Dele Bakare is a Nigerian software developer and technology entrepreneur best known as the founder and CEO of Findworka, a Nigerian technology company created to connect businesses with software developers and other digital professionals.
Born Oladele Ibukun Bakare on 8 February 1989, Bakare is from Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. His career has combined software development, technology entrepreneurship and digital innovation, with a particular focus on connecting businesses with technical talent and building technology solutions.
Before founding Findworka, he worked as a software developer at Infinion Technologies and later served as a technology lead at BudgIT, a Nigerian civic technology organisation.
Early Career in Software Development
Bakare began his professional career in software development, working at Infinion Technologies while pursuing his training in software engineering.
He obtained a diploma in software engineering from NIIT, building the technical foundation that would later support his work as an entrepreneur and technology leader.
His early professional experience exposed him to the process of developing software products and solving practical problems through technology.
He subsequently left Infinion Technologies to co-found Jobs in Nigeria with Temitayo Olufuwa, an early venture focused on connecting people with employment opportunities.
The experience contributed to Bakare’s understanding of how digital platforms could help connect people with opportunities in the Nigerian market.
Technology Leadership at BudgIT
Bakare later became a technology lead at BudgIT, a Nigerian civic technology organisation known for using technology and data to make public information more accessible to citizens.
His involvement in the organisation placed him within Nigeria’s growing civic technology ecosystem, where software development and data are used to improve public engagement and transparency.
The experience also broadened his work beyond conventional software development and into technology with a wider social and civic purpose.
Founding Findworka
In February 2016, Bakare founded Findworka, a technology platform established to address the gap between the demand for software developers and the availability of technical talent.
The platform was designed to connect businesses and clients with software developers and service providers, creating opportunities for professionals while helping companies access digital skills.
Findworka emerged during a period when demand for software development and digital services was increasing across Nigeria, while businesses were increasingly turning to online platforms to find specialised talent.
The company subsequently attracted seed investment from Oluseun Onigbinde and Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB).
Building a Freelance Technology Marketplace
Findworka positioned itself within Nigeria’s expanding freelance and digital services economy.
The platform provided a marketplace through which businesses could find software developers and other professionals capable of delivering technology-related services.
Its development reflected a broader shift in Nigeria’s employment landscape, as digital platforms began creating new ways for skilled professionals to work with businesses without being tied to traditional employment structures.
In 2019, Connect Nigeria listed Findworka among its top five websites for freelancers in Nigeria, highlighting the platform’s growing position within the country’s online freelance ecosystem.
Supporting Nigeria’s Technology Talent
A central theme of Bakare’s entrepreneurial work has been the connection between technology talent and economic opportunity.
Through Findworka, he sought to address two related challenges: helping businesses find skilled professionals and helping software developers access opportunities to monetise their skills.
The model reflected the growing importance of software development and digital services in Nigeria’s economy, particularly as businesses increasingly required technical expertise to build websites, applications and other digital products.
The #StopRobbingUs Campaign
Bakare has also been involved in advocacy within Nigeria’s technology community.
In 2019, following the arrest of young software engineer Toni Astro by the police in Lagos, Bakare joined other technology founders and professionals in condemning what they described as police harassment, illegal arrests and extortion targeting young Nigerians and members of the technology community.
The campaign became known as #StopRobbingUs.
The movement brought together prominent members of Nigeria’s technology ecosystem, who used their collective platform to draw attention to concerns about police conduct and the treatment of young technology professionals.
The campaign reflected a growing willingness among Nigerian technology entrepreneurs to engage publicly with broader social and institutional issues affecting the country’s technology ecosystem.
Recognition and Awards
Bakare’s work as a technology entrepreneur has received recognition within Nigeria’s technology and entrepreneurship community.
In 2016, he was nominated for The Future Awards Africa Prize for Science and Technology.
The nomination recognised his work in building Findworka and his contribution to the country’s technology ecosystem.
He was also recognised as a speaker at TechPlus 2019, a major technology conference held in Lagos. The 2019 edition focused on the theme Digital Social Innovation and brought together entrepreneurs, technology professionals, investors and other leaders from Nigeria’s technology ecosystem.
Entrepreneurship and Founder Development
Beyond building Findworka, Bakare has participated in programmes designed to support entrepreneurs.
He became a fellow of the Swiss Africa Business Innovation & Initiative and Founders Gym, an online programme focused on helping underrepresented founders develop the knowledge and skills required to raise capital and scale technology businesses.
These experiences have contributed to his broader involvement in Nigeria’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Building Nigeria’s Digital Economy
Bakare’s career reflects the growth of Nigeria’s technology industry from a relatively small developer community into a broader digital economy.
He began as a software developer, gained experience working on technology projects and civic technology initiatives, and eventually founded a platform designed to connect businesses with the technical talent needed to participate in the digital economy.
Through Findworka, his work has focused on one of the central requirements of digital transformation: ensuring that businesses can access the people with the skills required to build and operate technology products.
Dele Bakare Today
Dele Bakare’s career sits at the intersection of software development, technology entrepreneurship, digital talent and social impact.
From his early work as a software developer and technology lead to founding Findworka, he has remained focused on using technology to create practical connections between people, businesses and opportunities.
His involvement in the #StopRobbingUs campaign also demonstrated his willingness to participate in wider conversations affecting Nigeria’s technology community.
Through entrepreneurship, advocacy and his work with digital professionals, Bakare has contributed to the development of Nigeria’s technology ecosystem and the growing role of software talent in the country’s economy.