World Bank Launches Initiative to Boost Skills Training Across Africa

The World Bank today announced a major new initiative, the Africa Skills for Jobs Policy Academy, aimed at strengthening workforce development and improving employment rates across the continent.

According to Mamta Murthi, World Bank Vice President for People, the Academy represents a significant shift in the Bank’s focus, building on its existing commitment to foundational learning. Ndiamé Diop, Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa at the World Bank, emphasized that robust skills systems are crucial for economies transitioning to competitive manufacturing and digital industries, requiring strong employer involvement. The initiative highlights the success of the East Africa Skills for Transformation and Regional Industrial Productivity (EASTRIP) project as a model for scaling best practices.

EASTRIP, supported by the World Bank’s International Development Association, has integrated industrial partnerships into over 500 programs, offering competency-based training in key sectors including agriculture, energy, IT, manufacturing, and tourism. Enrollment capacity has increased tenfold, with graduate employment rates rising from 47 percent to 79 percent. Maynard Mkumbwa, a Captain at Air Tanzania Company Limited and a Member of Industry Advisory Board at the National Institute of Technology (NIT), noted the improved quality of graduates, stating, “Through EASTRIP, our company has benefited a lot. We are seeing more aviation personnel joining us—aircraft engineers, flight dispatchers—and the quality of graduates is far better than it used to be.”

The Academy’s Practitioner Program for Africa shared successes and solutions in skill development, focusing on areas like public-private coordination, industry standards, and data-driven results. Luis Benveniste, Global Director of Education at the World Bank, explained that “system-level reforms take time,” but quick wins through partnerships in sectors like energy and agribusiness can deliver immediate impact. This initiative comes as Africa faces a growing youth population and increasing demand for skilled labor to drive economic growth. Further information on the World Bank’s work in Africa can be found on their website.

Officials stated that continued collaboration between governments, industry, and training providers, with a focus on equity and measurable results, will be key to unlocking opportunity and transformation across Africa.