Ugandan digital talent and workforce development company Maarifasasa has launched pilot testing for AI-POD, an AI-powered multilingual offshore software development platform developed in partnership with Akademia Co. Ltd of Japan.
The initiative is being implemented under the Uganda–Japan ICT Industry Promotion Project and is supported by Uganda’s Ministry of ICT and National Guidance as well as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The pilot marks a significant step in the growing Uganda–Japan technology partnership, which was announced earlier this year and is aimed at positioning Uganda as a competitive hub for AI-enabled offshore software development and digital talent exports.
AI-POD is designed as a multilingual Agile collaboration platform that seeks to eliminate language and workflow barriers between Ugandan engineers and Japanese companies.
The system integrates AI-powered translation tools, communication support, task management functions, reporting workflows and collaborative development features.
Through these tools, engineering teams in Uganda and Japan are expected to work in their respective native languages while aligning with Japanese operational standards and Agile software development practices.
Pilot testing begins this month, with applications already open to Ugandan ICT firms interested in participating in the trial phase. Organisers say the platform is expected to expand Uganda’s participation in the global digital economy while creating new high-value employment opportunities for young engineers.
Robert Bob Okello, Founder of Maarifasasa, said the launch represents a major milestone in efforts to position Uganda as a globally competitive digital talent and AI innovation hub.
“AI-POD is not simply a software platform. It is an infrastructure for cross-border collaboration, trust, and opportunity between Africa and Asia,” Okello said.
"For too long, language and operational barriers have limited Africa’s participation in high-value international software markets. We are now proving that Ugandan engineers can collaborate directly with Japanese companies at global standards using AI-enabled systems."
He added that the pilot goes beyond traditional outsourcing models, focusing instead on building a long-term technology bridge between Uganda and Japan.
“This pilot is about much more than outsourcing. It is about building a long-term bridge between Uganda and Japan through technology, skills, and shared innovation. We believe Uganda has the talent, creativity, and youthful energy needed to become one of the world’s next major offshore engineering destinations,” he said.
The pilot forms part of the broader UJ-Connect initiative, a multi-year Uganda–Japan partnership aimed at strengthening Uganda’s ICT ecosystem through skills development, innovation support, international market linkages and technology transfer.
The programme is already connecting hundreds of Ugandan engineers and ICT firms to international opportunities while supporting early-stage offshore collaboration projects between Ugandan and Japanese companies.
Under the pilot, selected Ugandan firms will test the AI-POD beta system in real-world collaborative environments alongside Japanese partners.
In Japan, efforts are underway to identify model prefectures and organise Uganda–Japan Offshore Challenge business-matching events that will directly connect Japanese companies with Ugandan software firms.
The collaboration also aligns with Uganda’s broader digital transformation agenda, particularly ongoing national consultations on the country’s Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies Strategy, which emphasise building globally competitive digital capabilities.
Maarifasasa says successful implementation of AI-POD could unlock thousands of offshore engineering, AI operations and digital services jobs for Ugandan youth, while also creating a replicable model for Africa–Asia technology collaboration.
