NAIROBI, Kenya- Huawei is ramping up its efforts to bridge the digital skills gap in Sub-Saharan Africa, announcing an ambitious plan to train an additional 150,000 individuals over the next three years.
This new initiative builds on the ICT leader’s initial goal of equipping over 100,000 people in the region with essential digital skills by 2025.
Huawei has already exceeded its initial target by an impressive 120pc, training over 120,000 individuals in just 26 months—10 months ahead of schedule.
This achievement was celebrated at the LEAP Summit 2024: ICT Talent and Sustainable Development for Sub-Saharan Africa, held on June 28 in Shanghai, China.
LEAP, which stands for Leadership, Employability, Advancement, and Possibility, is co-hosted by Huawei and the African Telecommunications Union (ATU), and is part of the Mobile World Congress Shanghai 2024.
During the event, which brought together over 200 high-ranking ministers, ambassadors, and government officials from across Sub-Saharan Africa, Huawei underscored the critical need for digital skills in the region.
The World Economic Forum has highlighted that over one billion people worldwide will need upskilling or reskilling by 2030.
In Sub-Saharan Africa alone, the International Financial Corporation estimates that more than 230 million jobs will require digital skills by the same year.
Jeff Wang, Huawei’s Senior Vice President and President of Public Affairs and Communications, shared insights into the company’s inclusive and systematic approach to talent development.
“Huawei launched the LEAP Digital Talent Development Program in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2022. After more than two years of development, we are glad to see that so many people have benefited from it,” Wang said.
John OMO, Secretary General of the African Telecommunications Union (ATU), emphasized the human-centric approach to technology.
“Digital skills development and access to ICT is not about ICT, it’s about people. It’s about empowering people to participate sufficiently in the digital economy,” OMO noted.
He encouraged collective participation in upskilling efforts to ensure that youth have both a promising future and a thriving present.
Huawei’s commitment to training 150,000 more individuals in Sub-Saharan Africa is a significant step towards bridging the digital divide.
By equipping the region’s talent with crucial digital skills, Huawei is not only fostering economic growth but also ensuring that the youth are prepared to thrive in the digital age.
