Public Management (574)
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Nigeria launches upgraded NgREN to connect higher education institutions
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New platform supports online learning, research, and digital services
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Full national rollout planned by 2026 under digital education strategy
Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Education recently announced the rollout of an upgraded version of the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN) and its integration with the Tertiary Education, Research, Applications and Services (TERAS) platform.
Officials said the initiative aims to boost digital connectivity, research collaboration, and innovation across the country’s higher education system.
Education Minister Alausa said the new NgREN will serve as a national high-speed education network, linking universities, research institutes, polytechnics, and colleges of education through a shared digital platform. The system will support online learning, cloud computing, plagiarism detection, digital libraries, research services, high-performance computing, and institutional analytics.
Digital Transformation Goals
The minister said the pilot phase will begin in 2025 in selected universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across the country’s geopolitical zones. Nigeria plans to connect all higher education institutions by 2026.
This initiative is part of a broader digital transformation drive for Nigeria’s education sector. For instance, on October 30, Alausa unveiled a national program to distribute tablets in all public schools to make digital education universal by 2027. In September, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) signed an agreement with U.S. firm Digital Learning Network (DLN) to supply digital devices to nearly 47 million students and teachers nationwide.
Isaac K. Kassouwi
- Gabon, Morocco to launch joint AI and digital skills training programs
- Talks focus on innovation, distance learning, and expanding digital cooperation
- Morocco ranks 4th in Africa on UN e-Government Index; Gabon seeks to improve
Gabon and Morocco are moving to expand cooperation in artificial intelligence, digital transformation and digital skills training following talks between their ministers in Rabat. Gabon’s Minister of Digital Economy, Digital Transformation and Innovation Mark-Alexandre Doumba met his Moroccan counterpart, Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, on November 3 to outline future joint programs.
Doumba expressed Gabon’s interest in drawing on Morocco’s experience and forming a partnership centered on digital innovation and skills training. The two sides agreed to launch joint programs focused on AI and data analysis training, as well as on expanding distance learning through Moroccan digital platforms.
During the talks, El Fallah Seghrouchni highlighted Morocco’s national training initiatives such as “JobInTech,” along with programs designed to introduce children to digital technology and AI. She also invited Gabon to take part in the upcoming GITEX Africa exhibition in Morocco.
The partnership comes as Gabon works to make the digital sector a cornerstone of its economic development and reduce dependence on extractive industries. In 2025, Libreville expanded partnerships with countries including Turkey, Botswana, and Saudi Arabia to pursue this objective. Morocco, regarded as a continental leader in digital transformation, is seen as a key model.
The UNDP recently recognized Morocco’s leadership, highlighting its launch of the “Digital Morocco for Sustainable Development (D4SD Hub)” platform to promote inclusive digital transformation in Arab and African countries. Morocco ranks 90th globally and 4th in Africa on the 2024 UN e-Government Development Index (EGDI), with a score of 0.6841 out of 1, above both regional and global averages.
Gabon, for its part, ranks 121st globally with a score of 0.5741. It performs well in telecom infrastructure (0.8263) but lags in online services (0.3188) and human capital (0.5772).
Isaac K. Kassouwi
- Burkina Faso to transform post offices into digital service centers by 2030
- $9.7M plan targets rural access, with 20 “Zama Tchè” centers planned
- Move supports national strategy amid 83% offline population in 2023
Burkina Faso will equip post offices nationwide with digital assistance centers to help citizens access online public services. The plan aims to turn the national postal network into a driver of digital and financial inclusion.
The initiative was approved during the Cabinet meeting on Oct. 30, which endorsed a performance contract between the state and La Poste Burkina Faso. The plan calls for the gradual transformation of post offices into “citizens’ houses,” known as Zama Tchè. Under the 2026-2030 agreement, the state and La Poste will jointly fund the construction and outfitting of 20 such centers, at a total cost of 5.5 billion CFA francs (about $9.7 million).
The government said the move aligns with its broader effort to digitize administrative services and make them more accessible, transparent, and efficient. Expanding digital access to public services is one of Burkina Faso’s 12 national digital priorities under its 2030 strategy, which aims to ensure equal access to digital tools, including in rural areas.
Access to the services requires internet connectivity, digital devices, and basic skills, which remain out of reach for much of the population. In 2023, an estimated 83% of Burkinabe were not using the internet, according to the International Telecommunication Union. To bridge that gap, La Poste currently operates a network of 129 branches across the country, which will serve as the foundation for the new initiative.
