LIRA, Uganda — A new information and communications technology pact between Ugandan and Japanese firms is set to create thousands of offshore software engineering jobs for Ugandan youth.
The agreement, signed between Maarifasasa Ltd. of Uganda and Akademia Ltd. of Japan, establishes a framework to provide AI-enabled software services to the Japanese market. The partnership was formed under UJ-Connect, an initiative led by the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
By leveraging Uganda’s growing pool of English-proficient tech talent, the deal positions the country as a primary delivery partner for Japan’s expanding software needs. The collaboration focuses on agile software development and multilingual work systems designed to meet Japanese quality standards.
Robert Bob Okello, founder of Maarifasasa, said the partnership is a significant step toward the company’s goal of creating 10,000 offshore tech jobs.
“This contract and pilot are a major leap toward that destiny,” Okello said. “It proves that when opportunity meets structure, our young people can ship world-class work from here to Japan.”
The two companies began negotiations in August 2025 during a visit to Japan. The resulting contract includes a roadmap for knowledge exchange and skills transfer to ensure Ugandan engineers can seamlessly integrate with Japanese work rhythms.
Gen Suzuki, director of Akademia Ltd., said the partnership reflects a philosophy of shared responsibility to empower young people and build an inclusive digital economy.
The UJ-Connect project serves as the primary bridge for these cross-border collaborations, providing the structure necessary for talent exchange and commercially viable ICT partnerships between the two nations.
Maarifasasa is based in Lira and focuses on workforce development and business process outsourcing. Akademia is an IT venture company based in Tottori, Japan, specializing in digital solutions and AI tools.
