The untold story of a local ICT stalwart

Dar es Salaam. It all started as an inner quest for seeing the Tanzanian young generation link up with global technological developments and shares the digital transformation light of the day.

Dar es Salaam, the country’s economic capital, saw an innovation institution come on stage.

Two decades down the lane, the institution, incorporated as Techno Brain, has grown into an indisputable national and cross-border.

It has maintained as a leader in the provision of ICT solutions to Government organisations, private sector companies and civic organisations on the digital and technology development landscape.

Group CEO Manoj Shanker reasons out: “The need on the outset was clear. That was provision for home grown answers to problems facing Tanzania and its neighbours in the areas of ICT training, solutions and business process outsourcing through innovative and cost-effective products and solutions.”

The first foot set on the long march constituted the opening of a training centre in Dar es Salaam, after which one could think of neighbours like Kenya and Uganda. Today, the Group boasts serving 23 countries globally and presenting itself as the first Tanzanian born ICT solutions company that has grown to deserve regional and global recognition.

Shanker remembers: Entry into this business area was turbulent. “The bigwigs in the private sector such as banks never bought software from local companies. They readily imported them at very high costs – even twice the price of the country of origin. Government institutions suffered from slow and corrupt systems due to lack of technological infrastructure…”

A decision was made to leverage from the training institute and talents in stock to offer solutions to these local challenges on the ground. Techno Brain was restructured into a company with workforce strength of 1,300. It was equipped with modern facilities for a leading custom software provider offering across-the-board innovative IT solutions, training and BPO/IT-enabled services to governmental, private sector and civic organisations. It is now present in 23 countries.

The company has a multi-facetted activity area ranging from doubling farmer incomes through technology to public financial management, secure identification solutions, business process outsourcing, training and capacity building and digital transformation for the future outlook.

In Tanzania, for example, the company has been behind the plugging of vehicle registration tax revenue leakage through the introduction of seamless integration of Motor Vehicle Registration System to the Customs system winning accolades from stakeholders across the board. “We have taken an exciting journey to transform Techno Brain into Africa’s Leading Digital Company. Our business can now offer Analytics, Big Data, Internet of Things, Mobile and Block Chain.”

Whatever one gets out of it, the following should help throw some light. Techno Brain was last year honoured by Microsoft as the West, East Central African Partner of the Year among a global field of top Microsoft partners during the Microsoft Inspire in Washington.

Oracle last year awarded Techno Brain ‘the East Africa Transformational Deal 2016’ award for the implementation of BI/DW for Africa’s largest Telecom. Currently it is implementing the largest Integrated Financial Management Information Systems (IFMIS) rollout in Africa based on the Oracle technology.

Two decades on the stage, Techno Brain, with a drive closer to passion, has addressed critical issues pointing towards the long-term economic sustainability for the African economies it has been operating in, making a worthy name for itself and, of course, Tanzania as its origin and launch pad to the rest of the world.