Isaac K. Kassouwi
Madagascar has appointed a new minister to lead its ongoing national digital transformation strategy. The young expert is tasked with modernizing government administration and enhancing the country's overall connectivity.
Mahefa Andriamampiadana was appointed Madagascar’s Minister of Digital Development, Digital Transformation, Posts, and Telecommunications on Tuesday, Oct. 28. His appointment is part of the new 29-member “Re-foundation” government.
Andriamampiadana succeeds Tahina Razafindramalo, who held the post for several years and launched several key projects to modernize the country’s digital sector.
The new minister is relatively unknown to the public and has maintained a low national profile. Available information suggests he has solid experience in the private tech industry. He reportedly served as a senior IT strategy executive at Exo-S for three and a half years and previously held roles at Microsoft 365, Skyone Television and Radio Général, Compurweb, and Communication Network Corporation, covering operations management and executive leadership.
Andriamampiadana takes office as Madagascar seeks to strengthen its digital infrastructure and expand Internet access. Despite progress, connectivity remains costly and uneven: mobile Internet currently accounts for 15.5% of monthly GNI per capita, far above the 2% threshold recommended by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
The minister’s priorities include expanding the fiber-optic network, digitalizing public services, implementing a national digital identity system, and modernizing postal services. To meet these challenges, he will need to mobilize a dynamic ecosystem of private firms, telecom operators, startups, and international partners, collaboration on which Madagascar’s digital transformation depends.
Samira Njoya
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Gabon boosts 2026 digital budget by 156% to 82B CFA francs
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Funds target infrastructure, literacy, and e-governance expansion
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Country scores low in cybersecurity despite digital policy gains
Gabon’s Ministry of Digital Economy, Digitalization, and Innovation has announced a budget of 82 billion CFA francs for 2026, representing a massive 156.2% increase from the 32 billion CFA francs allocated in 2025. Minister Mark-Alexandre Doumba presented the budget to the National Transition Assembly on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025.
The significant increase "reflects the government’s commitment to accelerating the country's digital transformation through the strengthening of the digital entrepreneurial ecosystem, the deployment of digital infrastructure, and the promotion of a genuine digital literacy across the country," the ministry said in a statement released on Tuesday, Oct. 21.
While the statement did not specify the projects planned for 2026, the government has launched several digital infrastructure initiatives in recent months. These include signing an agreement with an American technology company to construct a national data center. Private partners such as Cisco, Tech 41, Visa, Huawei, Moov Africa Gabon Telecom, and Afrastructure SAS have also been approached. Discussions have focused on expanding the national fiber optic network, strengthening universal service, telecom infrastructure sharing, 5G deployment, and connecting the country to a new submarine cable.
In digital transformation policy, the government recently issued an ordinance that mandates public administrations to digitize their services, interconnect their systems, and fully integrate the national private sector to establish digital sovereignty.
Gabon is currently ranked 121st out of 193 countries on the United Nations E-Government Development Index, scoring 0.5741 out of 1. This places it above the average for Central Africa (0.3354) and Africa (0.4247), but below the global average (0.6382). The country’s lowest score, 0.3188 out of 1, was recorded in the online services indicator, while its highest, 0.8263, was in the telecom infrastructure indicator.
This result aligns with the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) 2024 ICT Development Index, where Gabon scored 76.1 out of 100, ranking 11th out of 42 African nations.
However, Gabon faces challenges in cybersecurity. The ITU’s Global Cybersecurity Index 2024 placed the country in the fourth and second-to-last category (Tier 4), with an overall score of 39.86 out of 100. While the country achieved the maximum score of 20 in the legal measures pillar, significant progress is still required in the areas of technical, organizational, and cooperation measures.
Isaac K. Kassouwi
- Ghana, Cisco discuss partnership for digital skills training
- “One Million Coders” targets certified youth in tech fields
- Plan includes digital centers, global tech firm collaborations
The Ghanaian government is exploring a collaboration with U.S. technology giant Cisco Systems for its "One Million Coders" program, an initiative aimed at equipping the nation's youth with digital skills. A Cisco delegation presented a partnership proposal to Samuel Nartey George, the Minister of Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovation, during a meeting last week.
While specific details of the proposed partnership were not disclosed, Cisco operates its own global training platform, the Cisco Networking Academy (NetAcad), established in 1997. NetAcad offers free or subsidized courses, both online and in-person, covering areas such as computer networking, cybersecurity, programming, Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud computing. The academy works with governments, universities, and organizations to provide globally recognized certifications, including the CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate).
