Quick Fire 🔥 with Fatima Alfa Abu

Fatima Alfa Abu is the Software Account Manager at Field Intelligence and has been with the company for over 3 years. Her role consists of ensuring the success and growth of Field’s engagement with software users, as well as supporting and building healthcare products.

Explain your job to a five-year-old

I help hospitals and pharmacies get their medicines on time and also make sure they do not run out of these supplies.

What’s something you wish you knew earlier in your career/life?

I wish I learned earlier that there is no need to put a clock or timer on what I want in life. There is no need to put pressure on myself and say “I must achieve this by the time I am this age or by this year”. Every achievement is valid, regardless of when it comes.

What’s the most promising thing about tech in Africa?

The endless potentials, opportunities, and growth in the continent. There are so many growth opportunities for tech in Africa and it is great to see lots of new ideas springing up from all over the continent.

Other than fintech, what’s the most critical thing African startups have to figure out next to move the continent forward?

Healthtech. There are so many gaps to be filled. For example, we still have many countries where there’s little or no access to data-gathering tools that can help people access medicine easier. The opportunities are endless for technology to help advance healthcare. 

If you could pivot to any other tech job, which would it be and why?

I’d definitely be a UX Designer.  I am fascinated by the concept of designing and creating products based on understanding how users interact with them and creating solutions that cater to the pain points of those users.

What (singular) achievement are you most proud of?

Professionally: seeing the product I manage being launched and used by 5 national health programs in Nigeria to collect data. In terms of logistics and supply chains, that is an achievement all Nigerians should also be proud of as this is rare, not just in Africa, but in many other parts of the world.

Personally: I don’t know if this is an achievement per se, but I am really proud of how much of a confident person I have become. I used to lack confidence in myself and my abilities but though it is still a work in progress, I have grown to learn to believe in myself and that is a big deal for me. 

What’s something you love doing that you’re terrible at? And what’s something you really do not like doing that you’re great at?

Dancing. I am not the world’s greatest dancer but I do love it. 

Washing dishes. I am great at making them sparkling clean but I really do not enjoy the process.