Boom for local software developers as firms buy up Kenyan IT solutions

Kenyan financial service providers are increasingly adopting local technology to automate their services and streamline operations, creating wealth in the country’s software industry.

Local software makers in Kenya are currently reaping the benefits of increased demand as commercial banks and Saccos seek out the latest in financial transactions solutions.

“A major part of the automation process was to make sure we centralise banking operations so a client can go to any branch and get served,” said Tony Mbugua, the managing director of Fintech, a technology firm that offers IT solutions in the financial services sector.

With the advent of mobile and Internet banking, there is now greater demand on financial institutions to provide more personalised services.

“The pressure now is on financial institutions to find the next phase in financial tech that will make the banking experience more fluid,” said Mr Mbugua.

This has presented a world of opportunities for developers.

“In the past, we had big names in software and systems calling all the shots insofar as technology was concerned, but we are seeing this trend changing.

“Today, even as these name remain large players in the industry, we have Kenyan software developers making a name for themselves. This has been made possible through partnerships and riding on their industry experience, but at the same time learning from their technologies to construct solutions that are relevant to our market,” he said.