This archive report was first published on 11 November 2019.
Published on November 11, 2019, Microsoft's investment in Africa's tech industry has been a significant boost to the continent's software engineering talent.
With over $100 million invested in its first development centres in Africa, Microsoft has employed 100 full-time African developers, a number expected to grow to 500 by 2023.
According to GitHub's Octoverse report, African developers have seen a 40% increase, the highest growth rate compared to other continents. Morocco reported the highest growth in Africa, followed by Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt, and South Africa.
However, the rapid growth of African developers has raised concerns about the ability of the African tech sector to absorb them. Many developers are left with limited options, including working remotely or moving to Europe to work for foreign companies.
Some developers are considering moving to South Africa, which offers the highest paying packages to developers.
Andela, a developer training and outsourcing company, has faced challenges in its business model due to the increased growth of other developer training and outsourcing companies catering to US companies.
Earlier this year, Andela laid off over 250 junior developers in Lagos and Uganda as it shifted its focus to senior developers.
