner days, this was simply a file path issue, and it was clearly stated in the compiler The system cannot find the path specified.

Feel free to share your thoughts.

Check out my portfolio site to connect with me http://ushahembashir.com/

MY GOALS FOR JOINING I4G x HNGi8 INTERNSHIP AND WHAT I INTEND TOACHIEVE.

Ushahemba Shir — Tue, 17 Aug 2021 15:20:43 +0000

Ushahemba Shir is my name and I have over 34 months of non-professional experience as a web developer. My stack is MERN. I am familiar with HTML5, CSS3, Twitter boostrap4 and 5, JavaScript, React, Redux, Node js, Git and Github, Heroku, Mongo DB, Express JS etc.
Throughout my career, I have been independently taking courses online from the likes of Brad Traversy, Codecamp.org, Scrimba.com to train myself. I am self-taught developer.
I have used the skills acquired to build more than 20 websites (mostly static sites) many of which are running live. I have also completed up to five full stack web applications (using the MERN stack) within the last 12 months. The links to most of this projects are available on my portfolio site https://ushahembashir.com.
However, one thing has been consistently missing which is the right mentorship that will polish my skills and help me launch my career professionally. I am hoping this internship will fill-up this link. It will avail me the opportunity to be properly mentored on best industrial practices. Hence I hope to become a better developer at the end of the day. This intern will equally boost my CV and increase my chances of getting a professional job in the industry.
Another thing I hope to achieve from this intern is gain the necessary entrepreneurial skills needed in the tech industry. I love converting ideas to products and services and I feel it’s very necessary to train myself as an entrepreneur in addition to my coding skills.
I will dedicate all my time to make the best use of this opportunity. I am excited and look forward to getting started with https://internship.zuri.team

TUTORIAL LINKS
Figma - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jk1T0CdLxwU
Git - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWYqp7iY_Tc
HTML - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88PXJAA6szs
Python - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqtD5dpn9C8
Golang - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0sKAMal4WQ
JavaScript / Node js - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlB_eWDSMt4

Chapter 5. Higher Order Function.

Ushahemba Shir — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 13:33:58 +0000

Summary
Being able to pass function values to other functions is a deeply useful aspect of JavaScript. It allows us to write functions that model computations with “gaps” in them. The code that calls these functions can fill in the gaps by providing function values.
Arrays provide a number of useful higher-order methods. You can use forEach to loop over the elements in an array. The filter method returns a new array containing only the elements that pass the predicate function. Transforming an array by putting each element through a function is done with map. You can use reduce to combine all the elements in an array into a single value. The some method tests whether any element matches a given predicate function. And findIndex finds the position of the first element that matches a predicate.

YOUR CLIENTS ONLY CARE ABOUT WHAT WORKS.

Ushahemba Shir — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 15:32:40 +0000

When I started learning how to build websites and develop Applications, I got overwhelmed with the number of Technologies that were at my disposal to choose from. I spent 12 months jumping around different technologies without mastering any. Don't repeat my mistake if you are just starting. Lol
I took pride with the fact that I could easily play around HTML and CSS, then JavaScript came with it headache and I contemplated dumping programming, I felt it probably wasn't meant for people like me, Lol. that story is for another day though.
Along the journey in my career, I came across Technologies that made things even much simpler. Bootstrap (a CSS framework developed by Twitter) for instance will save you the stress of hard coding responsive designs. CMS frameworks like WordPress will save you from hard coding PHP and MySQL database.
In summary, there are several technologies available at your disposal such that you may have headache of which technology to choose from. Before now, I was fond of using the hardest technologies just to boost my ego that, hail, I build this from scratch without any framework. But right now, I go for the simplest technology that can get the problem solved.
Fellow developers might praise you but your client doesn't care or even know about all these technologies. All they want is workable product with nice User Interface. No doubt, all technologies have their advantages and disadvantages, but go for what is simple. If you can access a beautiful template, go ahead and edit it instead of building from scratch.
Ushahemba Shir

What is GraphQL?

Ushahemba Shir — Fri, 09 Oct 2020 12:19:20 +0000

GraphQL is a query language created at Facebook in which client decides what data to get back as opposed to the REST API where server decides what data to provide. Visit
https://levelup.gitconnected.com/learn-the-basics-of-graphql-4740d76d5e8a for more