The Ghanaian government is ramping up efforts to bridge the country’s digital skills gap. Officials recently announced plans to launch a $5 million fund aimed at fostering technological innovation.

Ursula Owusu-Ekuful (photo, left), Ghana’s Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, launched the “eSkills4Jobs” program last week. The initiative aims to equip over 5,000 young Ghanaians with essential digital skills, with a focus on supporting women from marginalized communities and people with disabilities.

The program is a partnership between the Ghanaian government, the World Bank, and the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT.

“The digital economy is here to stay, and we must ensure no one is left behind. eSkills4Jobs will focus on creating tailored training programs, mentorship opportunities, and access to resources to enable participants to build relevant skills,”  Owusu-Ekuful said.

The initiative aligns with the Ghanaian government’s broader goal of training one million young people in digital skills to meet the demand for a skilled workforce in a rapidly digitalizing economy. According to the International Finance Corporation (IFC), 20% of Ghanaian companies currently rely on foreign recruitment for digital skills, primarily because they cannot find qualified local talent. The World Bank estimates that approximately 625 million Africans will require digital skills by 2030.

The Ghanaian government believes that the skills acquired through the eSkills4Jobs initiative will not only enhance individual employability but also contribute to the overall growth of Ghana’s economy. World Bank data from 2022 shows that 3.1% of Ghana’s active workforce is unemployed.

Isaac K. Kassouwi