Driving Greater Access To Digital Skills

In an increasingly digital world, the importance of equipping Africa’s youth with digital skills simply cannot be overstated.

It’s a much-quoted statistic that as the world’s youngest continent, Africa will make up one-fifth of the total workforce and one-third of the total youth workforce in the world by 2030. Africa can seize the moment and harness its youth to become a global hub for tech skills, but the digital skills gap looms large. Developing the skills needed to compete in the global digital economy is critical. We must focus our skilling efforts on three key areas to fulfil the vision of Africa as a tech hub – building digital literacy, giving entrepreneurs the skills to thrive, and driving the AI skills set needed to embrace the full potential of this technology.

Digital literacy must be our starting point

As technology swiftly transforms the workforce landscape, employers globally are looking for workers with enhanced digital skills. And, according to the World Bank, most of the demand for these digital skills will come from occupations outside of ICT specialisations, driven by businesses embracing digital technologies. It is anticipated that 70 percent of this demand will be for foundational skills, followed by 23 percent for intermediate skills outside the ICT sector.

Acknowledging the importance of digital skills, countries across the continent are developing plans to build the competencies needed for the global digital economy. Kenya has been actively investing in digital skills development to empower its youth and enhance its digital ecosystem, but the challenge is significant to reach our youth and upskill them.

Recognising the need to broaden access to digital skills development programs, Microsoft launched the Global Skills Initiative in 2021, combining resources from LinkedIn learning, GitHub and Microsoft Learn. The program has helped 80 million job seekers worldwide access digital skilling. Microsoft continues to invest in the multipronged Skills for Jobs Program, in partnership with various nonprofit partners across the continent and aims to train 10 million people by 2025. We have partnered with Kenya Private Sector Alliance to upskill 100,000 Kenyan youth in Generative AI, Cybersecurity, Cloud, and Sustainability coupled with soft skills and entrepreneurship to improve their employability.

Supporting entrepreneurs to spark innovation

Startup and SME skilling must be the second area of focus. Though 10 to 12 million African youth join the workforce every year, just 3 million jobs are created. Helping to support and sustain entrepreneurship will go a long way to solving the employment challenge. Beyond employment, small businesses and startups are often at the forefront of innovation, providing solutions to Africa’s most pressing societal challenges.

According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), around 22 percent of Africa’s working-age population are starting new businesses – the highest rate in the world. The African tech startup ecosystem is becoming an important source of employment.

Partnerships such as the one with the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), a membership organization of over 1 million businesses, are helping to train 60,000 SMEs and entrepreneurs on digital, AI and cybersecurity skills.

The Africa Development Centre (ADC) is playing a pivotal role in growing and enhancing the African tech talent landscape through various ecosystem engagements such as university faculty skilling programs, university curriculum reviews and student hackathons.

Developing the skills needed for the AI revolution

Advancements in AI technology are making headlines across the world, and with good reason. AI is a defining technology of our time. And as companies invest in AI, the demand for skilled professionals will continue to increase. According to the State of AI in Africa report, if current trends continue, AI and its attendant startup ecosystems in Africa could win big. It is estimated that capturing just 10 percent of the global AI market could expand Africa’s economy by as much as 50% of current GDP.

To benefit from the global transformation currently taking place, we must empower businesses and people across Kenya to harness the game-changing potential of AI. Strategic partnerships across the private sector can unlock the potential of Africa’s youth by allowing for the implementation of more holistic and sustainable initiatives.

To help accelerate digital adoption, Microsoft and G42 are collaborating with a wide array of local partners to provide a range of digital and AI skills across Kenyan society and create a future-ready workforce. This includes offering digital and AI skilling programs to all government employees, a cybersecurity skilling program for more than 2,000 people per year, and a business skilling program for young entrepreneurs aged 18 to 24.

The Microsoft Africa Development Centre has also partnered with 16 universities including JKUAT and USIU to deliver training to over 50,000 students and 800 Faculty members on software engineering fundamentals and introduction to teaching with AI. Through the expansion of the AI for Good Lab to Nairobi, we are also investing in local AI skills and capacity in Kenya.

Leading African AI community Zindi and Microsoft are working to advance digital skilling across the continent, providing a new generation of tech-savvy young Africans with the chance to gain the skills demanded by the market now and in in the future workplace.

The empowerment of Africa through digital skills and AI technology is not just a vision but a strategic reality in which Microsoft is deeply invested. By bridging the digital divide and fostering innovation, we are laying the foundation for a brighter future where African talent can shine on the global stage. Together, we can transform challenges into opportunities and ensure that no one is left behind in this digital revolution.

Phyllis Migwi is the Country Manager, Microsoft Kenya