Uganda ICT minister urges developers to embrace BPO
KAMPALA, UGANDA — Dr. Aminah Zawede, Uganda’s Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, called on software developers to embrace Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) as a strategy to reduce the rising unemployment rates among the country’s youth.
Speaking at the inaugural Uganda Development Summit in Kampala, Zawede highlighted the vast opportunities in the tech space that do not require physical office presence.
“We graduate over 50,000 students out of our universities every year, and all these people are looking for employment. But there are opportunities in the technology space, jobs that people can do online from Uganda for countries outside, and companies within Uganda, but you don’t have to go to the office,” she stated.
Uganda’s strategic advantage in BPO
Uganda’s strategic location as a land-linked country offers a unique advantage for BPO services, enabling software developers to cater to neighboring countries such as South Sudan, Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania.
Zawede emphasized the need for innovative skills, reliable internet connectivity, and supportive national infrastructure to capitalize on these opportunities.
“Our role is to create an enabling environment. We are doing that; we are setting up innovation hubs where people can sit and think and grow their ideas,” she added.
Summit highlights and goals
The Uganda Development Summit, organized by the training academy Refactory, marked a significant milestone for the country’s tech industry. The event aimed to transfer knowledge to software developers and connect young talent to potential employers.
Refactory Executive Director Michael Nyitegeka noted the summit’s role in bridging the gap between education and employment.
“We have trained over 600 young people, and our placement rate is about 80%. The summit is intended to create a platform where the developer ecosystem is able to connect, engage, and learn,” Nyitegeka added.
Changing mindsets and global opportunities
Nyitegeka also emphasized the need to shift the traditional mindset regarding education and employment. He pointed out that many successful software developers come from diverse educational backgrounds, and the focus should be on acquiring practical skills rather than degrees.
“Our focus here is to showcase talent but also to give them the opportunity to explore the continent and beyond,” he said, urging developers to look beyond Uganda and tap into the global market through BPO.
With over one million unfilled jobs in the global software industry, the summit highlights the potential for Ugandan developers to make a significant impact both locally and internationally by embracing BPO.
As Uganda continues to develop its tech infrastructure and foster innovation, the call to embrace BPO could be a game-changer for the country’s young software developers, offering them a pathway to global opportunities and reducing unemployment.
