Tech (695)
Plagued by high youth unemployment, Kenya is turning to innovative technology solutions to equip its young workforce and bridge the skills gap. The challenge remains daunting, however, reflecting the complexities of the Kenyan labor market.
Kenya launched the National Skills Inventory (NSI) on Monday, January 29, in a government-led initiative to combat youth unemployment and connect young people with relevant jobs, both locally and internationally.
Backed by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, the NSI aims to create a comprehensive digital database of skills available across the country. This data will be used to match unemployed young people with job opportunities that align with their qualifications and market needs.
"The digital skills database will support the government's skills migration agenda that is geared to ensure that surplus labor is henceforth exported to enhance the inflow of diaspora remittances," said Shadrack Mwadime, Labour and Skills Development Principal Secretary at the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection.
The NSI launch follows the formation of an Inter-Ministerial Committee dedicated to its development and ongoing management. This committee aims to establish a comprehensive framework for capturing and utilizing individual skill sets, contributing to the national target of reducing unemployment, which the International Labour Organization put at 4.9% in 2022.
Bilateral agreements signed with several European and Middle Eastern countries over recent years pave the way for smoother job placement and migration for skilled Kenyans. The ambitious goal is to export at least one million workers annually over the next five years.
By providing youth with a platform to showcase their skills and access international opportunities, the NSI is a significant step towards tackling Kenya's unemployment challenge. The initiative's potential to boost remittances and stimulate the national economy further strengthens its importance.
Samira Njoya
Fueled by tech ambitions, Nigeria rolls out initiatives with private partners to revitalize its economy and boost citizen empowerment.
Tech4Dev, a social enterprise promoting digital inclusivity in Africa, has launched "DigitalForAllChallenge 2.0," aiming to train two million Nigerians in basic and intermediate digital skills. Backed by the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and Nigeria's National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the initiative targets youth, young adults, and civil servants across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
"The Digital for All Challenge is a free digital skill-building competition and program to increase digital literacy in Nigeria and ignite interest in obtaining digital skills and certifications using online platforms," stated NITDA.
The challenge unfolds in two stages: training followed by a competitive track. Participants need to pass a post-training assessment to enter the competition, consisting of national, regional, and a grand final stage. Over 150 million naira ($166,657) in cash prizes, laptops, tablets, and other rewards await winners.
DigitalForAllChallenge aligns with the Nigerian government's push for digital literacy, aiming to achieve a 70% rate by 2027 and cultivate three million tech talents. As Kashifu Abdullahi, NITDA Director General, highlighted, this initiative seeks to address both domestic and global talent needs, contributing to the global value chain.
Starting February 5, the program offers three tracks: young learners (8-15), young adults (16-45), and civil servants. This comprehensive approach aims to equip diverse cohorts with essential digital skills, empowering them to participate in the nation's digital future.
Samira Njoya
Nigeria is pushing ahead with plans to eliminate paper from its civil service by 2030, but the ambitious digitalization drive faces a major hurdle: a lack of necessary skills among government employees.
The Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, a Nigerian organization championing public sector transformation, has partnered with Microsoft to bolster the digital skills of civil servants across the country.
Formalized on January 19 through the Wootlab Foundation, the collaboration supports Nigeria's ambitious goal of a tech-savvy public sector ready for the digital age.
"This partnership signifies our joint commitment to crafting impactful training programs that bridge the digital divide and drive positive transformations," said the Wootlab Foundation. "Together, we are embarking on an extensive training initiative that will redefine skill development and ensure a workforce well-equipped for the digital future."
This recent collaboration is part of a strategic initiative by OHCSF to ready the public sector workforce for the digital era. The initiative follows the implementation of an enterprise content management solution (ECMS), supported by the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, aimed at empowering all work processes. The partnership aligns with the federal government’s goal to train all civil servants in the country in digital skills.
Under this cooperation, the Wootlab Foundation will facilitate the provision of on-demand digital skills for government employees, enabling them to contribute to the digitization of vital public services and stimulate ongoing innovation within the civil service.
