Consistent efforts from every direction are helping Africa to become the future tech leader. Investors inducing lots of funds and youth picking up tech jobs deciphers the augmentation of Technology career in Africa.
Startup and Remote Developers in Africa are matching up with international talent on a global scale. The evolving tech ecosystem of Africa is a delight to watch. Based on reports and surveys, we present to you a comprehensive analysis of the growth of Technology careers in Africa. Read through the below text to find how this revolution impacts startups and Remote Developers in Africa.
Access Africa's Best Talent
Access Africa's Best Talent
The popularity of Tech Careers in Africa in recent years
A 3.8% increase in Africa’s developer population justifies the vogue of tech jobs amongst youth. In 2021, the continent’s net developer count reached 716,000. Following the passion of tech amongst professional youth, African businesses have also turned up towards digitizing their processes. Findings reveal a 22% increase in adoption of technology by SMBs (Small and Medium Businesses) in the Sub Saharan Region of Africa.
Role of Women in Africa's tech Revolution
Women in Africa are proving the notion- ’Tech is man’s world’ to be wrong. Out of the total developer population, 15% are women developers. Many women have started their own ventures. Okra, a famous fintech start-up led by Fara Ashiru Jituboh helps developers and businesses execute financial transactions safely and smoothly.
Female-led businesses have several roles to play. They generate employment and support the national economies like any other start-up. But the social impact created by such businesses makes them stand apart from others. Female tech-preneurs inspire young girls and women to step into the world of tech without any second thought.
Institutions along with several tech giants have joined hands to encourage technology skills amongst females. In the latter half of 2021, Mastercard in cooperation with Afro Fem Coders launched a hackathon to harness software development skills in women. Initiatives like ‘Women in Tech’ and ‘Girls Who Code’ also promote technology skills within women. Female participation in tech can increase further with better internet access to young girls.
African Start-up Investments
When talking about the future of tech in Africa, counting start-up investment should remain a priority. Huge investments support the growth of business thereby generating more employment opportunities. From 2020 to 2021, the investments have increased by 2.5 times and now amount to $4.77 billion.
Increasing internet penetration improves digital literacy. Adoption of technology by African nationals increases the scope of fintech. According to Africa Developer Ecosystem 2021 report, “Nearly half of 2021 investments have gone to fintech start-ups”.
The leading tech nations of Africa like Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt received nearly 81% of the total funding. Nowadays, venture capitalists across the world keep a close watch on African tech and innovation. Because 5 out of 8 unicorns have come out in 2021 only and no big investor would like to miss such a massive opportunity. The evolution of tech and business is set to break many records in the future.
Established tech companies prefer experienced developers for mid-level or senior positions. Young developers understand the importance of working in the fast-paced setup of start-ups. Hence, they prioritize experience and exposure over money to build a successful Technology career in Africa. Nearly half of Africa’s developer population work for start-ups, within a team of a maximum of 20 employees. These are mostly junior developers as they have a keen interest in learning the latest technology.
Nevertheless, start-ups have limited resources; so they provide long-term internships to junior developers. It saves their expenditure and newbie developers get the chance to build a strong foundation in tech while working for such businesses.
Better Education and Internet Access to Accelerate Growth
One of the important highlights of the ‘Africa Developer Ecosystem 2021’ report is the importance of education and support. The majority of African skillset is saturated with Android and web development. Promotion of other modern technologies like IoT, Blockchain, and Cloud technology can help nurture a Tech career in Africa.
Businesses and institutions are working tirelessly to make Africa the next tech hub. But the ground-level reality is faced by developers. For some professionals, the pandemic accelerated remote job opportunities. While for others, learning has taken a back seat due to the shutdown of offline mediums of learning.
A coding Bootcamp executive from Nigeria describes the fate of tech learners. African youth is eager to learn technical skills but there exists a lack of effective mentorship and community support. Many skilled junior developers find it difficult to leverage remote job opportunities due to the unavailability of resources like office setup and proper internet connection.
What’s next in the coming years?
The future of tech careers in Africa seems certainly bright. It will also complement the growing start-up ecosystem. The present trends conclude a list of measures; that would accelerate the transformation of Africa into a tech hub. Better infrastructure, internet availability, and learning support are some of them.
Lastly, the mutual cooperation of Startups and Remote Developers in Africa can foster a better and aspirational future in tech. In the coming years, Africa can become a continent known for its exceptional tech workforce.