We recently connected with Rose Danjuma and have shared our conversation below.
Rose, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
I visit museums, art galleries, and innovation hubs, not only to admire, but to study patterns. How did the architect design this space? What makes this painting feel balanced? What story is this sculpture telling through angles and symmetry?
That curiosity fuels everything at the School of Mathematics, Nigeria. When I see fractals in African art or ratios in traditional architecture, I bring those examples into perspective. Suddenly, math isn’t abstract; it’s the geometry in Ankara fabric, the ratios in jollof rice portions, the angles in our traditional roofs.
Art is abstract. Math is abstract. Both reveal patterns that make our world make sense. That’s what keeps our teaching alive: we show learners that math is already everywhere they look.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
As someone who loves studying patterns, mathematics has always felt like home. What began as a personal interest gradually evolved into a mission. In 2021, I founded the School of Mathematics Nigeria out of a passion for teaching complex concepts in simple and relatable ways.
Growing up in Nigeria, I saw brilliant students abandon STEM careers because they thought they were “bad at math.” They weren’t bad at math; they just had a boring, disconnected math education. I wanted to change that.
What started as free YouTube lessons teaching math through real-world examples exploded to over 150,000 followers across Nigeria, the UK, the USA, and Canada, all organic growth with zero advertising.
In 2023, we won the Tony Elumelu Foundation grant, validating what we already knew: there’s a massive demand for math education that’s affordable, relevant, and actually engaging.
Then in 2024, MTN Nigeria approached us about integrating our content on their platform. That’s when we realised we needed real infrastructure, not just social media content, but a proper Learning Management System (LMS). We’re launching our LMS fully in April 2026 with over 5 specialised tracks, making it accessible, because every African student deserves quality education regardless of their family’s income.
Additionally, we work with NGOs, schools, and organisations to design curricula and train teachers. We’ve spoken at conferences, appeared on podcasts, and built a team that shares our vision.
One of our 2026 goals is to reach 10,000 new young people.
What excites me most about what I do? I get to interact with youths; their curiosity, confidence, and tenacity inspire me daily. While Gen Z is often labelled as impatient or lazy, my experience working closely with them tells a very different story. They push me to innovate and remind me about why this work matters.
Math shouldn’t be a barrier; it should be their competitive advantage.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
There have been many pauses between when we started in 2021 and where we are today.
In 2022, one of our videos went viral, and the current Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy for Nigeria, Dr Bosun Tijani, reached out to ask about our plans. Because we started purely out of passion, we didn’t yet have a concrete answer.
Looking back, I now see how fear caused us to miss several opportunities. That experience taught me some of the most important lessons of my journey.
The first is tenacity – no matter how many breaks we take, we always return stronger. The second is continuous learning. We intentionally commit to learning something new every day, and the difference between what we knew then and now is exponential. The third is faith – the belief that things will work out, even during seasons of uncertainty. Some may call it resilience, but for us, it’s simply choosing to show up every day.
My advice to anyone early in their journey is simple: stay ready. The opportunities ahead are bigger than what you can currently imagine, and they will meet you prepared if you allow yourself to be.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
Although I’m a science student, I am also an avid reader beyond technical books. I enjoy reading about money, personal growth, and entrepreneurship, and I’ve learned a lot from titles like “The Psychology of Money”, “Atomic Habits”, “Rich Dad Poor Dad”, and “The Smart Money Woman.”
However, one book I return to again and again is “The One Minute Millionaire” by Mark Victor Hansen and Robert Allen.
What makes it special? It’s structured unlike any book I’ve read; half is a novel following a woman who must make a million dollars in 90 days, and half is a step-by-step business manual running alongside the story.
You experience the emotional journey (fear, doubt, breakthrough) while simultaneously learning the actual strategies (leverage, mindset, systems). Fiction meets non-fiction. Heart meets head.
Three lessons that shaped the School of Mathematics, Nigeria:
1. “Don’t wait until you’re ready, start before you’re ready. “That’s why we launched with just a phone and passion in 2021.
2. “Serve people at scale to create wealth. “That’s why we’re building an LMS instead of just tutoring individuals.
3. “Your setbacks are setups for your comebacks. “Every missed opportunity taught us something that prepared us for the next one.
If you’re building anything, a business, a skill, a life, read this book. It doesn’t just teach you how to make money; it teaches you how to think like someone who creates value.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.schoolofmathematicsng.com
- Instagram: @schoolofmathematics.ng
- Facebook: @schoolofmathematics.ng
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosedanjuma
- Twitter: @roszypeterz
- Youtube: School of Mathematics Nigeria
Image Credits
Photos are taken by me
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
