Vodacom Group, in collaboration with major technology partners, has unveiled an ambitious initiative to bridge Africa's digital skills gap by equipping one million young people with essential digital expertise by 2027.

This bold plan, dubbed the Vodacom Digital Skills Hub, spans eight African nations and aims to empower the continent's youth to thrive in a digital society.

Working alongside AWS, Microsoft, Skillsoft, and other organisations, Vodacom seeks to address the disparity between digital skills demand and supply in Africa.

According to the International Finance Corporation (IFC), over 230 million jobs will require such expertise by 2030.

Shameel Joosub, Vodacom Group CEO, emphasised the urgency and broader purpose behind the initiative:

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"The African continent is plagued in many countries with high levels of unemployment, gender inequality, income disparity and limited access to education, healthcare and essential services," Joosub said.

"These challenges inform our purpose and drives our strategy to connect for a better future, leveraging digital technologies to drive inclusion into the future for the betterment of people. The launch of the Digital Skills Hub is testament to our commitment to pioneering the path to a digital and more inclusive Africa."

Expanding Access Across the Continent

The Digital Skills Hub is tailored for young Africans aged 18 to 35 and complements Vodacom's existing free e-learning platforms in its markets.

It is available in South Africa, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Lesotho, Egypt (via Talimy), the Democratic Republic of Congo (VodaEduc), and Kenya (through the Industry Digital Talent Program).

These platforms extend learning opportunities to underserved regions, enabling access to resources like e-Fahamu in Tanzania, Faz Crescer in Mozambique, and a broad e-learning system in South Africa.

The partnership includes AWS Educate, a beginner-friendly program offering self-paced training on cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. This initiative seeks to inspire interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers through interactive and engaging training modules.

Matimba Mbungela, Vodacom Group’s Chief Human Resources Officer, highlighted the initiative’s transformative potential.

"We are extremely excited about this initiative which seeks to inspire the next wave of digital innovators," Mbungela remarked.

Our main aim with this initiative is to not only address the digital skills shortage on the continent but to also nurture a pipeline of young talent and in turn advance Africa’s digital future, boosting opportunities for empowerment in an inclusive digital economy."

Africa’s Digital Future

Vodacom's initiative comes as Africa holds the world's youngest population, with over 400 million people aged between 15 and 35.

As Joosub concluded, "Digital is the new currency, it is therefore imperative that we invest in them and provide them with the necessary digital skills that will not only boost their growth and development but that of the continent too."

The Vodacom Digital Skills Hub underscores a crucial step towards addressing systemic challenges and unlocking the potential of Africa’s youth in shaping the continent's digital future.