( And a congrats to Ken Kasina! )
From BD article , Jan 6th.
Kenya’s rising profile as a software developing nation is set to place the commodity on the country’s list of exports this year as companies and governments continue the search for effective cost-cutting tools. Figures from the Ministry of Information reveal the sector raked in over Sh500 million in revenues last year, and that figure is projected to double as the country’s profile rises around the world. Currently, Kenya biggest exports are tangible goods such as horticultural exports, tea and soda ash. A shift to virtual software exports would position the country to compete in the same class as India, which makes upwards of Sh4 billion per annum in software exports. Local software manufacturers say they are experiencing an upswing in interest from foreign companies, who are drawn to Kenyan developers due to their ability to churn out cheap but innovative solutions. The recent international recognition of local developer Ken Kasina has boosted the country’s profile. Mr Kasina was presented with the Global Achievement Award for Open Source award last year for his work on open source platforms. Last year, local software developer CompuLynx raked in Sh400 million in software development, with a portion gained from exporting solutions. The company is now targeting Sh1 billion over the next year on the back of increased interest from foreign companies and countries.......................