Elvis speaks with Samuel Mussie, Chief Technology Officer and co-founder of Mereb Technologies, about Ethiopia's rapid transformation into a software outsourcing destination and the double-edged impact of AI on junior developers. As the CTO at Mereb Technologies, Samuel is passionate about turning complex tech challenges into seamless, user-friendly solutions for global partners, leading a talented team that has grown from startup to a company with 40 employees, expanding rapidly to 60 people.

Topics covered:

• Ethiopia's software boom: from zero to outsourcing hub in 5 years
• The "surfboard vs swimming" dilemma: AI tools vs foundational coding skills
• Why junior developers are losing jobs while the sector grows
• Real-money gaming platforms and complex financial backends
• Building Ethiopia's tech ecosystem through collaboration, not competition
• The demographic advantage: average age of 18 in a digitising economy
• From pen-and-paper businesses to super apps: Ethiopia's digitisation gap
• Windsurf, Cursor, and the future of English as a programming language
• Why "idea people" are winning in the AI era

Key insight: "These generative AI tools are causing a knowledge gap because junior developers are using them as their backbone, not as tools. If you can't explain how the thing you wrote works, it's going to be a problem when it's pushed to production."

About: Mereb Technologies is an IT outsourcing company based in Ethiopia dedicated to providing developer outsourcing services globally. The name "Mereb" is derived from the Amharic term for "web," symbolizing their commitment to utilizing local expertise to serve the global market Mereb Technologies provides comprehensive solutions in software outsourcing: from support in product development to general digital transformation, testing, and maintenance, while also hosting the popular "Mereb Podcast" in Amharic to network Ethiopia's emerging tech ecosystem.

Connect with Samuel:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samu-el/
• Mereb Technologies: https://mereb.tech/
• Company LinkedIn: https://et.linkedin.com/company/mereb-technologies

About this podcast: MeliaCRED: Conversations with Elvis explores how AI and automation reshape work, education, and economic development, particularly in Africa. Conducted as part of research for "The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Global Business Services in Ghana and Rwanda" for Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Invest for Jobs.

Video Production: MinabTech for MeliaCRED.
#AIInEthiopia #SoftwareOutsourcing #EthiopiaTech #AIAndJobs #CodingSkills #JuniorDevelopers #TechEcosystem #AddisAbaba #AITools #Programming