The Government of Rwanda, represented by the Ministry of ICT and Rwanda Development Board, on Tuesday, signed a partnership agreement with Andela, an American company that specializes in training software developers, to establish the company’s pan-African tech hub in Kigali.
Through the partnership with RDB, Andela will support the country’s ICT goals by supporting the development of Rwandan and other talents from across the African continent, officials said in a statement.
Rwanda Development Board Chief Executive Officer, Clare Akamanzi said that the initiative is expected to generate up to US$30 million (about Shs111 billion) in the next five years from the products that will be produced
“We welcome Andela to our investment community. Andela will train and employ up to 500 Rwandan software developers in 5 years, generate up to $30m exports of IT services and attract regional developers while establishing its Pan African hub here. Huge step towards knowledge economy,” Akamanzi said on Twitter.
We welcome Andela to our investment community. Andela will train and employ upto 500 Rwandan software developers in 5 years, generate upto $30m exports of IT services and attract regional developers while establishing its Panafrican hub here. Huge step towards knowledge economy. https://t.co/9Y5Epj6bOk
— Clare Akamanzi (@cakamanzi) July 24, 2018
According to Andela co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Jeremy Johnson, Kigali was chosen as Andela’s first Pan-African hub due to its strong existing infrastructure, technological excellence and ease of access for developers across the continent.
“Our partnership with the Government of Rwanda is a new model for Andela, and we are thrilled to have found a partner whose mission is so closely aligned with our own; to grow and sustain a Pan-African elite tech workforce. In Kigali, we have found a location that makes travel to-and-from other African countries seamless and also has the modern and connected infrastructure we require to collaborate with a global workforce,” he said.
Must read: Tumwebaze to face off with MPs over airtime scratch card ban
In turn, Rwanda Development Board Chief Executive Officer, Clare Akamanzi, noted that Andela has an important role to play in ensuring that Rwanda’s ICT goals are met.
“We are delighted to partner with Andela to build the next generation of technology leaders who will lead innovation in Kigali and beyond. Through partnerships, such as the one we are announcing today, we are accelerating Kigali’s growth as a global technology hub while also advancing skills development and employment opportunities for young, talented Africans”, she said.
Applications to the hub will be open to candidates from any African country looking to jumpstart a global career in software development. Andela will open applications for the first developer cohort in August 2018 and open its Kigali tech campus in December 2018.
Andela launched operations in Nigeria in 2014 to help global companies overcome the severe shortage of skilled software developers and invest in Africa’s top technical minds.
Since then, the company has hired and developed more than 700 software engineers across the continent who collectively help power the technology teams of more than 150 global companies, including Viacom, Pluralsight and GitHub.
Related:
Who is Jackie Ochola, Andela Uganda country director?
American tech hub Andela launches in Uganda
