![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/84f3527d-ccf1-4f8a-861e-6a7493bb8cd1.jpg\")
Byron Osiro
\nduring the
\nlaunch of his
\nbook \u201cFrom
\nRed to Green\u201d,
\nin Nairobi
\n\/HANDOUT<\/p>\n
Byron Osiro
\nduring the
\nlaunch of his
\nbook \u201cFrom
\nRed to Green\u201d,
\nin Nairobi
\n\/HANDOUT<\/p>\n
Back in High School, Byron
\nOsiro had a dream of pursuing a degree in medicine. His career path, however, changed under his former headmaster at Bugema Adentist Secondary School in Uganda, Mugumya Mesusera, whom he credits for seeing what he had not recognized in himself. <\/p>\n
His course of life shifted to pursuing a career in Computer Science. What
\nseemed like a detour turned out to be destiny in motion, as he says in his
\nrecently launched book,\u00a0\u201cFrom Red to Green\u201d, the journey of
\na diligent and intelligent sales leader.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From earning a Sh1,430 salary to landing multi-million dollar deals, he now\u00a0works for a Fortune 500
\ncompany, which is among the top global tech firms. Red to Green extends beyond sales to encompass
\nrelationships, finances and mental health, emphasising moving from being stuck
\nto a state of clarity\u2014mastering the sales journey through value-based
\nrelationships. Osiro spoke to the
\nStar on his personal journey, the tech environment in Kenya, the region and the
\nfuture.<\/p>\n
What stands out in your book?<\/p>\n
First, we have
\nto start this with a clear disclaimer that the views represented here are mine
\nand not representative of any organisations I represent or work for out here. I
\nhave been able to consistently over-achieve my sales targets, growing revenues
\nfor the companies I have worked for in sales teams, for close to two decades
\nnow. <\/p>\n
This is evidenced by the top honours I have qualified for, like Oracle
\nCorporation\u2019s President\u2019s Club\/ Club Excellence, or Million Dollar Club,
\nhonours that are given to folks who achieve over 200 per cent of their annual sales
\ntargets in the respective fiscal years.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Beyond the numbers, though, is the fact that I close business through
\ncreating valuable and meaningful relationships consistently, with different
\npersonas across these organisations, selling value rather than products or
\nfeatures. I have embraced leadership along the way, often being designated
\nsales manager soon after taking on a new sales executive role.<\/p>\n
God has also
\nbeen at the centre of my sales success. I would not have achieved the little that
\nI have without his divine providence. I talk about the destiny helpers He has
\nconsistently planted in my path in the book.<\/p>\n
What was your first role in tech and
\nhow has the industry changed since then?<\/p>\n
I was an
\nintern at an IT Reseller\/ Partner in Kampala, Uganda, back in 2002-03. The
\ncompany was called Integrated Computers and Electronics Ltd. A client came and
\nbought computers, a network printer and a switch and asked that we go install a
\nLAN (Local Area Network) at his home for his research team. When we got on-site,
\nthe senior staff were not able to do it. <\/p>\n
The boss gave me the crimping tool and
\nasked me to sort it out. I did it and confirmed that all was well by printing
\nthe test page on the network printer. This got me on the payroll immediately,
\njust weeks in on the internship, as an IT Support Technician. <\/p>\n
So my career did
\nnot start from sales but from IT support roles, given my computer science background.
