This is a significant achievement for the Bank’s Coding for Employment program and its expanding partnerships with higher education, technical and vocational education, and training institutions.

On February 1, representatives from Kenya’s Office of the President were joined by officials from the United States International University-Africa and the African Development Bank Group for the opening ceremony.

“This Center of Excellence is just one example of the Bank’s commitment to supporting the next generation of African leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators.”

“By working together to provide young people with the tools and resources they need to succeed, we are all helping to create a more prosperous and inclusive future for all,” said Hendrina Doroba, the Bank’s Division Manager for Education and Skills Development, speaking on behalf of the Bank’s Director General for Eastern Africa, Nnenna Nwabufo.

“The future will be shaped by technology, and it is our responsibility to prepare our young people for the challenges that lie ahead,” she added.

The African Development Bank’s Coding for Employment program is developing the capacity of African youth by equipping them with practical 21st century skills, as well as employability and entrepreneurship skills, to increase their competitiveness in local and global labor markets. The program is funded through a partnership between the Bank and the Rockefeller Foundation.

Technical partners Junior Achievement Kenya and Microsoft joined the Bank and Rockefeller Foundation collaboration to establish this second center in Kenya. These centers are open to youth aged 15–35 who have enrolled in the Coding for Employment program and do not qualify for or have the means to attend traditional university programs. Coding for Employment and its partners aim to reach over 1,800 Kenyan youth through the two centers.

“The United States International University-Africa is excited to partner with the African Development Bank in this initiative because it perfectly aligns with the university’s strategic plan that aims to educate our young people for complex global challenges and be the changemakers in Africa,” said the university’s vice chancellor, Professor Margee Ensign.

Coding for Employment program beneficiaries has access to demand-driven digital skills, entrepreneurship, and soft skills curricula to boost their employability in information and communications technology or tech-enabled sectors. The university center is equipped with 40 computers, printers, desks, ergonomic office chairs, an equipped conference room, and projectors.

“The disproportionate barriers to technology access and lack of relevant skills in the technology sector contribute to the continent’s soaring unemployment rate. Therefore, digital skills are a critical factor in making young people more employable in the current economy and our aim is to teach them to be different and disruptive,” said John Wali, Executive Director, Junior Achievement Kenya.

Ceremony keynote speaker Mukhtar Abdi Ogle, Secretary for Strategic Initiatives in the Office of the President of the Republic of Kenya, encouraged youth to have a growth mindset and join the government in its effort to upskill the youth with globally competitive digital skills towards decent and productive employment.

Coding for Employment opened the first Kenyan Center of Excellence at the University of Nairobi in March 2022. Overall, online and in-person Coding for Employment programs has reached 152,000 youth across the continent.

The partnership will increase access to finance and markets for women-owned and women-led small and medium enterprises (WSMEs) across Southern, East, and West Africa.

Themed “Solutions Catalysing Increased Access to Capital for the Success of Women Entrepreneurs”, the partnership births a programme that seeks to stimulate efforts to address gender inequality and drive inclusive economic transformation.

More than 500 growth-oriented WSMEs will be supported for scale, access to markets, and investment readiness across 8 African countries: Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Zambia, Rwanda, Malawi, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.

The two-year programme will create a profitable pipeline of investable businesses ready to access finance.

Programme Components

The programme is organized under 4 components:

AWIEF Growth Accelerator (in partnership with Nedbank) – to enhance investment readiness and increase access to finance.

eCommerce Capacity Development (in partnership with UNIDO) – for building knowledge, capacity, and skills in digital channels to increase participation and success in online business.

Digital Skills (in partnership with Amazon Web Services) – to strengthen WSMEs capacity to embrace technology innovation.

Mentorship and Advisory – enhancing the visibility and access to role models for WSMEs through a mentorship platform.

Call for Applications for 2022 Cohort

Applications are invited from WSMEs for participation in any one of these programme components: 1) AWIEF Growth Accelerator; 2) eCommerce Capacity Development; 3) Digital Skills.

Selection Criteria

WSMEs registered and operating in: Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Zambia, Rwanda, Malawi, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. Priority sectors include: Technology, Agriculture & Agribusiness, Creative Industry, eCommerce, Renewable Energy, Manufacturing, Retail, Construction, Logistics.

How to apply

Submit your application before the deadline on Monday, 18 July 2022 at 11:59pm Central Africa Time (CAT).