Women entrepreneurs in Africa can apply until June 16 for the Cartier Women’s Initiative, an international competition that supports women-led businesses with social or environmental impact. Selected candidates will receive leadership and business management coaching, while winners will receive up to $100,000 in funding.

• Algeria launched the “77.7” digital empowerment program targeting citizens from ages 7 to 77.
• The initiative combines in-person and remote training through seven regional Skills Centers with an annual target of up to 30,000 learners.
• The program forms part of the broader “Digital Algeria 2030” strategy aimed at developing ICT skills and reducing youth unemployment.

The Algerian government announced last week the launch of a digital empowerment program called “77.7.” The initiative aims to train Algerian citizens across all age groups and provide digital skills needed to meet modern technological demands and support the country’s digital transformation agenda.

Sid Ali Zerrouki announced  the initiative on Saturday, May 17, during the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day.

The government is implementing the program in partnership with Algérie Télécom and Mobilis, while authorities plan to integrate additional partners in later phases

Authorities describe the “77.7” initiative as the country’s most comprehensive national digital-skills program.

The initiative targets seven distinct age groups through seven customized educational tracks.

The tracks range from “Technology Explorers” for children aged 7 to 10 to programs such as “Technology Layers,” “Innovators” and “Professional Technology” designed for youth and students.

The initiative also includes “Technology for Growth,” “Digital Empowerment” and “Technology Seniors” programs aimed at adults and elderly citizens up to age 77.

The training content follows a modular and progressive structure adapted to each age category, ranging from introductory digital literacy to advanced technology mastery.

Cybersecurity forms a mandatory component across all programs. The curriculum notably covers phishing prevention, online fraud awareness, disinformation risks and personal data protection.

Operationally, the initiative relies on a hybrid model combining in-person and remote learning. Seven Skills Centers located in the wilayas of Algiers, Oran, Annaba, Sétif, Chlef, Saïda and Adrar will support implementation. Each center can host around 1,000 learners annually. During the first year, the ministry expects to train between 25,000 and 30,000 citizens.

National Skills Development Strategy

The initiative forms part of broader efforts by Algerian authorities to strengthen digital skills development nationwide. The government said it wants to invest in human capital as an “essential foundation” for adapting to rapid technological changes.

Authorities have launched several related initiatives in recent months. In April 2026, Algiers launched a 12-week national artificial intelligence training program.

In May 2025, the government introduced the “Chabab Tech” program to train young people in cloud computing, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things.

Earlier that year, authorities had already begun deploying Skills Centers across the country.

These initiatives fall under the “Digital Algeria 2030” strategy, which identifies skills development as one of its five main pillars. The roadmap aims to train up to 500,000 ICT specialists and significantly reduce the emigration of qualified talent.

Authorities are also presenting the initiatives as a structural response to persistent unemployment, particularly among young people. According to the 2024 “Activity, Employment and Unemployment” survey by the National Statistics Office (ONS), Algeria’s overall unemployment rate reached 9.7%.

Meanwhile, the World Bank estimated youth unemployment at 29.4% in 2024, compared with 29.9% a year earlier.

Beyond employment prospects, the digital training initiatives also aim to accelerate adoption of digital services, strengthen digital inclusion and improve user protection in an increasingly connected environment.

This article was initially published in French by Isaac K. Kassouwi

 Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum

• Guinea unveiled nine strategic projects aimed at digitizing public services and modernizing administrative governance.

• The initiatives fall under the broader Simandou 2040 roadmap, which now includes digital, governance and infrastructure reforms.

• Authorities expect the reforms to improve transparency, streamline administrative procedures and strengthen the business environment.

Guinea is accelerating the modernization of its public administration. The Ministry of Public Administration Modernization and Civil Service presented nine strategic projects on Friday, May 15, in Conakry. The initiatives aim to strengthen the digitization of public services, improve administrative management and modernize state governance tools.