\nBack then, we did not have AI to enable machines and computers to perform tasks
\nthat typically require human intelligence as we do now.<\/p>\n
You had to have been
\ntrained formerly or at least studied systems to know how to troubleshoot and
\nresolve various system issues. The Internet was also delivered through very slow
\nspeed, dial-up systems as opposed to the current high-speed 4G and 5G fiber
\noptic connections. <\/p>\n
In general, hardware specifications for hard disks, memory
\nchips\/ dimms and other computer parts have evolved drastically to support the
\nfaster computing needs that consumers currently demand.<\/p>\n
How does your educational background
\ncontribute to your work today?<\/p>\n
I am a
\ncomputer scientist, having earned a Diploma in Computer Science and a Bachelor’s
\nDegree in IT and Computing at Kyambogo University in Kampala, Uganda, between
\n2002 and 2007. <\/p>\n
I also attempted the Cisco CCNA Certification during that period. I, however, transitioned to IT sales roles where I use my IT background to position
\nsolutions that impact how organisations operate or drive their businesses, to
\nreduce cost and optimise efficiency in their operations, to innovate and stay
\nahead of their competition. <\/p>\n
My IT background makes it easier to understand
\ndifferent technological concepts like network and security, database systems and
\nways to optimise the same. However, the IT world is very diverse and systems
\nchange daily. <\/p>\n
I am now in an area where I am selling cloud ERP systems, a total
\nshift from what I studied back in university. So one has to keep unlearning and
\nrelearning to keep abreast with the changes in the technology world. <\/p>\n
Back in
\nHigh school when I did my A-Levels, my subject combination was Physics,
\nChemistry, Biology and Subsidiary Mathematics as I had intended to be a medical
\ndoctor. Chemistry Paper 2 was a very bad reaction on me that I am still yet to
\nrecover from and hence ditching medical aspirations and opting for the
\nTechnology world. No regrets, though.<\/p>\n
How would you describe the current
\nstate of the tech market in Kenya?<\/p>\n
Very innovative
\nand mostly driven by fintechs and mobile money operators. Mobile lending has
\nbecome very popular, with many players getting licensed by the Central Bank of
\nKenya to get their piece of the pie from the eager borrowers in the country.<\/p>\n
\nWe all know about M-Pesa, which has been globally recognised as a leading,
\ninnovative solution from Kenya. Tech startups are raising millions of dollars
\nto further launch new disruptive solutions in digital banking, Agri-tech,
\ninsure-tech, ride-hailing companies,s, to mention but a few. Kenya\u2019s E-commerce
\nspace is growing rapidly, with projections that this could hit Sh500 billion by
\n2027. All these innovations, however, must be supported by a solid infrastructure
\nbackbone with fiber optic connectivity at the center of the action.<\/p>\n
What technologies or solutions are
\ncurrently driving demand among Kenyan businesses?<\/p>\n
Digital
\npayments come top in my view. Many SMEs are adopting digital payments, reducing
\ncomplexity in payments for their customers. Digital lending has become very popular.
\nCloud computing comes second as businesses shift from traditional on-prem
\ninfrastructure to SaaS models to reduce their Capex and move to Opex models,
\nreducing their annual spend on technology that drives the businesses. <\/p>\n
Given the
\ngrowth in adoption of data-driven solutions and the adoption of cloud computing
\nand digital payments mentioned above, Cybersecurity has become more critical to
\nprotect SMEs and Enterprises from exposure to cyber-attacks. A lot still
\nneeds to be done here, though, as security is a concept that must be applied
\nconsistently at different layers, like network, application, database, and not
\nforgetting the users themselves.<\/p>\n
How do Kenyan customers differ from
\nthose in other markets you have worked with?<\/p>\n
Kenyans are
\nahead of their peers in adopting mobile payment platforms, with M-Pesa known as a
\nglobal leader and as the rail for digital payments. Paybills and Till numbers
\nare fairly new concepts to most of Kenya\u2019s neighbour\u2019s while in Kenya, these
\nhave become the modus operandi. <\/p>\n
There is also faster adoption of technology as
\na business driver in Kenya than in its\u00a0peers in the region, primarily because of
\nstrong policies for the digital economy, significant investments made in
\ndigital infrastructure, a strong middle class and a young tech-savvy population
\nproviding a ready market for digital goods and services.<\/p>\n
Kenyan customers have a
\nstronger buying power, given that Kenya has the largest GDP in the region,
\nroughly\u00a01.5 times larger than Tanzania’s\u00a0and more than double the
\nsize of Uganda’s economy.\u00a0This makes technology more affordable in Kenya
\nthan in the neighbouring countries and hence the faster adoption.<\/p>\n
How do you navigate price sensitivity
\nwhile selling premium tech products?<\/p>\n
This is very
\npersonal from one salesman to another. It is important for customers to know
\nupfront the price ranges for the solutions they intend to purchase. That way, they budget correctly. \u00a0Secondly, some
\nsolutions may have a high upfront cost but have lasting value in the long term
