A Nigerian artificial intelligence (AI) engineer, John Robert, says relocating to Germany transformed his career, increasing his income fourfold while giving him access to global opportunities in technology and AI.
Robert shared his journey in an interview with TechCabal, recounting how a desire for international exposure led him to move from Nigeria to Germany in 2018 after completing his studies at the University of Ibadan.
According to him, he began preparing years in advance by saving money from his earnings, taking freelance software engineering projects, and securing admission to a master’s programme in Data Analytics at a public university in Germany.
After arriving in Germany, Robert obtained a scholarship and an internship at Mercedes-Benz, where he earned €1,600 per month about four times his salary as an entry-level software engineer in Nigeria.
“Everybody talks about AI now, but back then, I knew it was going to be big,” Robert said. “I used to read a lot about it and pray. Now, things have changed.”
Robert now works as a lead AI engineer and educator at Sunnic Lighthouse, a German digital energy trading platform. He said living in Germany has also enabled him to travel to about 50 countries, attend international technology conferences, and expand his professional network.
Beyond higher earnings, he cited reliable infrastructure, stable public services, and easier access to global opportunities as major benefits of relocating.
However, Robert noted that living abroad also presents challenges.
“You are still seen as a second-class person. It’s much more difficult to do business,” he said.
He added that although Germany provided financial stability and career growth, he is now planning to relocate to the United States through an employment-based Green Card pathway to pursue broader entrepreneurial opportunities.
