Call Centre International (CCI) Kenya, an outsourcing specialist, advocates Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) as a gateway for youth employment and urges young people to consider careers in this growing field.
Angela Waliaula, network engineering manager at CCI Kenya, spoke with ITWeb Africa from Nairobi about the African tech landscape, especially in East Africa and Kenya, highlighting growth driven by international tech companies and local innovations.
She also emphasised the BPO sector's vital role in youth employment.
Waliaula explained: “Globally, countries such as India and the Philippines have built mature Business Process Outsourcing ecosystems over several decades. In Africa, the sector is moving into a scale phase, with Kenya increasingly recognized as a viable BPO destination due to workforce availability, language proficiency, and improving digital infrastructure.
"The BPO sector is contributing directly to youth employment by absorbing first-time job seekers, recent graduates, and career entrants into structured operational roles. These roles provide measurable workplace exposure in customer operations, IT-enabled services, and service management—skills that are transferable across the broader digital economy.”
Regarding the tech scene in Africa and Kenya, Waliaula said: “The technology ecosystem in Africa, and especially in East Africa, is experiencing rapid and sustained growth. Kenya has positioned itself as a regional technology hub, supported by strong digital infrastructure, mobile innovation, and a growing base of skilled technical professionals.
"In particular, Kenya has developed a strong reputation in areas such as DevOps, cloud engineering, and fintech-enabled platforms. This growth is being driven by both multinational technology firms establishing local operations and by homegrown innovations designed specifically for African markets.”
Waliaula went on to say: “Access to reliable internet connectivity has played a critical role in enabling this growth. Countries like Kenya that have invested in digital infrastructure are creating real platforms for young people to innovate and participate in the global digital economy.
"We are seeing Millennials and Gen Z professionals actively building and adopting apps, and platforms that address local challenges—whether in payments, logistics, education, or customer engagement—while remaining competitive on a global scale.”
During the interview, Waliaula also addressed the gender disparity in the tech industry, particularly in engineering, and shared her commitment to mentoring young women while advocating for initiatives that support their entry into the corporate world.
Waliaula emphasised the challenges that women face while attempting to break into STEM fields, including encountering scepticism from decision-makers.
She expressed her ongoing commitment to mentoring and referring young women in technology, as well as highlighting CCI's inclusive atmosphere that encourages women's growth in the sector.
Waliaula proposed strategies beyond individual mentorship, companies must implement supportive HR practices—such as flexible work policies, structured career development, and inclusive leadership—to retain women in technical roles.
She explained: “Engineering, and network engineering in particular, remains a male-dominated field. One of the key challenges women face is having to repeatedly prove technical competence to decision-makers, hiring managers, and stakeholders before being afforded the same level of trust as their male counterparts.
"However, organizations that invest in hiring and supporting women in technical roles consistently see strong performance and long-term value. When women are given the opportunity, they deliver measurable results.”
In conclusion, Waliaula spoke about strategies for building high-performing technical teams.
In the interview, she outlined key strategies for fostering high-performing technical teams, including the necessity of open communication and the provision of appropriate tools.
She stressed the importance of flexibility in operations and the recognition of successful outcomes to motivate team members.
Waliaula commented: “I think when you look at high performing teams; you really have to look at the context in which these teams are operating under.
"If I speak about our network engineering team, one of the things that's very crucial is open communication. High-performing technical teams are built within clearly defined operational contexts. Teams must have clarity on delivery expectations, performance goals, and success metrics.
"Open communication, access to appropriate tools, and ongoing skills development are essential enablers. Flexible operational models and recognition of performance outcomes play a key role in sustaining motivation and productivity."
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