There is a growing demand for professional Human Resources services in Kigali, stakeholders in the sector have said. This, they say has been occasioned by increased professionalism among private sector firms as well as growth of firms across the economy. Consultancy firms in the practice say that over the course of the last year, there has been a significant rise in demand of a range of expertise including; talent acquisition, capacity building, temporary staffing, payroll management and salary surveys among other services. Other services that are increasingly common in the local market include developing appropriate technology solutions to perform the Human Resources Management functions. Lys Mwiza, the Country Manager of ITM Africa Rwanda, a Pan-African firm in HR consultancy told Business Times that for a long time, there has not been adequate attention to HR services among a large number of private companies. “For a long time firms in Rwanda especially SME’s and entrepreneurial startups have neglected the need of a HR department in their organizations mainly due to lack of awareness on the importance of this function. Unfortunately, this lack of awareness has also led to a very limited interest in the field of HR as a career aspiration for young professionals,” she said. The firm which entered the Rwandan market in 2016 says that over time, local private sector operators have shown a realization of the need of qualified personnel to boost their performance. “It’s more than just paying a salary and coming to office at 8.00Am to clock out at 5.00PM, it’s about what the employee and the organization achieve together and how they attribute success to each other,” she added. The sector is among those that are attracting foreign direct investment into the country from across the world including African countries. Among the recent entrants into the sector is ITM Africa which debuted into the Rwandan market about two years ago. The firm which has was founded by a Congolese Investor Sylva Monga has since grown to have presence in 7 countries including Germany. Speaking to Business Times, Monga said that the sector which is relatively unique is in demand across the continent as developing nations seek to professionalize their private sectors and improve output. This he said is among the drivers that has seen his firm establish a presence in a number of African countries including Angola, Tanzania, South Africa and Nigeria among others. He expressed optimism for increased investment by Africans in fellow African countries saying it is in line with the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement, said that there is more room and prospects of growth when Africans invest within the continent as they better understand the context and culture. Monga said that as one who has invested across the continent, there is evidence that there is more value investing in the continent and opening up trade across borders as it has impacts such as job creation and value addition in ecosystems. “When an African invests in Africa and hires Africans, there is much value created within the continent as they further boost the economy,” Monga said. The global firm last week held its global annual review meeting in Kigali convening management of the various subsidiaries across the continent. Minister of Labour and Public Service Fanfan Rwanyindo said that the government is keen on supporting the advancements and developments in the sector to make the most of benefits such as capacity building and employment creation. She also welcomed such intra-African investments in the sector saying that Africans ought to look beyond their borders and create opportunities for exchange to make the most of the CFTA agreement. Emery Rubagenga a Rwandan investor who is a shareholder in the firm said that it’s encouraging to see African investors take advantage of Agreements such as CFTA allowing African do more business with each other as well as the Rwandan business ecosystem. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