It’s noteworthy that Nigeria, through this initiative and others, aims to rank its civil service among the world’s top 20 by 2025 and achieve complete digitization by 2030.
Samira Njoya
In recent years, the Egyptian government has made significant investments in the digital sector. This substantial commitment testifies to the crucial importance of outsourcing in stimulating Egypt's digital exports and fostering its economic growth.
Egypt’s digital services export sector saw a significant increase in revenues in 2023, reaching $6.2 billion, a 26.5% rise from the previous year’s $4.9 billion, according to the country’s Minister of Telecommunications and Information Technology, Amr Talaat.
Speaking to the Egyptian Senate on Monday, Talaat attributed the growth to recent foreign investments, including agreements with 74 international and local firms to hire 60,000 outsourcing experts since November 2022. The government’s efforts to boost the number of self-employed workers in the outsourcing industry to 550,000 also contributed to the positive figures.
The investments are part of the Digital Strategy for the Outsourcing Industry 2022-2026, a government initiative launched in February 2022. The strategy targets four key areas: IT services, business process services, knowledge services, and engineering and R&D.
The initiative aims to triple digital export revenues to nearly $9 billion by 2026 and create over 34,000 jobs by 2025, aligning with the sector’s impressive performance. The sector recorded digital exports of $4.9 billion in fiscal year 2021/2022, a significant increase from the $3.6 billion in fiscal year 2018/2019.
Samira Njoya
Across Africa, concerns over slowing economic growth and over-reliance on commodities are driving a renewed focus on diversification. Governments are recognizing the urgency of implementing supportive policies, training programs, and financing initiatives to catalyze innovation and unlock new avenues for growth.
Chad Innovation Hub (CIH), a youth entrepreneurship incubator, and the National Agency for Investments and Exports (ANIE) have formalized a partnership aimed at fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development in Chad.
The strategic alliance, announced on Tuesday, January 23, seeks to enhance Chad's entrepreneurial ecosystem by promoting open innovation and stimulating projects in digital technology, the circular economy, corporate social responsibility, and green business models. The partnership will also focus on empowering women and young people, particularly in rural areas, ANIE said in a statement.
The memorandum of understanding between ANIE and CIH includes provisions for the effective implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the establishment of a close collaborative relationship to mutually promote the private sector and diversify the economy.
The collaboration aligns with the government's policy to support entrepreneurship in Chad, which recently led to the creation of an FCFA30 billion ($49.6 million) fund. The fund is designed to provide credit guarantees for entrepreneurs and finance key projects in sectors such as agriculture, livestock, and new technologies.
The agreement signals the start of a promising alliance that positions Chad on the international innovation stage. CIH, an award-winning organization, strengthens the belief that innovation and entrepreneurship are key drivers for a prosperous and sustainable future for Chad.
Samira Njoya
Since 2020, African technology entrepreneurs have been struggling to access funds. The growth recorded since 2018 has been slowing down and investors are becoming more cautious.
African technology startups secured $1.8 billion in funding in 2023, a 40% decline from $3 billion in 2022, according to data from CB Insights' "State of Venture" report published January 4. The total represents 486 deals, down nearly 49% from 709 in 2022.
Africa's 2023 funding figure falls nearly as low as 2020's $1 billion (493 deals), a year heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This decline reflects the relative underperformance of major tech ecosystems like Nigeria, Kenya, and Egypt, which typically attract the most investment and drive overall figures.
Nigeria, for instance, saw a sharp drop, with startups raising $224 million in 2023 compared to $531 million in 2022 and over $1 billion in 2021. This trend aligns with a global slowdown in startup funding, driven by rising interest rates at central banks worldwide.
"In the past 18 to 24 months, particularly due to rising interest rates in the United States and Europe, capital for African startups has significantly diminished. This has led to a scarcity of funds for these startups, many of which relied on this capital for growth and ongoing development. As a result, these startups have found themselves in precarious positions, necessitating cost structure reductions and subsequent staff layoffs," said Tamim El Zein, founder of Seedstars Africa Ventures, in an interview with RFI in November 2023.
Africa's 40% decline is lower than those seen in other regions with the global trend remaining concerning. Latin America saw a 56% drop to $3.3 billion, Europe a 45.25% decline to $48.4 billion, and Asia a 49.48% fall to $53.4 billion.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
Across Africa, a digital revolution is sweeping through, reshaping the aspirations and opportunities for a generation. Driving this transformation is the critical need for young people to be equipped with the skills and knowledge to thrive in the digital age.
The Congolese government officially initiated the construction of “Caria Tech Village,” a technology park, on Wednesday, January 17, in Kintélé. The park is envisioned as a hub for learning and development activities for young incubators and startups in Congo.
Léon Juste Ibombo, Minister of Posts, Telecommunications, and the Digital Economy, emphasized the project’s strategic significance in a world where the digital economy is central. He stated that Caria Tech Village would house the entire digital ecosystem and be built on the site of the former Union Africaine des Postes et Télécommunication.
The park, to be constructed over 2024 by Phone Control, a Tunisian company specializing in digital infrastructure, will be supervised by the Ministry of Digital Affairs and the Ministry of Scientific Research.
Upon completion, Caria Tech Village will provide high-quality training courses for young people, ranging from bachelor’s degrees to doctorates. It will also serve as a space for industry professionals to enhance their skills in innovative technologies. Beyond its training programs, the park will act as a dynamic platform for start-ups, aiding them in fully developing their projects and creating added value.
The project aligns with a government program dedicated to learning and practicing development activities for young incubators. This initiative aligns with President Denis Sassou N’Guesso’s vision: he declared 2024 as the year of youth in Congo.
Samira Njoya
The South African online marketplace Zandaux is eying the entire continent but, its initial expansion efforts are targeted towards an East African nation.
South African e-commerce platform Zandaux announced its entry into Kenya on Wednesday, marking its first step in a broader expansion across the African continent. The company aims to connect African suppliers with a vast regional market, fostering business development and unlocking growth opportunities.
"Anything that has a market in Kenya will have a market on the entire African continent," remarked Zandaux CEO Franck Obambi Ngatse. "On Zandaux, you can buy something from a factory in Mombasa and have it shipped to Kinshasa. The payment is only released to the seller after the product has arrived, and we have a robust tracking system in place for products from seller to buyer."
This expansion coincides with Zandaux's current pursuit of 3 billion Kenyan shillings ($18.5 million) in funding to fuel its continental operations. Kenya is seen as a strategic gateway to other African markets, capitalizing on its established e-commerce infrastructure and growing consumer base. Statista projects the number of e-commerce users in Africa to reach 520 million by 2024, highlighting the immense potential for platform growth.
"The future is there, but all the actors need to come together. The fintech brings payment solutions, and the governments make sure that the e-commerce is complete perfectly or even drop down some barriers, especially when it comes to input," Obambi Ngatse emphasized.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
Nigeria: Aboyeji teams up with Koschitzky-Kimani to launch $750,000 accelerator for African startups
The lack of access to finance continues to be a significant hurdle for Africa's burgeoning startup ecosystem, hindering the continent's economic development potential. Despite a vibrant and growing entrepreneurial landscape, many promising startups struggle to secure the investments they need to scale up and thrive.
Nigerian tech entrepreneur Iyinoluwa Aboyeji (photo, left), co-founder of Andela and Flutterwave, has joined forces with Mia von Koschitzky-Kimani (photo), another experienced technology player, to launch Accelerate Africa, a new initiative aimed at fueling the growth of startups across the continent. The announcement was made in an exclusive interview with Techcabal.
The project, backed by a $750,000 grant from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), will provide support to startups in all 54 African countries. The first cohort, consisting of ten pre-seed and early-stage companies from various sectors, will participate in an intensive eight-week program.
Combining elements of business development, technology integration, financing, and community building, the acceleration program will take place in both Lagos and Nairobi. Its goal is to empower African start-ups to scale faster and more sustainably.
At the program's culmination, the participating ventures will have the opportunity to pitch their projects to investors, including angel investors with the capacity to inject up to $500,000 into promising initiatives.
Aboyeji and von Koschitzky-Kimani's vision for Accelerate Africa is ambitious. They hope to unlock the vast potential of Africa's entrepreneurial spirit and support a significant number of promising start-ups, particularly at a time when international accelerator support is waning.
"The big idea is to become the Y Combinator (YC) of Africa," Aboyeji said, referring to the renowned American accelerator. "We are looking for founders with great ideas and massive market opportunities. The impressive ones who would have gotten into YC but can't because YC is closing their doors to Africa, so to speak."
Samira Njoya
In line with numerous nations, Nigeria is striving to establish itself as a leader in the global digital landscape. The government is collaborating with seasoned industry participants to realize this ambition.
Nigeria will launch the National Broadband Alliance (NBAN) in the first quarter of 2024, aiming to accelerate internet access rollout nationwide. The initiative targets eight states initially, including Edo, Ogun, Kwara, Katsina, Imo, Abia, Borno, and Nasarawa, seeking to address challenges hindering fiber optic network adoption and returns.
"The alliance will bring together key stakeholders from the public and private sectors, as well as civil society, to collaboratively develop a sustainable business model(s) for driving the adoption and consumption of internet in key critical public institutions (schools, hospitals, government offices, libraries and markets etc) across the nation," a government document revealed.
This project aligns with the government's digital inclusion goals, aiming to build a collaborative platform for technology players and share resources to support the national internet access program.
Nigeria's internet penetration currently stands at around 45.57%, with only 39% of the population within 5 kilometers of fiber optic networks, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The average download speed of 26.48 Mbps ranks the country 89th globally, highlighting the need for improved connectivity, particularly in rural areas. The NBAN aims to address these challenges by facilitating rapid broadband deployment, leveraging expertise and resources from partners and international organizations, and ensuring all segments of society participate in the digital economy.
Samira Njoya
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Universities around the world are rapidly accelerating their transition to digital education, driven by the urgent need to prepare students for a job market increasingly reliant on digital skills and qualifications. This shift necessitates the adoption of new technologies and pedagogies that go beyond simply replicating traditional classroom experiences online.
In Côte d’Ivoire, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Adama Diawara, officially presented 16 mobile studios for recording digital teaching resources to the country’s public universities and grandes écoles.
Valued at XOF275 million ($458,125), these acquisitions aim to foster an environment conducive to integrating digital technology into the education system. “Digital technology is a powerful lever of transformation to support public education policies in all their dimensions,” Diawara stated.
The initiative is part of the AMRUGE-CI n°2 project, which seeks to stimulate the development of digital education. Mobile studios will be delivered to all the country’s universities to reinforce flexible educational production and digital documentation.
Since 2013, the government has collaborated with the French Development Agency (AFD), which has mobilized over XOF10 billion for the development of digital education in Côte d’Ivoire through the Debt Reduction-Development Contract (C2D).
By digitizing the education system, the Ministry aims to renovate the higher education offering to better meet job market demands, guarantee education quality, and comply with international standards.
The first beneficiaries include the Universities of Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Cocody, Nangui Abrogoua in Abobo-Adjamé, Alassane Ouattara in Bouaké, Jean Lorougnon Guédé in Daloa, Péléforo Gon in Korhogo, Man, Bondoukou, San Pedro, the Université Virtuelle de Côte d’Ivoire, the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Abidjan, and the Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Yamoussoukro.
Samira Njoya
Across Africa, investing in the tech skills of young people is gaining momentum as countries recognize the crucial role technology plays in their development aspirations. Governments and institutions are increasingly turning to partnerships to build the necessary training infrastructure and equip future generations with the digital know-how to drive progress.
Angolan President João Lourenço on Friday inaugurated the Integrated Center for Technological Training (CINFOTEC) in Huambo, marking a significant step in the country's efforts to bolster its tech skills. The center, built with Chinese government funding, aims to equip Angolans with the technical and vocational knowledge needed to thrive in the digital age.
CINFOTEC Huambo sprawls across 20,000 square meters, boasting 30 laboratories and six workshops dedicated to fields like robotics, information technology, and other technical areas. In its initial phase, the center will train up to 2,400 students annually, contributing to a more skilled workforce in the Angolan tech sector.