The projects notably focus on digitizing public services through the One-stop shop for public services (GUSP), modernizing human resources management systems and deploying digital equipment across government institutions.

In addition, the program includes a detailed mapping of the public administration system, an inventory of IT systems currently used for personnel management and expanded digital-skills training for civil servants.

Authorities also plan to rehabilitate and modernize the Gouv-Lab, restructure public administrative institutions and rationalize state intervention in order to improve administrative coordination.

Moreover, the government intends to strengthen digital tools, including the FUGAS platform dedicated to public-sector human resources management.

According to the ministry in charge of the civil service, the projects should reduce administrative bottlenecks, strengthen transparency and improve access to public services for citizens and businesses.

The initiative forms part of the Simandou 2040 program, which authorities describe as Guinea’s new economic and institutional roadmap for the next 15 years.

Although the program initially centered on the massive Simandou mining project, it now includes reforms linked to digitalization, public governance and infrastructure development.

Through the initiative, authorities aim to build a more efficient and results-oriented administration as several African countries accelerate the digital transformation of public services.

The new projects come as Guinea has already launched several e-government initiatives in recent years. The country now operates a national public services portal that provides online access to administrative procedures including passport applications, visa requests, civil registry documents and biometric permits.

The government has also launched digital platforms such as eTax for online tax filing and payment services. At the same time, the National Agency for State Digitalization (ANDE), established in 2022, is overseeing several projects related to interconnection between government administrations, development of public digital solutions and deployment of the Conakry metropolitan fiber-optic network.

Beyond administrative modernization, the reforms also carry broader economic objectives. Guinea aims to improve the business climate, strengthen the efficiency of public action and facilitate interactions between government agencies, citizens and companies.

Authorities also believe that digitalizing procedures could reduce administrative delays, improve operational traceability and strengthen transparency in public management.

This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum

• Rivia Clinics combines connected medical clinics, teleconsultation and centralized patient management through its proprietary RiviaOS platform.
• The Ghanaian healthtech startup launched in January 2024 in Accra under founder Isidore Kpotufe.
• The company uses a subscription-based corporate model to simplify employee access to healthcare services.

Rivia Clinics is a healthtech solution developed by a Ghanaian startup. The company aims to simplify access to healthcare by combining connected clinics, teleconsultation services and digitized patient management systems.

Based in Accra, the startup launched operations in January 2024 under the leadership of founder Isidore Kpotufe.

“We are a network of smart clinics offering a ‘WOW’ patient experience for in-person and virtual care. WOW means a (W) warm and welcoming environment, (O) open communication and (W) world-class medical care. We use technology to provide personalized care, create convenience and expand access,” the startup said.

The company operates a network of clinics that serve as entry points into a unified healthcare ecosystem. Each patient within the network benefits from centralized monitoring through the company’s proprietary software platform, RiviaOS, which consolidates medical records, prescriptions and consultation histories.

One of the platform’s main objectives is to reduce fragmentation in healthcare pathways, a recurring issue across many African healthcare systems where medical data often remains scattered between institutions. By centralizing patient information, Rivia aims to improve continuity of care and facilitate coordination between healthcare practitioners.

The company has also strengthened its digital offering through teleconsultation services accessible via several channels, including messaging applications and video calls.

This functionality aims to reduce congestion at physical healthcare facilities while providing faster access to medical consultations, particularly for patients requiring initial diagnoses or routine follow-up care.

Rivia’s business model relies on contracts with companies that provide employees with subscription-based access to healthcare services. The system seeks to simplify healthcare access for workers while reducing administrative constraints often associated with traditional health insurance systems.

Beyond healthcare delivery, the startup is also seeking to develop a broader healthtech infrastructure.

The acquisition of software solutions and integration of hospital management systems are strengthening the company’s positioning as both a technology provider and a medical services operator.

At a time when African healthcare systems continue to face capacity, coordination and digitalization challenges, companies such as Rivia are illustrating the emergence of hybrid models that place technology at the center of healthcare transformation.

This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum