The push to equip Africa’s young population with practical digital skills is gaining fresh momentum as US technology company Cybastion expands its Africa DigiEmpower programme through partnerships with US embassies, African governments, Cisco Networking Academy and local institutions.
The initiative is designed to give young people and women access to training in areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, networking and basic digital literacy. Rather than concentrating training in major technology hubs, the programme is increasingly using American Spaces, universities and other local facilities to take digital education closer to communities.
For Africa, where technology is becoming central to education, employment, business and public services, the development is significant. Digital skills are no longer limited to people seeking careers as software developers. Employers across different industries increasingly expect workers to understand digital tools, data, cybersecurity and emerging technologies.
Cybastion says Africa DigiEmpower is being developed as a long-term workforce development initiative, with the broader ambition of training hundreds of thousands of young people and women across the continent by 2030. Its training model combines online learning with practical, in-person sessions and internationally recognised certifications through Cisco Networking Academy.
The approach is particularly relevant to African countries where young populations are growing faster than the availability of formal employment opportunities. Giving young people marketable digital skills could create another route into employment, entrepreneurship and remote work.
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How the Africa DigiEmpower Programme Is Expanding
The programme began with a major focus on Côte d’Ivoire, where Cybastion, Cisco and the Ivorian government announced plans to train 200,000 young people and women across 10 regions by 2030.
Training is centred around digital skills, artificial intelligence, IT infrastructure and cybersecurity. The programme is supported by the Cybastion Tech Academy in Abidjan and a wider network of ICT academies. The stated objective is not simply to teach basic computer use, but to build a pipeline of people capable of working in both the public and private sectors.
The partnership with US embassies has also provided a way to reach learners outside conventional technology institutions.
In 2025, Cybastion and the US Embassy in Côte d’Ivoire organised free technology camps at five American Spaces. Participants were introduced to computer hardware, cybersecurity and the Internet of Things, with Cisco digital badges available after completing the courses.
That model continued into 2026. Africa DigiEmpower’s 2026 activities in Côte d’Ivoire included an Easter Tech Camp focused on artificial intelligence and data science, while a Summer Tech Camp offered training in artificial intelligence and computer networking through American Spaces.
The expansion is also moving beyond Côte d’Ivoire. In Gabon, Cybastion and the country’s National Agency for Digital Infrastructure and Frequencies launched a programme targeting 1,000 young people with free digital and cybersecurity training.
Back Story: Why Digital Skills Matter for Africa
Africa’s digital transformation has created a difficult paradox. The continent is adopting new technologies rapidly, but many countries still face shortages of people with the technical skills needed to build, manage and secure those systems.
Cybastion’s Africa DigiEmpower initiative emerged partly in response to this gap. Its programme documents point to estimates that the African workforce could require hundreds of millions of workers with digital skills by 2030. Young people and women remain particularly underrepresented in many technology-related professions.
The organisation is using THEYA Foundation, its nonprofit initiative, to support digital workforce development across African countries. THEYA focuses on youth and women and describes its work around technology, health and education.
The importance of the initiative becomes clearer when viewed alongside Africa’s broader digital infrastructure ambitions. Countries are investing in data centres, digital public services, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. Without enough locally trained professionals, however, much of that infrastructure could remain dependent on foreign expertise.
That is why programmes that combine infrastructure development with skills transfer are attracting attention.
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What the Expansion Could Mean for African Youth
The biggest opportunity created by Africa DigiEmpower may not simply be the number of people trained. It is the attempt to connect training with actual economic opportunities.
Cybastion says the programme is intended to prepare participants for careers, entrepreneurship and roles supporting digital transformation. In Gabon, for example, the training initiative is linked to the country’s wider digital infrastructure development, while in Côte d’Ivoire the programme is designed to serve both government and private-sector needs.
For young Africans, this could make technology education more accessible, particularly when courses are free and delivered through familiar community and educational spaces.
There is also a broader lesson here for countries such as Nigeria. Africa’s technology race will not be won by infrastructure alone. The continent needs people who can build applications, protect networks, manage data, deploy artificial intelligence responsibly and maintain the systems behind digital services.
The continued involvement of US embassies, Cisco, Cybastion, African governments and educational institutions suggests that digital skills development is increasingly becoming part of wider international cooperation with Africa.
The real test, however, will be what happens after the certificates are awarded. If these programmes can consistently translate training into jobs, businesses, stronger local technology ecosystems and greater participation by women, they could become an important part of Africa’s digital transformation story.
