IT hardware and technical services
Adding to computer and phone repair (methods 250–251 and 172) and installation trades (782–793), these technical services serve offices, schools and data-heavy businesses.
What these methods share
- Data care: you'll handle clients' devices and data: protect them.
- Genuine parts and software: no pirated software or counterfeit parts.
- Service contracts: recurring maintenance beats one-off repairs.
930. Printer and photocopier servicing
What it is: Repairing and maintaining printers and copiers for offices, schools and cyber cafés. How it works: Service contracts → scheduled maintenance → repairs and toner supply.
| Skills | Printer repair, electronics |
| Cost & equipment | Tools, spare parts stock |
| Where to find work | Offices, schools, cyber cafés, print shops |
| Payment | Per service or contract |
| Realistic earnings | Medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Train with a technician; offer monthly maintenance contracts. Pros: Recurring income. Cons & risks: Parts availability. Scam warning: Use genuine or quality compatible parts and be honest about which. Kenya notes: Every office and school relies on printers.
931. Data centre technician
What it is: Maintaining servers, racks, cooling and power in data centres and server rooms. How it works: Shift work monitoring and maintaining equipment.
| Skills | Hardware, networking, power and cooling basics |
| Cost & equipment | Training and certifications |
| Where to find work | Data centres, telcos, banks, cloud providers |
| Payment | Monthly salary |
| Realistic earnings | Medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Get networking or data centre certifications; apply to data centres in Nairobi. Pros: Growing sector. Cons & risks: Shift work. Scam warning: Real employers don't charge for placement. Kenya notes: Nairobi hosts several large data centres.
932. Data recovery service
What it is: Recovering files from damaged or failed hard drives, phones and memory cards. How it works: Diagnose → recover with software or lab tools → return data.
| Skills | Technical skill, care |
| Cost & equipment | Recovery software, tools; lab equipment for advanced work |
| Where to find work | Individuals, businesses, photographers |
| Payment | Per job |
| Realistic earnings | Medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Start with logical recovery (deleted files) before physical repairs. Pros: Clients value it highly. Cons & risks: Not always possible. Scam warning: Keep recovered data confidential and delete your copies. Kenya notes: Pairs with computer repair shops.
933. ICT equipment leasing to schools
What it is: Leasing computers, projectors and tablets to schools with maintenance included. How it works: Buy equipment → lease contract → maintain → replace.
| Skills | Finance, IT support |
| Cost & equipment | High: equipment capital |
| Where to find work | Schools, colleges, training centres |
| Payment | Monthly or termly lease payments |
| Realistic earnings | Medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Start with one school; include maintenance and training. Pros: Recurring income. Cons & risks: Capital and payment risk. Scam warning: Use clear contracts and insurance. Kenya notes: Schools want ICT but lack upfront budgets.
934. Licensed software reseller
What it is: Selling genuine software licences (office suites, antivirus, accounting) and setting them up. How it works: Become an authorised partner → sell and install → renew yearly.
| Skills | Product knowledge, sales |
| Cost & equipment | Partner registration |
| Where to find work | SMEs, schools, NGOs |
| Payment | Margin and renewal commissions |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Register with vendors' partner programmes. Pros: Yearly renewals. Cons & risks: Margins can be thin. Scam warning: Never sell cracked or pirated software. Kenya notes: Businesses need genuine licences for compliance.
935. Drone mapping and surveying
What it is: Using drones to map land, monitor crops and inspect sites, producing maps and models. How it works: Plan flight → capture images → process into maps → report.
| Skills | Drone piloting, mapping software |
| Cost & equipment | Drone, software, KCAA licensing |
| Where to find work | Surveyors, farms, construction firms, counties |
| Payment | Per project |
| Realistic earnings | Medium to high |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Get the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority's required licences and registration before commercial flights. Pros: High-value outputs. Cons & risks: Regulation and equipment costs. Scam warning: Never fly commercially without KCAA approval. Kenya notes: Different from drone videography (method 122): the product is maps and data.
936. IoT prototyping and electronics assembly
What it is: Building connected devices and prototypes: sensors, trackers, automation. How it works: Design → assemble → program → test.
| Skills | Electronics, programming (Arduino, ESP32) |
| Cost & equipment | Tools, components |
| Where to find work | Startups, farms, factories, researchers |
| Payment | Per prototype or project |
| Realistic earnings | Medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Build a few demo projects (soil moisture sensor, water tank level alarm). Pros: Creative, growing field. Cons & risks: Component sourcing. Scam warning: Be clear about prototype vs production quality. Kenya notes: Agritech and water monitoring are popular IoT uses in Kenya.
Summary
- IT services include printer servicing, data centre work, data recovery, ICT leasing, licensed software reselling, drone mapping and IoT prototyping.
- Use genuine parts and software and protect client data.
- Drone work needs KCAA approval.
Check yourself
Which authority licenses commercial drone operations in Kenya? (acronym)
Show answer
kcaa
Should a reseller ever sell cracked software? (yes or no)
Show answer
no
Name a popular board for IoT prototyping (one word)
Show answer
arduino