The inauguration underscores China's growing role as a partner in Africa's technological development. In 2023 alone, China partnered with Uganda, Ethiopia, Senegal, and the Seychelles on various digital transformation initiatives. CINFOTEC Huambo is the third such center in Angola, joining two others in Luanda province.
"This is a modern, well-equipped training center, and our teachers have also been trained in China," said Geraldo Pambasange, Director of CINFOTEC Huambo. "We are very grateful for China's help and look forward to continuing our cooperation with them in the future."
Adoni Conrad Quenum
Africa is witnessing a swift expansion of its digital economy. However, government measures that disrupt internet services and limit access to social media platforms carry significant implications.
Sub-Saharan Africa saw a nearly $1.74 billion loss in 2023 due to internet outages and social network restrictions, a 489.83% increase from the $295 million loss in 2022, according to data from UK specialist platform Top10VPN. Despite a decrease in the number of people affected by these restrictions from 133.1 million in 2022 to almost 84.8 million in 2023, the number of countries imposing restrictions increased from seven to ten.
Top10VPN attributes the rise in financial loss in 2023 to the extended duration of outages, which lasted 30,785 hours compared to 9,532 hours in 2022. Ethiopia, a large country in terms of demographics and economy, accounted for the highest number of hours of internet and social media impairment.
Ethiopian authorities restricted access to Facebook, YouTube, Telegram, and TikTok due to religious tensions, leading to a peak in VPN service demand at 3,651% above average. The blockades, implemented in early February, were not lifted until July. Amid tensions with militias in the northern Amhara region, the internet was cut off in August and partially restored in November. The restrictions, which lasted over 3,414 hours for the internet and over 11,496 hours for social media, resulted in a loss of around $1.59 billion, or 91.37% of the total losses in sub-Saharan Africa.
Two West African countries, Senegal and Guinea, also contributed significantly to the financial losses in 2023. Senegal, due to pro-Sonko political demonstrations, cut the internet for 135 hours and social networks for 3,811 hours, resulting in a loss of $57.4 million. In Guinea, authorities restricted social network use since November 2023 without officially stating the reasons, leading to estimated losses of $47.4 million for the 3,720 hours of social media restriction.
Other countries that resorted to internet or social media restrictions in 2023 include Mauritania ($38.5 million), Kenya ($27 million), Sudan ($12.4 million), Gabon ($5.4 million), Tanzania ($2.8 million), Chad ($800,000), and Zimbabwe ($500,000).
Adoni Conrad Quenum
In line with its digital transformation strategy, Tunisia is set to digitize all citizen services, encompassing even social services. This move is part of the country's broader initiative to dematerialize services.
Tunisia's Minister of Social Affairs, Malek Ezzahi, and Minister of Communication Technologies, Nizar Ben Neji, have inked a cooperation agreement aimed at digitizing access to social services. The agreement, signed in Tunis on January 10, is part of a broader initiative to simplify administrative procedures and enhance services for citizens and businesses alike.
The Ministry of Social Affairs, in a press release, detailed the agreement's provisions, which include the adoption of electronic signatures for online administrative procedures, digital identity, and non-material data exchange. The agreement also facilitates access to the Ministry's sectoral platforms via the citizen portal and introduces citizen mail for detailed notifications, thereby improving communication between the administration and citizens.
The initiative falls under the national digital transformation strategy, set for implementation through 2025. It specifically targets entities under the Ministry of Social Affairs' purview, including the national social security fund, the national pension and social welfare fund, the national health insurance fund, the office for Tunisians abroad, and the general committees for social promotion and labor and professional relations.
To realize the agreement's objectives, the Ministry of Communication Technologies will collaborate with the National Information Center, the National Agency for Electronic Authentication, the National Agency for Cybersecurity, and the Tunisian Post Office.
Plans are also underway to streamline the distribution process for "Labes" and "Aman" healthcare cards. These cards, which will replace paper health insurance booklets and healthcare booklets for low-income individuals, will be used to pay for health services and purchase medicines.
Samira Njoya