REPORT LAUNCH: Digital Skills in Sub-Saharan Africa

Digital Skills in Sub–Saharan Africa

We are living through the Global Digital Revolution. Farmers check crop prices online, small business owners interact with customers via social media, and manufacturers deploy robotics to make higher quality goods at a faster pace.  

Technological disruption requires more complex skills and workforce retraining, both for blue-collar and white-collar jobs, and at a scale that we are just beginning to comprehend. In this context, new approaches for learning are needed. IFC in collaboration with L.E.K. Consulting produced a new report on Digital Skills in Sub-Saharan Africa: Spotlight on Ghana. The report was launched on May 8 in Accra, Ghana to a select audience of experts. There was a fireside chat and presentation of key findings of the report, as well as a panel discussion followed by a plenary session.  

Advancing digital skills education will help to meet the increasing labor market demands driven by economic growth and digitization and automation of agriculture, manufacturing and services. Digital skills can enhance employability by aligning with employer requirements and prepare students for the next generation of jobs. The private sector and public sector education systems can work collectively to implement innovative solutions that will bridge the existing digital skills gap. Digital skills are an essential part of human capital development and contribute to the World Bank global efforts to accelerate more and better investments in people for great equity and economic growth.

Agenda

• 2:00—3:15 pm
  Coffee, Networking, and Registration
• 3:15—3:30 pm
  Opening Remarks:
  Ronke Amoni Ogunsulire, Country Manager, Ghana, IFC
  Salah-Eddine Kandri, Global Sector Lead for Education, IFC
  Olaf Schmidt, Manager, Services for Sub-Saharan Africa, IFC
• 3:30—4:10 pm
  Fireside Chat:
  Omowale David-Ashiru, Andela, Country Director Nigeria
  Edem Kumodzi, Andela, Senior Developer
• 4:10—4:40 pm
  Panel with Organizations Featured in the Digital Skills Report:
  MEST, Microsoft 4Africa, Ashesi
• 4:40—5:20 pm
  Digital Skills in Africa: Spotlight on Ghana, presentation by
  Alejandro Caballero, IFC and
  Maryanna Abdo, L.E.K. Consulting
• 5:20—5:30 pm
  Closing Remarks:
  Tania Lozansky, IFC Senior Manager and Head of Advisory, MAS

Resources

• Full Report
• Executive Summary
• Fact Sheet
• Press Release

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Learn more about IFC's investments in private education at www.ifc.org/education