\nand should therefore not be judged based on initial cost. I basically show
\ncustomers their TCO (Total Cost of Ownership), and their ROI (Return On
\nInvestment), clearly articulating the benefits and when the same are to be
\nderived.<\/p>\n
What are the biggest challenges tech
\nsalespeople face in Kenya today?<\/p>\n
First is
\ncompetition. There are many players offering customers too many options for the
\nsolutions required in the tech space in Kenya. Second is long procurement
\ncycles. Some of these can last as long as 24 months.<\/p>\n
This puts the salesperson
\nin a tough situation as one is required to close substantial deals quarterly to
\nmeet their set targets. Third is budget constraints and price sensitivity. Many
\nbusinesses are cautious with technology spending and may prefer to go for
\ncheaper local alternatives. Then demand to sign local contracts. Many local
\nbusinesses require tech players to sign local contracts guided by local laws, yet many multinationals do not sign these and always insist on customers
\nsigning the multinational\u2019s contracts, which are protected by international
\nlaws. <\/p>\n
This causes further delays in closing deals as companies negotiate to
\nfind common ground and eventually yield to sign the multinational\u2019s
\ncontract. One common one is being ghosted by clients, either when making initial
\ncold calls or when the deal is ready to be booked and phones or emails go
\nsilent or unanswered.<\/p>\n
How do economic factors such as
\ninflation, exchange rates, or local procurement policies affect tech sales?<\/p>\n
Allow me to
\nanswer this by citing the example of Safaricom\u2019s Ethiopia subsidiary. Because
\nEthiopia still lacks sufficient or adequate forex reserves and also because the
\nEthiopian Birr was sharply devalued, the group company in Kenya is hit by forex
\nlosses when it translates its earnings to Kenyan Shillings since it consolidates
\nthe Ethiopian business into the group. This impacts their overall group
\nrevenues as a tech company. <\/p>\n
As mentioned earlier, some local procurement
\npolicies do not allow customers to sign contracts not guided by local laws.
\nThis limits opportunities for multinationals like the ones I have worked for to
\nparticipate directly in some tenders where they are otherwise fully qualified
\nto participate in. To mitigate this, the companies sign agreements with local
\npartners that act as an extension to their business but that can then sign the
\nlocal contracts.<\/p>\n
Which sectors are leading in tech
\nadoption and which ones are lagging?<\/p>\n
BFSI\u2013Banking
\nand Financial Services and Insurance sector is clearly ahead. ICT and
\nTelecommunications and Cloud systems are also at the top end with Kenya positioning
\nitself as a regional Tech hub with strong growth in data centres, cloud
\ninfrastructure and broadband connectivity. <\/p>\n
Agri-Tech has also come up strong
\nwith farmers adopting farming applications and digitising supply chains. Many
\nSMEs are, however, still relying on basic tools like Excel for basic accounting.
\nWe also have not seen much digitisation in the manufacturing sector. This
\npresents a huge opportunity for market players.<\/p>\n
What global or regional trends are
\ninfluencing local customer preferences?<\/p>\n
AI is here
\nwith us and has a great influence when customers are adopting digital
\nsystems. I have already mentioned cloud computing. This helps customers to
\nreduce cost, innovate faster and use insights and more data-driven solutions to
\npredict business outcomes. <\/p>\n
Cybersecurity is central to everything to mitigate cyber-attacks
\nand losses associated with them. High-speed connectivity: There is a
\ngrowing demand for 5G in Kenya to enable more data-intensive applications in
\nAI, IoT and edge computing. We cannot close this section without mentioning
\nCryptocurrency. <\/p>\n
Kenya has recently enacted a cryptocurrency\/ Digital assets law
\ncalled the Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) Act, passed by Parliament in
\n2025. At the same time, President Donald Trump has signed the GENIUS Act into
\nlaw, a piece of legislation that is intended to pave the way for the US to lead
\nthe global digital currency revolution.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Byron Osiro
during the
launch of his
book \u201cFrom
Red to Green\u201d,
in Nairobi
\/HANDOUT Back in High…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":18144,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[65,351,352,98,100,353,101,350,99],"class_list":{"0":"post-18143","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ethiopia","8":"tag-ethiopia","9":"tag-kenya-news","10":"tag-star","11":"tag-star-news","12":"tag-star-news-kenya","13":"tag-star-newspaper-kenya","14":"tag-the-star","15":"tag-the-star-kenya","16":"tag-the-star-newspaper"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18143","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18143"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18143\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18144"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18143"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18143"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18143"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}