SAP Identifies Digital Skills Gap in Africa, Proffers Solution 

Emma Okonji

SAP Africa has released a new report titled ‘Africa’s Tech Skills Scarcity Revealed’, which seeks to unveil the specific challenges and opportunities for African organisations seeking greater tech skills availability. 

According to the Managing Director at SAP Africa, Cathy Smith,  there is an urgent need to invest in skills development and training to ensure Africa can capitalise on its youth dividend. 

According to the report which was released at a webinar conference organised for African journalists, “More than half of the world’s population growth between now and 2050 will take place in Africa, where 1.3 billion people are expected to be born by mid-century. With the correct investment in skills development, Africa’s economy could transition away from its reliance on natural resources to build the world’s future tech workforce, bringing untold economic and social benefit to the continent and its citizens. However, as our research reveals, African organisations still face some difficulties with attracting, retaining and upskilling suitably skilled tech workers.”

The research was conducted among organisations in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa in the fourth quarter of 2022.

The report found that a lack of skills is having a negative effect on the continent’s digital transformation efforts. 

In response to the ongoing tech skills challenges, the report said organisations were taking bold steps to ensure they have access to the correct tech skills. Forty-one percent said that upskilling of existing employees would be a top priority in 2023, while 40% said the same about reskilling employees.