With this, the innovative e-commerce store builder empowering creators to monetise their knowledge and skills as digital products, is expanding  its reach to both secondary and tertiary students across Nigeria.

The initiative reiterates the company’s focus on tackling fraud at its roots by providing education and legitimate opportunities for young people.

This year, Selar is committing N10 million to support 150 students at critical stages of their academic journey.

Fifty final-year university and polytechnic students will each receive N100,000, while 100 SS3 students preparing for WAEC and JAMB exams will receive N50,000 each. Applications open February 24 and close March 13, 2026.

The Smart Hustle Initiative operates on the belief that preventing fraud starts with access to education and legitimate income pathways.

With school fees becoming more expensive, reports reveal a 200% increase in Nigeria, many families are unable to afford education.

Selar’s program aims to ease these issues while empowering students to pursue lawful, rewarding opportunities.

Beyond grants, the initiative is evolving into a larger movement. Selar plans nationwide campaigns, community engagement programs, and partnerships to groom young Nigerians with digital skills, financial literacy, and ethical income opportunities.

“There is so much to the fraud culture in Nigeria today, and the Smart Hustle Initiative is our response to it,” said Douglas Kendyson, CEO of Selar.

“Our big goal is to reduce the number of people drawn into fraud while offering legitimate pathways to success. This fund is a very small piece of the puzzle. It’s a simple cushion for students needing support.  

“Hopelessness is very dangerous for parents and students alike, and if this fund can give hope for them to keep their head up, it would be money well spent.”

In targeting students at key transitions, from SS3 exams to final-year tertiary studies, Selar hopes to reduce the financial stress that can push students out of school or toward fraudulent activities.

The initiative is built as a long-term investment in Nigeria’s youth and an important step toward promoting education as a credible path to economic mobility.

Eligibility requirements for the university category include:

• Final-year enrollment in an accredited Nigerian institution
• Minimum CGPA of 3.0 or 65% cumulative grade
• Proven financial need
• Submission of a video statement of purpose, valid student ID, and latest transcript

For secondary school applicants, proof of SS3 status or recent school results, WAEC or JAMB registration, and a video application are required.

Applications are reviewed by an independent selection committee, with beneficiaries notified after evaluation.

Call for Volunteers

Selar is also calling on individuals and communities to participate as volunteers, helping young people gain life skills, media awareness, and financial literacy alongside ethical income pathways.

By 2030, Africa’s AI market will surpass $16.5 billion, and 230 million jobs in sub-Saharan Africa will require new skills because automation and AI adoption are moving faster than most education systems or training programmes can keep up. 

In other words, the workers who fail to adapt may not just lose opportunities, they may lose entire careers. The AI economy does not reward tradition; it rewards transformation. 

For Africa, survival in this new world will depend less on raw labour and more on how quickly we can reskill, retool, and rethink what work means. 

The continent risks being trapped in a global skills gap that could erase accomplishments made in the past two decades.

Straight from the agricultural sector to finance, healthcare and logistics sectors, Africa’s economy is on the verge of a huge change. 

The question we should be asking is: how do we prepare Africa’s people, not just its infrastructure, for the economy that is already here? How do we reskill Africa’s workforce for the AI Economy?

The Macro-Economic Lens

The impact of automation is double-edged. On one hand, studies warn that millions of low-skill jobs in retail, clerical services, and even agriculture could vanish or shrink. With weak social protection and a large informal workforce, this could increase inequality at scale.

In countries like Nigeria and Kenya, the risk of job displacement runs close to 50%. 

On the other hand, there is opportunity. Africa’s AI market is projected to grow from $4.5 billion in 2025 to $16.5 billion by 2030. PwC estimates that if properly harnessed, automation could unlock over $1 trillion in productivity for the continent. 

This growth could create entirely new categories of work, from digital agriculture platforms to AI-driven health diagnostics. 

Here’s the choice: ignore the shift and sink deeper into unemployment, or embrace reskilling and ride the wave of digital resilience.

