This initiative, set to launch in 2025, will provide participants with certifications such as Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA) and Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD), recognized globally as essential credentials in the cloud-native field.

The free training program will last six to nine months.

Andela plans to select participants from its extensive talent marketplace, which features over 150,000 tech professionals, primarily from Africa.

This initiative is designed to address the worldwide gap of 7.5 million unfilled cloud-related roles anticipated by 2025, simultaneously creating job opportunities for African developers and tackling the global tech talent shortage.

Africa’s growing prominence in the global technology landscape makes this partnership particularly timely.

According to the Google Africa Developer Ecosystem Report, 38% of African developers are already working remotely for international companies.

As the continent boasts the fastest-growing developer population, equipping professionals with advanced skills in cloud-native technologies will enable them to thrive in a competitive global market.

Participants will benefit from a CNCF-developed curriculum focused on building, deploying, and managing scalable applications across diverse cloud environments.

The partnership brings together Andela’s AI-powered talent platform and CNCF’s leadership in open-source cloud technologies, underscoring the transformative potential of strategic collaborations to address global skill shortages.

This collaboration seeks to empower communities by offering eco-friendly transportation options, taking a significant step towards sustainable mobility in Africa.

Speaking on the partnership, Valerie Labi, Co-Founder of Wahu Mobility Ltd., expressed excitement about the initiative.

“Collaborating with Letshego is a pivotal step forward in our mission to deliver sustainable and accessible EV options to the African market,” she said.

Letshego echoed this sentiment, stating that the partnership aligns with their dedication to fostering inclusive, sustainable economic growth in the region.

The initiative introduces a financing program aimed at “Wahu Heroes,” individuals committed to embracing sustainable transportation.

Through Letshego’s financial expertise and Wahu Mobility’s EV knowledge, these users will benefit from affordable financing options, making it easier to transition to environmentally friendly vehicles.

The two companies plan a phased rollout of financing products, initially focusing on urban centers with an eventual expansion to underserved regions.

This venture also supports the African Union’s Agenda 2063 by promoting sustainable development and climate resilience across the continent.

The collaboration, championed by Nigeria’s National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), is expected to bolster the nation’s automotive sector with a focus on electric and gas-powered vehicles, alongside developing EV infrastructure.

Joseph Osanipin, Director-General of NADDC, unveiled the partnership during the recent Nigeria-Morocco business forum.

He underscored the initiative’s potential to foster local component manufacturing and strengthen Nigeria’s automotive industry.

“We have identified electric vehicle products that can be manufactured in Nigeria and exported to Morocco,” Osanipin explained, highlighting the mutual benefits of the partnership.

A delegation led by Osanipin visited key automotive facilities in Morocco, including the National Center for Homologation and multiple local firms.

The team held discussions with E-move Vehicles Company, a significant player in energy storage systems, specializing in electric motorcycles, tricycles, and batteries.

They also explored collaboration possibilities with Univers Acier Steel, a prominent supplier of automotive parts.

The Nigerian delegation also toured Cetiev, a Moroccan technology partner for automotive innovation, and reviewed six test centers spanning various sectors.

According to Osanipin, the goal is to replicate Morocco’s success in Nigeria, promoting local production, enhancing technical skills, and contributing to economic growth and sustainability.

“Their expertise in battery manufacturing and economical EVs is especially valuable. Producing these products locally will support Nigeria’s transition to sustainable mobility and create jobs,” Osanipin concluded.

This collaboration marks a significant step toward Nigeria’s vision for a self-sustaining automotive industry, with the potential to position the country as a regional leader in EV production and green technology.

As Deloitte’s first center dedicated to exporting digital services from Egypt, the hub aims to broaden the company’s global footprint in digital services.

The Deloitte Innovation Hub will offer services to clients in Europe and the wider region, focusing on artificial intelligence, data analysis, cloud technology, cybersecurity, and enterprise resource planning.

Deloitte envisions the hub supporting 5,000 jobs in the coming years, diversifying its service offerings and expanding its impact across various business sectors.

