Kenya: The African Development Bank’s Coding for Employment program opens a second Center of Excellence to boost young people’s digital skills | African Development Bank

The African Development Bank has opened a second Information and Communications Technology Center of Excellence at the United States International University-Africa in Nairobi. This is an important milestone for the Bank’s Coding for Employment program and its growing partnerships with higher education, technical and vocational education and training institutions.

Representatives from the Office of the President of Kenya joined officials from the United States International University-Africa and the African Development Bank Group for the opening ceremony on Feb. 1.

“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 all help create a more prosperous and inclusive future for all,” said Hendrina Doroba, the bank’s division manager for education and skills development, on behalf of the Director General of the Bank for East Africa, Nnenna Nwabufo.

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

The African Development Bank’s Coding for Employment program develops the capacity of African youth by equipping them with practical 21^st century skills, as well as employability and entrepreneurship skills, to enhance 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 partnership to establish this second center in Kenya. These centers are open to youth between the ages of 15 and 35 who have enrolled in the Coding for Employment program and who do not qualify or lack the resources to attend traditional college programs. Coding for Employment and its partners want to reach more than 1,800 Kenyan young people through the two centers.

“[The United States International University-Africa] is delighted to partner with the African Development Bank in this initiative as it aligns perfectly with the university’s strategic plan which aims to educate our young people for complex global challenges and be the changemakers in Africa,” said the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Margee Ensign.

Beneficiaries of the Coding for Employment program can access demand-driven digital skills, entrepreneurship and soft skills curricula to enhance their employability in information and communication technology or technology-enabled industries. The university center is equipped with 40 computers, printers, desks, ergonomic office chairs, an equipped conference room and projectors.

“The disproportionate barriers to accessing technology and the lack of relevant skills in the technology sector are contributing to rising unemployment on the continent. Therefore, digital skills are a crucial factor in making young people more employable in today’s economy and our goal 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 efforts to upskill the youth with globally competitive digital skills to decent and productive employment.

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