Odoo Set To Launch Version 19

Odoo, a company that develops software solutions for Small and Medium-Sized enterprises (SMEs), will be marking its 3^rd year of operations on Kenya with the launch of its new version.

Odoo is preparing to unveil Version 19 of their all-in-one business software application at the flagship Odoo Experience in Belgium later this year. The release promises updates across core applications, with a focus on user experience, automation, and accessibility. For clients, the update will mean faster, smarter tools that stay ahead of the curve.

Recognizing the importance of a strong community, the company has also been prioritizing partnerships with key stakeholders, including independent companies that resell and implement its software in the region.

Previously, Odoo had conducted most of its partner recruitment activities in Belgium, but recently, the company launched a dedicated partner management department in Kenya, underscoring its commitment to growing alongside the community.

Odoo’s growth in Africa has also meant significant job creation, with over 30 new roles open in 2025 alone, bringing the company’s workforce to more than 140 employees.

From the outset, when Odoo launched in Kenya in 2022, the company emphasized building solutions that positively impact the local audience, a vision that materialized when the company achieved official registration with Kenya’s Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, ensuring its systems comply fully with the Data Protection Act.

For Kenyan businesses, this was more than paperwork; it was reassurance that their sensitive data would be handled responsibly in a digital economy where trust is paramount.

With the usage of digital payment systems increasing rapidly over the last five years, Odoo partnered with DPO Pay by Network, to enable African businesses to seamlessly accept digital payments, from their customers.

This integration now available as a standard feature, allows businesses to receive and process payments without leaving the Odoo environment. For SMEs navigating e-commerce, this single update has removed a major barrier to digitization.

Given that the Kenyan government has been pushing for adoption of the electronic Tax Invoice Management System to enhance tax collection and management, Odoo has also integrated the E-tims feature, which can be found within the customer database for free starting from version 17.0.

Odoo users can easily generate e-TIMS compliant invoices, POS transactions and have them automatically sent to KRA. Another notable addition is the morden Payroll application that has all the latest statutory updates ready to use for Kenya.

In order to boost coverage, Odoo has not only been focusing on building the software, but also on building a community, through the free Odoo Academy workshops, held every week at the Nairobi office to enlighten both new and existing users on how digitisation can empower their businesses.

So far, more than 1000 individuals have attended these full-day, hands-on training sessions, gaining practical skills in essential applications like Accounting, Inventory, HR and E-commerce.

“These workshops are about more than training; they’re about building a community of empowered users who can leverage Odoo to grow their businesses,” said Patrick Lukusa, Managing Director of Odoo.

The company has also so far organized business shows in more than 30 African countries, to reveal Odoo’s new features to the firm’s community across Africa.