• Sierra Leone launched the “Learn2Earn” program with UNICEF to train young people for digital freelancing.
• A pilot cohort of 30 participants combines in-person training, virtual mentoring, and real freelance job applications.
• Internet penetration remains low at 20.7%, highlighting structural constraints to scaling digital work.

The Sierra Leonean government launched the “Learn2Earn” program on Wednesday, December 17, an initiative designed to strengthen youth employability through digital freelancing. The government is implementing the program in partnership with UNICEF. The initiative aims to prepare young people to generate online income at a time when traditional job opportunities remain scarce.

The pilot cohort brings together 30 participants enrolled in a one-month program that combines in-person orientation sessions, virtual mentoring, and applications for real freelance assignments. “The program was designed to support participants from learning to income generation through mentoring, hands-on practice, and accountability, with support from experienced freelancers operating on platforms such as Upwork and Bounty,” said Jesse Kamara, innovation lead at the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation (MoCTI).

According to the ministry, Learn2Earn offers an alternative pathway for labor market integration within the global gig economy. The program aims to address the widening gap between the number of young people entering the labor market and the limited availability of conventional jobs. The initiative also aligns with the MoCTI’s objective to help create 65,000 jobs in the technology and innovation sectors. The World Bank estimates that 230 million jobs in sub-Saharan Africa will require digital skills by 2030.

The program comes amid mounting socioeconomic pressure. The African Development Bank estimates that youth unemployment in Sierra Leone reached 10% in 2022, while underemployment remained significantly higher. In addition, an Afrobarometer survey published in September showed that 57% of Sierra Leoneans have considered leaving the country, with 55% citing the search for better job opportunities.

Beyond skills development, the expansion of freelancing raises structural challenges. Young people face constraints related to access to digital equipment such as computers, suitable smartphones, and software. Reliable, high-quality, and affordable internet connectivity also remains critical. According to DataReportal, Sierra Leone counted 1.8 million internet users at the beginning of 2025, representing an internet penetration rate of just 20.7%.

This article was initially published in French by Isaac K. Kassouwi

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

• Gabon will officially launch onboard Internet service on passenger trains on December 23.
• The project will rely on OneWeb low-Earth-orbit satellite Internet operated by Eutelsat.
• Authorities aim to raise annual passenger traffic on the Transgabonais line to 330,000 by 2027.

The Gabonese government announced that it will officially launch onboard Internet service on passenger trains on December 23. The launch event will include a presentation of the solution and a live connectivity test onboard a train. Authorities and project partners will attend the demonstration.

The government announced the project on Monday, December 15. The Ministry of the Digital Economy, Digitalization and Innovation leads the initiative alongside the Ministry of Transport, Merchant Marine and Logistics. The project also involves the Transgabonais Railway Operating Company (SETRAG) and a private telecommunications operator. The operator will deploy OneWeb low-Earth-orbit satellite Internet from France’s Eutelsat group.

“In a first phase, onboard Internet access will allow exclusively the use of the WhatsApp application. The next stages of the project will enable a gradual expansion of services, depending on technical performance and observed quality of service,” the Ministry of the Digital Economy, Digitalization and Innovation said.

According to the ministry, the project aims to improve passenger comfort and user experience through the gradual integration of digital services into rail transport. The initiative aligns with Gabon’s broader digital transformation ambitions. Libreville seeks to position digital technology as a central pillar of socioeconomic development and to reduce dependence on extractive resources. The government adopted a legal framework in September to regulate and accelerate the digital transformation of public administration.

This improvement in customer experience comes as Gabonese authorities seek to increase traffic on the Transgabonais railway. The government aims to raise annual passenger numbers to 330,000 by 2027, compared with 260,000 passengers in 2022, representing growth of more than 26.9%. The initiative ranks among the transition government’s priority actions for the 2024–2026 period.

This article was initially published in French by Isaac K. Kassouwi

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

• The government validated the 2026-2030 National Cybersecurity Strategy to strengthen digital resilience amid rising attacks.

• Mali ranks Tier 4/5 in the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index 2024, reflecting only “basic” national capabilities.

• Recent major breaches targeted the tax authority and Bank of Africa Mali, exposing gaps the new strategy aims to fix.