Hani Girgis, leader of the Innovation Hub, emphasized that the hub is designed to foster local talent, bring value to Egyptian society, and support clients across Europe and the Middle East.

Minister Talaat echoed this sentiment, highlighting Egypt’s appeal as a strategic location for IT and digital innovation, driven by its skilled young workforce and the government’s commitment to job creation and digital exports.

The Egyptian government has set ambitious goals.

Digital exports reached $6.2 billion in 2023, marking a 26% increase from $4.9 billion in 2022.

The government aims to create high-value jobs for youth and build a knowledge-based economy. It plans to train more youth in digital skills, freelancing, and outsourcing to achieve $3.7 billion in digital exports by 2024 and $9 billion by 2026.

Egypt has seen increasing investments from international tech companies, including Telecom Egypt and Huawei Cloud.

The latter recently announced plans to launch the first public cloud platform in Egypt and North Africa, supporting the nation’s digital transformation strategy.

The ambitious initiative will unfold in phases, beginning with a pilot phase within the first year and aiming for a continent-wide reach by year three.

The partnership allows African developers to access NVIDIA’s advanced ecosystem, offering participants training, certifications, and community support through the NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute.

This collaboration comes just eight months after Gebeya transitioned into an all-in-one talent cloud provider, reflecting its expanded focus on solving organizational needs through various talent cloud solutions.

Gebeya’s AI-powered Talent Cloud will play a pivotal role in this partnership, with NVIDIA’s Deep Learning Institute integrated into its platform to provide certified learning paths.

Through this collaboration, African developers will gain critical AI skills, addressing the region’s shortage of expertise in this area while advancing growth and innovation across Africa’s tech industry.

Wei Xiao, NVIDIA’s Director of Developer Relations, emphasized the collaboration’s strategic importance in positioning Africa as an AI talent hub, which could attract investments and boost the continent’s global tech competitiveness.

Gebeya CEO Amadou Daffe noted the initiative’s potential to unify fragmented tech communities, address skill shortages, and accelerate industry development, establishing Africa as a center for NVIDIA technologies.

Gebeya’s partnership with NVIDIA follows its December 2023 collaboration with Microsoft to launch a platform dedicated to skilling and job-matching.

The platform aims to upskill 300,000 developers across several African nations. The target for the first year is 150,000 trained developers, creating significant momentum for tech talent development on the continent.

This new initiative with NVIDIA is expected to transform Africa’s AI capabilities, strengthening the continent’s position as a competitive tech talent hub on the global stage.

Operating under the name JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. Representative Office Kenya, this new venture will focus on exploring business opportunities across the East African region.

Though the office will serve as a liaison and marketing hub, it is not permitted to carry out traditional banking activities as outlined by Kenya’s Banking Act.

This move strengthens Kenya’s position as a leading financial hub in Africa and enhances investment and trade ties between Kenya and the U.S.

The approval follows JPMorgan’s fulfilment of all the necessary requirements, according to CBK.

By establishing this office, JPMorgan Chase aims to capitalize on Kenya’s growing economy and its favorable business environment, contributing to the diversity of Kenya’s financial sector.

The presence of such a global banking giant is also expected to intensify competition among local banks, driving innovation and growth in the industry.

JPMorgan’s entry into Kenya underscores the nation’s growing reputation as a stable and attractive destination for international financial institutions.

The bank, which operates in over 60 countries worldwide, offers a broad range of services, including asset and wealth management, commercial and investment banking, and financial technology solutions.

This latest move marks a significant step in its expansion into the East African region.

This facility represents Raxio’s fifth data centre in its expanding portfolio and is the third one to open in 2024.

The data centre has earned Tier III certification from the Uptime Institute, positioning Raxio to significantly contribute to the country’s growing digital landscape.

CIV1 is Côte d’Ivoire’s first Tier III certified carrier-neutral and cloud-neutral data centre.
It is set to boost the country’s data consumption and local content creation in the rapidly expanding digital economy of Francophone West Africa.

