EAST African cities Nairobi and Kampala have been identified as possible homes for a world-class call centre to be set up by international Information Technology (IT) company, Mara Group.
The deal is expected to create over 700 jobs in its first phase, and is expected lead to greater employment once in full swing.
The call centre is aimed at providing vital support services to the telecommunications, financial services and government sectors. The new company will operate under the name Spanco Raps.
“After seeing the success of call centres in India which employ millions, educate the youth and provide a base for them to kick-start their careers, we wanted to replicate this model within the ICT sector in East Africa,” said Mara managing director, Ashish Thakkar.
Spanco employs over 10 000 people in call-centres in India and Mara has an in-depth knowledge of the local market conditions and how to train staff in Africa.
Some media reports quoted Spanco chairman Kapil Puri as saying that the combination of these talents would drive the growth of the business in the region.
Puri believes that the strength and know-how of Spanco in the sector will send a signal that East Africa is ready to do business.
“Building a world-class call centre business here will allow us and our partners at Mara to lay the groundwork for opportunities in the private and public sectors,” he said.
Mara group has a 15-year track record and has grown from a small IT shop to an international multi-sector business to include information technology, real estate, financial services, hospitality, energy, packaging, retail and media, spanning four continents.
It was selected by the World Economic Forum’s Community of Global Growth Companies (GGC), as a dynamic high-growth company in 2010.
Spanco, on the other hand, was established in 1995 and is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange.
BRIAN ADERO in Nairobi, Kenya