The Business Playbook

Companies know what is coming. A 2025 SAP report shows that:

• 85% of African organisations rank AI development skills as their top priority
• 83% specifically demand generative AI expertise
• Yet, 90% of African firms report talent shortages are already having negative business impacts and causing revenue losses

Africa’s businesses know where the future lies, but cannot find the people to build it. 

Some are beginning to act. Two-thirds of African companies say they are already introducing career development programmes to reskill workers in data analysis, digital collaboration, and cybersecurity. 

This is encouraging, but far from enough. To succeed, reskilling must move from being a one-off initiative,  a “CSR project” to becoming a core business strategy, woven into corporate culture as much as tax compliance or quarterly reporting.

Governments also have a role, as today, many African universities still teach outdated curricula that prepare students for jobs that no longer exist. 

What we need are public-private partnerships that reform education systems, build digital infrastructure, and make continuous training accessible to both urban and rural communities. Without this, even the best corporate training will not be enough.

The Human Element

Let’s bring this down to the individual. If you are a worker in Lagos, Nairobi, or Accra, the most urgent question is: what should I learn today to stay relevant tomorrow?

The evidence points in three directions:

• Technical literacy: digital tools, data analysis, and yes, AI literacy, including skills like prompt engineering.
• Cybersecurity and ethics: privacy and digital trust, these skills will be indispensable.
• Soft skills and adaptability: creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration, which no algorithm can fully replicate.

This is not about becoming a software engineer overnight. It is about building resilience, learning how to adapt, how to work alongside new technologies, and how to stay employable in a labour market that is shifting beneath our feet.

Policy and Ecosystem

Governments cannot leave reskilling entirely to the private sector. Curriculum reform is urgent, particularly in vocational and technical schools. Regional institutions such as the African Union should coordinate a continental digital skills pact, pooling resources and setting clear targets.

Public-private partnerships can turbocharge this transition either through coding academies, low-cost broadband expansion, or incentives for companies that invest in reskilling their employees. The infrastructure challenge is real, but the skills challenge is even greater.

Africa stands at a crossroads. By 2030, millions of jobs will look nothing like they do today. Some will vanish, others will evolve, and entirely new ones will be born. The outcome depends on how quickly we equip our people to reskill, relearn, and adapt.

If we fail, automation will increase inequality and exclude entire populations from the global economy. But if we succeed, Africa could emerge as a global talent hub, exporting skills and innovation to the world, not just raw materials. These and more will help reskill Africa’s workforce for the AI Economy.

Highlights – How to Reskill Africa’s Workforce for the AI Economy

• Shift from degree obsession to skill certification: employers should hire for proof of skill, not just paper credentials.
• Mandate corporate reskilling quotas: just like tax compliance, companies should be required to retrain a percentage of their workforce annually.
• Turn mobile phones into classrooms: scale affordable micro-learning apps that deliver AI and digital skills directly to workers’ devices.
• Reskill the informal economy: mechanics, traders, and farmers need digital toolkits to stay relevant, not just office workers.
• Incentivise “second careers”: provide funding and tax breaks for mid-career professionals to pivot into tech-driven roles instead of being left behind.
• Create continental skill passports: allow Africans to certify and use their digital skills across borders in the free trade era.
• Put the gender and age gap: targeted reskilling programmes must bridge the gender and age divide in tech adoption.

The choice is ours. The clock is ticking.

This partnership will provide underserved and unserved communities with access to connectivity, digital learning materials, modern equipment, and essential digital skills.

This initiative will benefit a wide range of institutions including Vocational Training Centers (VTCs), dispensaries, secondary schools, special schools, and surrounding communities. The program is expected to directly impact more than 50,000 individuals over the life of the partnership.

Central to this effort is ATC’s Digital Communities program, which offers technology-equipped spaces that deliver digital literacy for youth, vocational and financial training for adults, and access to healthcare services.

By combining this model with the Mawingu Foundation’s community reach and expertise, the partnership aims to foster inclusive development and equitable access to digital opportunities.

