Software engineer and entrepreneur from Nairobi, Kenya. Founder of Synapse Softwares. I build systems that work — for fleet operations, schools, businesses, and the developers who come after me.
I am Nelson Njihia — a software engineer and entrepreneur from Nairobi, Kenya. I founded Synapse Softwares on a straightforward conviction: Africa's technology future should be engineered by Africans. Not outsourced, not imported, not consumed from a distance — built here, by people who understand this continent.
I work as a software engineer at Jendie Automobiles Limited, where I design and maintain the internal systems and fleet tools the business depends on daily. Alongside that, I run Synapse — building client systems across East Africa, developing open-source tooling for African developers, and moving steadily toward a larger infrastructure play that this continent has not seen yet.
5+
Deployed Projects
2
Roles, One Direction
54
Countries in Sight
∞
Ceiling
“If you're young — especially a young man with dreams of greatness — you must develop ego. Not pride, but ego. Pride seeks praise; ego creates purpose. Ego will help you silence the noise, the doubt, and the voices that say you can't make it. Ego is what keeps you going when no one believes in you yet.”
— Nelson Njihia, Founder & CEO, Synapse Softwares
The Arsenal
Skills & Craft
Frontend
I build interfaces that hold up under real use — fleet dashboards, point-of-sale systems, client portals. Every decision is intentional. Every pixel earns its place.
Next.jsReactTypeScriptTailwind CSS
Backend
APIs, database architecture, RLS policies, server logic — I have shipped systems that real businesses depend on daily. When something breaks at midnight before a client demo, I am the one who fixes it.
SupabaseNode.jsPostgreSQLREST APIs
Mobile
Built TrackMyKid — a school transport tracking application deployed for real parents managing real school runs. Live GPS, session management, boarding logic. Engineered for how East Africa actually operates.
React NativeExpoNativeWind
Integrations
M-Pesa Daraja, iTrack GPS, Protrack APIs, Advanta SMS gateways — I work at the layer where software meets the infrastructure that keeps East African operations running.
M-Pesa DarajaGPS APIsAdvanta SMSWebhooks
Product Builder
I carry products from concept through to deployment and client handoff. Architecture decisions, pricing models, UX tradeoffs, stakeholder communication — I do not hand these off. I own them.
SaaSClient ProjectsEast Africa
Educator
I run NelsonLabs, a free developer education platform for African engineers. I mentor young people who want to enter the industry — particularly those who have no roadmap and no one to ask. The next generation of African engineers deserves better than a paywall.
NelsonLabsCommunityOpen Access
The Work
Selected Projects
01
Next.jsSupabaseGPS Integration
Protracks System
Fleet operations and inventory management system built for Jendie Protrack Limited. Integrates iTrack and Protrack GPS APIs with real-time vehicle tracking, Advanta Africa SMS client notifications, and a Supabase PostgreSQL backend — deployed on Vercel and actively maintained.
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02
React NativeExpoLive GPS
TrackMyKid
School transport tracking application for parents and transport assistants across Nairobi. Real-time GPS location, boarding and offboarding manifests, session-based timing, and JWT-authenticated role flows. Built in React Native with Expo, Railway-hosted backend, and Africa/Nairobi timezone logic baked in.
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03
Next.jsSupabaseM-Pesa
Rahisi-Biz
Business management platform for small and medium enterprises across East Africa. Invoicing, inventory tracking, sales reporting, and M-Pesa payment collection — unified into one system built around how African businesses actually operate.
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04
TypeScriptPythonOpen Source
UmojaSDK
Open-core TypeScript and Python SDK for African mobile money integration. Supports M-Pesa Daraja and Airtel Money, structured as a TurboRepo monorepo with an open core and a SaaS cloud layer. Built because this infrastructure should not require starting from scratch every time.
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05
Next.jsEducationOpen Platform
NelsonLabs
Free developer education platform at nelsonlabs.vercel.app. Structured learning paths, no gatekeeping, no subscription. Built on the belief that access to quality technical education should not depend on where you were born or what you can afford.
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Open for Collaboration
Let's Build
Africa's
Future.
If you are building something real and need a technical partner — or if you are working on infrastructure, developer tooling, or systems for the African market — I want to hear from it.