As the world becomes increasingly digital, the importance of software development cannot be overstated.
New technologies are emerging daily and a particularly notable aspect is the rise of open source projects.
Open source software is everywhere — it has become the backbone of many technological advancements, driving innovation, reducing costs, and fostering collaboration across borders.
However, despite its global reach, there remains a notable underrepresentation of African software engineers in the open-source community.
GitHub’s “State of the Octoverse” in 2021 showed that Africa has only 2.3% of the active users (users making active contributions) on Github compared to, for example, North America, which has 31.5% of the contributions.
While Africa has a growing tech industry with the potential to play a significant role in shaping the future of technology, this area needs to be addressed.
What Is Open Source Software?
Open source software is software development projects with publicly available source code, allowing anyone to use, modify, and distribute the code.
This collaborative approach has led to the creation of some of the most popular software applications in the world, including Linux, Apache, and Mozilla Firefox.
Early open-source projects focused on efficient collaboration practices through which loosely configured teams emerged.
Today, everybody uses open-source code, including Fortune 500 companies, governments, major software companies, and startups.
Sharing, rather than building proprietary code, turned out to be cheaper, easier, and more efficient.
Benefits of Contributing to Open Source Projects
- Improved Coding Skills: Contributing to open-source projects allows software engineers to improve their coding skills, learn new programming languages, and stay up-to-date with industry trends.
- Networking Opportunities: Open source projects provide a platform for software engineers to connect with other developers from around the world, building relationships and networking opportunities that can lead to new career prospects.
- Community Building: Open source projects foster a sense of community among developers, promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing.
The State of Open Source in Africa
Surprisingly, the adoption of open-source software is limited in most African countries despite the growing tech industry. Open source contribution remains underrepresented in the continent, and it is evident in the following ways:
- Limited community engagement: Few African developers participate in open-source communities, conferences, and events.
- Scarcity of African-led open source projects: Most open source projects are led by developers from other regions, with few projects originating from Africa.
- Lack of representation in open source governance: African developers are underrepresented in leadership positions and decision-making roles within open source communities.
- Need for more funding and resources: Open source projects in Africa often need more funding and resource constraints, hindering their growth and sustainability.
- Digital divide: Limited internet, technology, and education access in some African countries hinder participation in open-source communities.
Why African Software Engineers Should Contribute to Open-Source Projects
- Address Local Problems: African software engineers have a unique understanding of the continent’s challenges. By contributing to open-source projects, they can create solutions that address local problems, such as financial inclusion, healthcare, and education.
- Promote Digital Inclusion: Open source projects can help bridge the digital divide in Africa by providing access to affordable software solutions.
- Foster Innovation: Contributing to open-source projects encourages innovation, allowing African software engineers to develop new solutions and products.
- Enhance Employability: Participating in open-source projects can make African software engineers more attractive to potential employers, both locally and globally.
To increase African representation in open-source projects, we need:
- More awareness: Educate software engineers about the benefits of contributing to open-source projects.
- Mentorship programs: Pair experienced developers with new contributors to guide them through the process.
- Local meetups: Organize meetups and events to promote open-source projects and encourage collaboration.
About the Author
Favour Ohanekwu is a seasoned software engineer with over 4+ years of experience helping global companies build world-class open-source software. Known in the African tech industry for his commitment to open-source projects, he has been invited to speak at various open-source conferences. Favour has also contributed to various high-impact open-source projects, collaborating with developers from around the world to drive innovation and advance the open-source movement. With a passion for community building and mentorship, he has guided junior developers in their careers and helped shape the next generation of tech talents in Africa. Currently, Favour works at SuperToken, where he continues to drive excellence in open-source software development.
