Pios | 50 000 page visits

I co-founded PIOS to tackle a problem I lived firsthand: in Niger and many other West African countries, high school graduates face overwhelming choices about their future with little to no guidance. Information about universities, programs, scholarships, and career pathways is scattered, outdated, or inaccessible — leaving students to rely on hearsay rather than informed decisions.

We built PIOS as a free, centralized platform where students can explore accredited universities, fields of study, and scholarship opportunities in Niger and abroad — all in one place.

Impact so far:

• 7,600+ active users in just 6 weeks after launch
• 50,000+ page visits in the same period
• 2Millions+ social media reach across Niger, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Cameroon, and more in 4 weeks
• Created the largest, most up-to-date database of study programs and scholarships in Niger

What’s inside PIOS today:

• 100+ popular majors in the region, each with a detailed description of career outcomes and pathways it facilitates
• Universities with their accredited courses, currently expanding through partnerships with the best universities in the region
• 50+ scholarship programs with detailed eligibility criteria, benefits, deadlines, and reliable direct application links

Tech stack:

• Frontend: Next.js, Tailwind CSS
• Backend & CMS: Payload CMS, MongoDB Atlas, MongoDB vector DB
• Hosting: Vercel
• AI Layer: Gemini API (for future personalization features)

Planned improvements:
We’re now building an AI-powered personalized advisor that will:

• Understand a student’s grades, personality, and aspirations
• Recommend tailored study programs, universities, and scholarships
• Provide guidance free of charge to every student, leveling the playing field for those without access to career counseling

Our vision is to make PIOS the go-to educational guidance tool in Francophone West Africa — where every student, no matter where they are, can get the same quality of advice as if they had a dedicated mentor.