Equipped with the latest technology, CIV1 has the capacity to house up to 800 racks and provide 3MW of IT power, making it a critical infrastructure in the region.

The launch also marks Raxio’s entry into West Africa, positioning Abidjan as a strategic hub for the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), which includes countries such as Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, and Senegal.

The facility will cater to the banking sector and other industries requiring secure and efficient data storage solutions.

Raxio Group’s CEO, Robert Mullins, emphasized the significance of this expansion, stating, “The launch of our Abidjan data centre solidifies our presence in West Africa, a key area for our continued growth.

Abidjan is an ideal location for businesses from across the region to collocate their mission-critical infrastructure in a secure, reliable environment. We are proud to play a part in Côte d’Ivoire’s digital progress and enhance its regional prominence.”

Located approximately 30 kilometers from Abidjan’s city center within the Village of Innovation and Technology (VITIB), CIV1 is equipped with multiple power and fibre pathways, ensuring uninterrupted service.

The facility also boasts advanced redundant systems to meet Tier III standards. In addition, it hosts the country’s Internet Exchange Point (CIVIX), providing a cost-effective platform for both local and international traffic interconnection.

The toolkit was developed following a comprehensive study aimed at identifying the practical needs for startups to successfully enter these key markets.

It focuses on critical sectors, including agriculture, education, financial services, health, and manufacturing.

The digital toolkit provides a range of outputs, tools, and guides tailored to support entrepreneurs navigating these diverse markets.

It has undergone validation through feedback sessions to ensure it effectively addresses entrepreneurs’ needs.

Additionally, the toolkit serves as a model for future initiatives aimed at expanding access to other markets across Africa.

Jordan Kyongo, Head of the East Africa Research and Innovation Hub at the British High Commission Nairobi, emphasized the importance of this initiative in easing market entry barriers for African entrepreneurs.

“This exercise was critical in understanding the requirements for entrepreneurs to enter different markets in the region. We are confident that this digital toolkit will be an instrument in growing Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,” he stated.

The toolkit addresses challenges that entrepreneurs face across the continent, particularly regarding the complexity of regulatory requirements, certifications, and tariffs.

Entrepreneurs often need to navigate 55 different licensing systems across Africa, creating significant hurdles for market expansion. The toolkit seeks to simplify these processes, providing much-needed clarity and support.

This collaboration aims to expand the availability of sustainable charging infrastructure, enabling the faster and more efficient growth of Ampersand’s electric motorcycle fleet across East Africa.

Founded in 2016, Ampersand focuses on assembling and financing electric motorcycles that are more affordable and efficient than the traditional petrol-powered alternatives.

With over five million petrol motorcycles operating in East Africa, Ampersand’s electric vehicles present a greener and more cost-effective solution.

Since launching commercially in May 2019, the company has grown its fleet to more than 3,400 electric motorcycles, with plans to exceed 10,000 by the end of 2024.

The partnership with CrossBoundary Energy will provide renewable electricity at a lower tariff for charging Ampersand’s electric motorcycles, supporting the company’s rapid and sustainable scaling efforts.

Ampersand will handle battery maintenance and manage its charging stations, while CrossBoundary Energy will pilot financing and owning the charging infrastructure and batteries at one of Ampersand’s swap stations in Nairobi.

The pilot phase will feature 36 electric charging units and 150 lithium-ion batteries, powered by a 37kWp solar photovoltaic (PV) system.

The solar-powered setup will ensure affordable, clean energy for Ampersand’s electric motorbikes, further reducing carbon emissions in the region.

CrossBoundary Energy, known for its expertise in delivering distributed renewable energy solutions, sees this partnership as an entry point into the e-mobility sector.

“This launch is exciting for many reasons – firstly, it marks the start of CrossBoundary Energy’s foray into the e-mobility sector, where we aim to accelerate private investment and drive growth. Secondly, working with Ampersand, a partner with a proven track record and ambitious plans for East Africa, allows us to contribute significantly to their scaling efforts,” said Tombo Banda, Managing Director and Head of CrossBoundary’s Innovation Lab.