The President of Kenya recently said that Apple CEO Tim Cook told him in Silicon Valley that the company employs about 23,000 Kenyans, all of whom work from Nairobi, according to Kenya press reports.
A closer look at this claim’s viability in light of Apple’s local and international operations has been prompted by the various conversations and reactions it has sparked on social media.
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Direct/Indirect Employment
The president’s description of their occupation suggests they work for Apple. Given Apple’s Kenyan presence, this raises immediate problems.
The tech giant does not operate directly in the country. Apple does not directly provide Redington with its products. Given the minimal presence of official Apple dealers and the domination of refurbished product resellers in Kenya, 23,000 direct employees seem odd.
The allegation is further complicated by Apple’s Kenyan market share of less than 5% between January 2023 and January 2024. The workforce appears disproportionate to the company’s regional market presence.
Apple has 80,000 direct employees in the US, with a 61% market share among 330 million people. Given the volume of direct and indirect employment Apple creates in its primary market, this dramatic gap casts doubt on the assertion.
Apple Developers vs Employees?
These 23,000 people may be developers rather than direct employees, adding a fresh dimension to the analysis.
According to this study, Kenya has 60,000 professional developers, making 38% of them dedicated to Apple’s ecosystem unlikely.
It is inappropriate for the worldwide developer community and misaligned with Kenya’s business dynamics and technology landscape.
According to the study, the president’s assertion is unlikely to involve Apple’s Kenyan workers. This allegation is unlikely because Apple has a small operating footprint and cannot hire so many workers in a small market.
One of the largest computer companies in the country, Safaricom, has only 5,000 full-time employees in FY19—more than twice Apple’s total.
The president stated the number doesn’t fit Kenya’s tech industry demographics or mean “employment”. Developers at Apple are not workers.
According to the President of Kenya, Apple employs 23,000 Kenyans. However, this appears to be a misconception of the company’s presence in the country.
Tim Cook and Apple must clarify. Apple has shaped the worldwide digital landscape, yet its direct employment or developer involvement with Kenyans is uncertain.