Kenya’s vast potential for app creation waiting to be tapped

Rose Wanja, now in her 30s, has been in the software development industry for over five years. She is self-employed and has created research and productivity apps for different organisations.

“I enjoy being able to make a difference through my work. I wouldn’t trade this career for anything else,” said Wanja during an interview with the Business Daily.

She is among the growing number of coders that are spurring the growth of the software development market in Kenya.

Josiah Mugambi, technology strategist and mentor at iHub Kenya said when it comes to apps creation, Kenya has just scratched the surface.

“The progress is good. But we’re not yet where we want to be.”

“The dream is to have Kenya known as the place to go to for software development as is the case with countries such as India. This will attract huge deals and business from all over the world that will boost our economy,” he said.

Kenya’s ICT infrastructure offers immense opportunities for people with skills in app creation. Experts note that this can provide income for jobless people hence helping to reduce the country’s high unemployment rate of over 40 per cent.

According to Mr Mugambi, a solid computer science background or good knowledge of information technology (IT) enhances people’s chances of succeeding in the software development world.
“But that’s not enough. People need opportunities to get on-job training so they can hone their skills in app creation. And that is a gap we’re still facing in the country.”
Institutions offering such training opportunities include iHub, Andela and Moringa School. But they are overwhelmed and unable to meet the high demand for such skilled training due to financial constraints.

Ms Wanja said that continuous learning is important for code writers as technologies in the market change so fast.

“We have new gadgets coming in frequently with new operating systems and upgrades that you should master to excel in software development.”
She added that user preferences are also evolving. For instance; people are now seeking compressed apps that consume less battery power and minimal storage space.

Mark Mwaura, a consultant software developer noted that many companies continuously scout for experienced app creators to avail tech solutions to organisational challenges.

“So in the early stages, you should be willing to volunteer. Just create your own apps and get them on Play Store so you can have a portfolio of your work. This will open opportunity doors fast.”

According to Mwaura, companies need to understand the software development world and be willing to pay well for services rendered.

He said this will spur innovation and growth in the sector by preventing brain drain and motivating many app developers to offer quality services to different organisations.

“When the pay isn’t good, people will tend to compromise on quality or focus on few enterprises that appreciate their work and offer attractive packages.”

Steve Odhiambo, entrepreneurship mentor at Enpact stated that people keen on starting app development businesses need to be strategic and have a clear vision of where they are headed to be successful.

He said in Kenya, just as in most developing nations, the informal sector economy is huge and should not therefore be ignored.

“This is where the numbers are. And these people have problems that you can develop apps to solve. So you should have them in mind at all times.”

According to Wanja, apps that succeed address particular societal needs that developers should identify beforehand.

“This requires you to be innovative and creative so as to excel in this industry. You need to view problems as opportunities for business, then go ahead to develop required tech solutions that have a long lasting impact.”

But to avoid re-inventing the wheel, Mr Odhiambo said that tech entrepreneurs can adopt apps that have worked elsewhere and replicate them by finding ways to attune them to local settings. “Developing nations tend to have similar challenges.  So a problem that Tanzania faces is likely to be an issue for Kenya too.”

He said it is also possible to take an app that was initially designed for the upper-end market, and then tailor it to suit the bottom-of-pyramid market where the numbers are.

He added that it is important to measure the impact or success of any new app constantly so as to ensure that efforts are directed towards profitable technologies.

According to Mr Mugambi, effective national policies that are innovation friendly will help Kenya go up the global software development ladder fast.

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For instance, he said that the government should address the huge |”digital-divide” in the country by making computer technologies and internet services accessible to a majority of Kenyans.

“There’s great talent out there but we will never know if most people are left out of the app creation field as they can’t afford required technologies in the sector.”

Mugambi added that school curriculums should also incorporate basic code writing skills in class lessons to draw interest of learners in software development at an early stage.

“Such programmes exist in the developed world. And that’s why they are way ahead in software development.”