Carnegie Mellon University in Kigali trains Africa’s next generation of tech experts

As the world becomes increasingly digital, the necessity for African digital experts, technicians and researchers will be critical to helping the continent adapt to rapidly developing digital advancements.

The Regional Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Centre of Excellence Project, funded by the African Development Fund, aims to equip Africa’s youth with the digital skills needed in today’s society. One such center of excellence, the Carnegie Mellon University-Africa (CMU), based in Kigali, Rwanda provides world-class ICT courses for Africa’s youth taught by professors from around the world. 

Zambian computer programming student Nchima Kapoma says, without such a program in Kigali he would have moved to the United States for his university studies.  “The quality of education at this specific university is top notch; you won’t get any other education like this anywhere else in Africa,” he says.

Recent graduates from the program have gone on to create businesses that tackle today’s problems. Such is the case of Victoria Munguti, a CMU graduate who created Hepta Analytics – a startup focused on big data analytics and software development. She said following graduation she stayed in Rwanda to create solutions for the needs she saw around her.

“Our objective is to train them here so that they remain immersed in local culture and challenges… so once they graduate they are shaped to work here,” one professor noted. “We are putting an end to brain drain here and that’s really important.”