The African Development Bank and technology giant Intel have formalised a cooperation agreement to transform the African digital ecosystem. The partnership aims to equip three million Africans and 30 000 government officials with AI skills.
Sealed at the recent African Development Bank’s Annual Meetings in Nairobi, Kenya, the deal will help create a critical mass of Africans proficient in Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) skills to accelerate growth and productivity and position Africans as contributors, not just consumers of 4IR. The training will address socio-economic challenges and boost productivity in key growth sectors such as agriculture, health, and education, thereby disrupting traditional growth cycles.
The partnership will also support African countries, regional economic communities, and continental organisations in developing harmonised policy and regulatory frameworks in AI, 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, data and cloud.
Ousmane Fall, African Development Bank’s acting director of industrial and trade development, underscored the importance of digital skills for Africa’s youth. “With advancements in digital technology, our world is rapidly evolving, and so is our youthful population, projected to reach 830 million by 2050. To develop skills on a large scale and at the necessary speed, we need everyone's cooperation,” he said.
