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Africa is home to a fast-growing, youthful workforce. But the continent’s “skills gap” threatens to leave millions unprepared for a rapidly digitizing economy. As automation and new technologies reshape labour markets, traditional education and training systems can’t keep pace alone.
In this article, Jonathan Donner details how, across Africa, online marketplaces are stepping in by investing in practical training—from digital and financial literacy to vocational and soft skills. This “platform-led upskilling” goes beyond teaching users how to navigate an app. It builds portable, lifelong capabilities that support broader career development. These platforms are not replacing public or nonprofit education. Instead, they offer a promising new approach to complement it—meeting workers where they are, and preparing them for the jobs of the future. When supported with evidence, coordination, and investment, platforms can play a key role in closing Africa’s digital skills gap.
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