Mali faces growing cyberthreats and structures its national response. Authorities develop a roadmap to reinforce national resilience, modernize digital governance and protect increasingly targeted infrastructure.

The government formally validated the 2026-2030 National Cybersecurity Strategy during the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, December 5. The framework aims to strengthen the country’s digital resilience as cyberattacks multiply and risks increase across the digital transformation of the state and the economy.

“The sophistication of attacks and the financial damage they inflict on states and companies have turned cybersecurity into a global concern. Despite several legislative and regulatory texts adopted in recent years, Mali did not yet have a coordinated national strategy, which forced each actor to launch isolated actions,” the government said.

The roadmap aligns with major national development orientations, including “Mali Kura ɲɛtaasira ka bɛn san 2063 ma” and the 2024-2033 National Strategy for Emergence and Sustainable Development. These frameworks place digital transformation at the core of administrative modernization, public-service efficiency and economic growth.

The Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy announced the strategy at the start of the year. The plan responds to a situation authorities consider worrying. The ITU Global Cybersecurity Index 2024 ranks Mali at Tier 4 out of 5, a level that reflects “basic” capabilities in technical, organizational and skills-development components.

These limits became visible through several major attacks. In August 2022, Russian cybercriminals reportedly compromised data from 312,000 taxpayers at the Directorate General of Taxes. In February 2023, Bank of Africa Mali suffered one of the most significant cyberattacks recorded against a financial institution in the country. Identity theft and online fraud cases have also increased, affecting administrations, companies and individuals.

The implementation of the National Cybersecurity Strategy is expected to address the most urgent weaknesses in Mali’s digital ecosystem. The framework aims to strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure, create more consistent security standards, improve incident-response systems and structure cooperation with international partners.

Over time, the government expects the strategy to support a more reliable digital environment. Authorities see this as essential to sustain the digitalization of public services, encourage local innovation and attract additional investment into the digital economy.

This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum

• Off-grid solar supplied 561 million people in 2023 and accounted for 55% of new electricity connections in Sub-Saharan Africa between 2020 and 2022.

• Private operators like Sun King, Bboxx and Orange Energies expanded rapidly and secured major financing agreements in 2023–2024.

• The sector needs $3.6 billion per year until 2030, including 40% in subsidies, to electrify the poorest and most remote households.

The lack of adequate grid infrastructure has turned Africa into a testbed for agile energy solutions. The rapid adoption of solar technologies is transforming millions of lives, although persistent constraints continue to slow progress.

Africa remains the global epicenter of energy poverty. The International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that most of the 730 million people without electricity live in Sub-Saharan Africa. The African Development Bank (AfDB) estimates that over 600 million Africans, nearly half the continent, still lack access to electricity.

AfDB states: “For these people, daily life is a struggle illuminated by the dim glow of kerosene lamps or the intermittent hum of diesel generators. These stopgap solutions are costly and polluting, perpetuating cycles of poverty and environmental degradation.” AfDB warns that the number of people without electricity will remain largely unchanged without “bold and immediate measures.”

Given the implications for productivity, education and health, the IEA considers decentralized solar a strategic priority for the continent.

The World Bank and AfDB partnered under the Mission 300 initiative to connect 300 million Africans by 2030. The World Bank states that off-grid solar represents the quickest and most cost-effective option to electrify 41% of the global population still without power by 2030.

Off-grid solar systems served 561 million people in 2023. Between 2020 and 2022, they provided 55% of new connections in Sub-Saharan Africa. The World Bank adds that off-grid solar remains cheaper and faster to deploy than grid or mini-grid connections for current levels of demand.

Growing network challenges—low coverage, limited capacity, aging infrastructure and expensive tariffs—continue to push households and firms toward off-grid solutions. The World Bank’s Off-Grid Solar Market Trends Report 2024 estimates that generators supply nearly 9% of the region’s electricity and cost households $28–50 billion per year in fuel, plus an additional 10–20% in maintenance.

Solar kits reduce energy costs, extend business hours, strengthen cold chains and boost small enterprise revenues. Electricity improves daily life by providing lighting, cooling, refrigeration, information access and nighttime security. Solar pumps help households adapt to drought and increase agricultural productivity, while refrigeration reduces post-harvest losses and preserves vaccines in health centers.

The Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) reports rapid growth in “productive uses” of off-grid systems across agro-processing, crafts and services.

ESMAP states: “Off-grid solar systems allow households, businesses and farmers to use electricity productively and generate income. Among 79,000 surveyed off-grid customers in 31 countries, 86% of solar pump users increased productivity and 60% expanded cultivated areas, resulting in higher incomes for 88% of them.” ESMAP adds that 88% of refrigerators served productive uses, and 81% of users reported improved quality of life. In 2023, more than 3 million people operated a business using home solar systems.

The Pay-as-you-go (PAYGo) model accelerated sector growth by allowing customers to pay for equipment in installments using mobile money, scratch cards, airtime credit or cash.

Private Sector Drives Expansion

Startups strengthened their position between 2018 and 2024, even as financing dropped from $194 million to $192 million in 2024 after peaking at $425 million in 2023.

Sun King became a leading operator and supplies solar energy to 30% of Kenyan households. The company signed a $156 million securitization deal in July 2024 with ABSA, Citi, Co-operative Bank of Kenya, KCB Bank and Stanbic Bank Kenya. This deal follows a $130 million 2023 transaction aimed at distributing 3.7 million solar products in Kenya.

Bboxx expanded significantly over the past five years. The acquisition of PEG in 2022 extended its footprint into Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Mali. The company now operates in about ten countries and supplies over 2.5 million people with solar products.

Telecom operator Orange also made off-grid energy a strategic priority. Through Orange Energies, the group connected over 600,000 households in 2024, giving nearly 4 million people access to electricity across 13 countries. The company developed the Orange Smart Energies IoT platform to support PAYGo and smart metering and now partners with vendors, utilities and mini-grid developers.

Orange Energies supplies solar panels, smart batteries, LED lamps, USB sockets and rural household appliances—including fans, freezers, TVs and radios—in partnership with Koolboks, Biolite, Sun King and Solar Run.

International institutions increasingly recognize Orange Energies’ expertise. In June 2024, the company won a €150,000 AFD tender to electrify more than 400 rural localities in Côte d’Ivoire under the EU-funded MAX project. In September 2024, the World Bank and GIZ awarded Orange Energies a $360,000 contract to equip 8,000 off-grid households in Liberia with autonomous solar solutions by June 2025.

Orange Energies also signed a public-private partnership in Guinea with the Rural Electrification Agency (AGER) and IPT PowerTech to build a mini-grid that will supply electricity to six localities.

Off-grid solar is no longer experimental. It has become an industrial, financial and social sector that electrifies communities, generates income and reshapes daily life. Yet several risks threaten long-term momentum.

Persistent Risks Threaten Scale

Market forces alone cannot electrify rural Africa. Reaching the poorest and most remote households requires public funding through subsidies, guarantees and concessional finance. The sector estimates that it needs $3.6 billion annually through 2030 to electrify those for whom off-grid solar is the lowest-cost solution. About 40% of this amount must come from targeted subsidies.

Extreme poverty limits the scale of PAYGo. Only a minority of rural households can afford monthly payments. Logistics challenges in remote or conflict-affected areas can raise final prices by 57%, pushing households back to candles, kerosene or shared generators. Only 22% of unelectrified households globally can afford PAYGo installments—a figure that drops to 16% in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Low household incomes directly weaken the financial health of solar companies. PAYGo repayment rates stagnate around 62%, and one in four customers faces payment difficulties. Most startups borrow in foreign currencies but collect revenue in local currencies, exposing them to FX risks.

Inflation and currency depreciation add further pressure. In Nigeria, the price of basic solar lanterns rose 91% to 300% in 2023 in local currency, erasing gains from lower global component prices.

Africa’s dependence on imports and the lack of local assembly also constrain scale. Without domestic assembly, reliable maintenance networks or affordable spare parts, systems break down frequently and leave households without electricity. Low-quality solar products—estimated at 70% of sales—undermine consumer trust. Shortages of skilled technicians in remote areas further hinder deployment. 

Muriel Edjo