“At ATC Kenya, we are driven by our commitment to bridging the digital divide and by the belief that connectivity—especially in underserved and unserved areas—is essential to transforming lives and empowering communities,” said George Odenyo, CEO of ATC Kenya.

“This is why partnerships with entities like the Mawingu Foundation are vital to achieving our vision of building a more connected Kenya.”

Mawingu CEO, Farouk Ramji, noted that “As Mawingu Foundation, we believe that closing the digital divide must start where the gap is widest, and this is in the heart of rural and peri-urban communities that we are dedicated to transforming.

“The Digital Communities initiative is proof that with the right partnerships, we can deliver meaningful, sustainable internet access where it matters most.”

The collaboration between ATC Kenya and Mawingu Foundation will focus on identifying and supporting institutions most in need, ensuring that digital tools and connectivity are accessible where they can make the greatest impact.

By addressing educational disparities and promoting digital inclusion, the partnership is set to create lasting change across Kenya.

Delivered in collaboration with global tech giants Google and HP Inc., the programme aims to tackle the digital skills gap preventing African entrepreneurs from scaling in today’s fast-evolving market.

A New Chapter for African SMEs in the Digital Economy

Small businesses power nearly 80% of jobs across Africa, yet many remain excluded from the technological advancements reshaping global commerce.

Through Skills for Business, UpSkill Universe is providing actionable, locally relevant training that addresses the real challenges of operating and growing a business in the digital age.

“African entrepreneurs are already leading innovation across their communities,” said Gori Yahaya, CEO of UpSkill Universe. “But in a time of AI disruption and fast-changing customer behaviour, many SMEs need more than ambition—they need access to the tools, technologies, and know-how to scale. That’s what this programme is designed to deliver.”

Building on Success: A Practical Approach to Training

Following the proven impact of Google’s Hustle Academy Business Bootcamp, which has trained over 15,000 SMEs across the continent since 2022, the Skills for Business programme expands on that foundation with:

• Hands-on digital training in AI productivity, e-commerce, and digital marketing
• Access to HP LIFE – HP Foundation’s free global business skills training platform, available online and offline
• Expert-led virtual workshops delivered by UpSkill Universe and Google
• A commitment to 50% participation from women-owned businesses

“These aren’t just online courses, they’re practical, empowering tools,” said a Lagos-based entrepreneur who benefitted from prior training. “They helped us rethink how we engage with customers and grow sustainably.”

HP LIFE & Google: Tools for the Future of Work

At the core of the programme lies HP LIFE, an online business skills platform offering over 30 free modules in multiple languages. Entrepreneurs will explore essential topics such as:

• Boosting productivity with AI
• Digital marketing fundamentals
• Launching and scaling e-commerce businesses

HP’s involvement reflects its broader vision to accelerate digital equity for 150 million people by 2030.

“When small businesses thrive, entire communities rise with them,” said Michele Malejki, Global Head of Social Impact, HP Inc. “We’re proud to support this impactful programme, helping SMEs access the future of work.”

Google: Empowering Business Growth Through Digital Tools

As a driving force behind SME digital transformation in Africa, Google brings deep expertise in digital growth and brand strategy to the programme.

“Small businesses are the heartbeat of progress across Africa,” said Kristy Grant, Head of B2B & Brand Marketing, Google SSA. “This partnership helps turn entrepreneurial ambition into tangible impact—building stronger communities, one business at a time.”

Impact Goals for 2025: Training 10,000 SMEs, Reaching Thousands More

By the end of 2025, the Skills for Business programme is projected to:

• Directly train 10,000 SMEs
• Indirectly impact over 59,000 individuals through community and employee engagement
• Expand inclusive access to AI, digital skills, and business development training across Nigeria and South Africa

This initiative represents a strategic alliance between UpSkill Universe, HP Inc., and Google to drive inclusive economic growth and empower Africa’s next generation of business leaders.

For more information or to register your business, visit here.