Several tech companies in the United States are setting up software development centers in Africa such as Kenya and Nigeria. Some young developers have led to rising companies in Africa which prompts the tech companies like Microsoft to establish software centers.
Microsoft launched Microsoft 4 Afrika which inspires entrepreneurs, African youth, developers and others by empowering their concepts and ideas to become a reality. Kenyan pay-as-you-go energy start-up M-KOPA Solar received $19 million from AOL founder Steve Case and his wife Jean, Generation Investment Management and Sir Richard Branson.
Andela has drawn interest to a funding scheme led by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative for $24 million which said that for more than two years, it has screened more than 40, 000 applicants across Africa and accepted the top 0.7% to work in Lagos and Nairobi. The developers create code and focuses in frameworks such as Python/Django, iOS and Android and PHP/Laravel.
Andela is Mark Zuckerberg's first big tech investment in Africa. It picked Lagos and Nairobi as its bases since young people has a wide interest in technology not to mention that both countries speak English as well. It is set to announce the third chosen country by the end of the year.
Andela aims to let these young people to have a global exposure but to stay home to keep the ability and help establish a strong foundation of technology across the continent. The founders anticipate these young developers to start their social businesses on their own and to be product managers and chief technology officers.
These young developers are seen to fill the US tech companies' shortage of qualified software engineers. Jonathan Godfrey, the Vice President for public policy and public affairs at Washington-based The App Association said there's a "drastic shortage" of software developers across the United States.
"This is felt in companies large and small and in communities of every size across the country. Start-ups find their path to growth is blocked if they cannot hire talented developers. This is a problem of critical importance to the entire tech industry," he said.
Mark Zuckerberg recently visited Andela's offices in Nigeria and his visit "reinforces not only his support of Andela's mission, but his belief that indeed the next generation of great technology leaders will come out of Lagos, Nairobi and cities across Africa."