During the meeting, Minister George reiterated that the "One Million Coders" program aims to train internationally certified professionals in high-demand fields such as AI, cybersecurity, forensic data science, and cloud computing. He also announced plans to establish digital centers in all 276 constituencies across the country, each equipped with approximately 50 computers, to ensure young people in rural areas have access to necessary equipment and internet connectivity for their training.
George stated that the government is actively seeking partnerships with major technology firms, including Google, Huawei, Microsoft, and AWS. The government had previously engaged with TikTok in June and, in September, initiated a collaboration with Code Racoon, a company backed by German partners, to train 350,000 young individuals. Discussions are also underway with local tech firm TECHAiDE to integrate its "Asanka" wireless device, an offline Local Learning Management System (LMS), into the training program.
Launched in April, the "One Million Coders" program is part of the government’s comprehensive plan to build a digitally competent workforce capable of supporting Ghana's transition to an innovation-driven economy. The GSM Association (GSMA) estimates that continued digital transformation across the agriculture, industry, trade, and transport sectors could create an additional 340,000 jobs by 2027, generating a total added value of 34.9 billion cedis ($3.24 billion).
The partnership is not yet finalized. Minister George invited Cisco to submit a formal proposal and a letter of intent to officially establish the collaboration, though no specific timeline was provided.
Isaac K. Kassouwi
- Twenty high-speed Internet sites launched under a $100 million digital project.
- The program aims to connect 76 rural sites nationwide by the end of 2025.
- Limited electricity access remains a major challenge in remote areas.
Congo’s Minister of Posts, Telecommunications, and the Digital Economy, Léon Juste Ibombo, announced on Monday, October 13, the activation of 20 high-speed Internet access points in rural areas. The initiative, unveiled during a visit by a World Bank delegation for the Africa region in Brazzaville, aims to democratize Internet access nationwide and reduce the digital divide.
“As of today, 76 connectivity sites have been built and equipped across the country. Of these, 20 are already connected to high-speed Internet, allowing residents in remote areas to go online in real time,” said the minister.
The rollout is part of the Digital Transformation Acceleration Project (PATN) and the broader Digital Strategy 2030. Co-financed by the World Bank and the European Union for $100 million, the PATN represents one of the largest investments ever made in Congo’s digital sector. The government has also contributed an additional $3 million to upgrade infrastructure, prioritizing 4G technology to ensure stable and efficient connections.
The government’s goal is to connect all 76 sites to 4G by the end of the year, creating new economic and social opportunities for rural communities in e-commerce, e-learning, and e-government.
Beyond infrastructure, the initiative seeks to narrow the digital gap between urban and rural areas and strengthen the state’s capacity to deliver efficient online public services. However, persistent challenges remain, especially limited access to electricity. According to the World Bank, 67% of the urban population has electricity, compared with only 12.4% in rural areas.
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Nigeria to build $10B tech hub in Katsina State
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Hub supports 3M tech talent plan, digital economy goals
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$500M World Bank loan backs broadband expansion nationwide
The Nigerian federal government plans to build a $10 billion tech innovation hub in Katsina State, Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Minister Bosun Tijani said on Monday.
Tijani announced the project during a meeting with Katsina State Governor Malam Dikko Umaru Radda. According to local media, Katsina is one of ten states selected to host the new hubs, with construction expected to begin before the end of next year.
The minister also outlined other federal projects for the state, including plans to expand satellite internet in underserved areas and scale up the federal program to train three million young tech professionals nationwide. The Katsina hub will serve as a base of operations for these trained workers.
Governor Radda said the initiative complements the state’s own digital agenda, citing the adoption of a Right of Way policy, a State Digital Law, the creation of a Digital Economic Zone, and the establishment of an ICT directorate. He added that his administration plans to extend fiber connectivity to all Local Government Areas (LGAs).
The project aligns with Nigeria’s broader digital transformation strategy, which places ICT at the heart of national development. The government aims to raise the ICT sector’s share of GDP to 22% by 2027.
To support this effort, the World Bank on September 30 approved $500 million in financing for Nigeria under the BRIDGE Project, a $1.6 billion initiative also backed by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the European Investment Bank (EIB), and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).
The program seeks to narrow the broadband gap in underserved regions by deploying about 90,000 kilometers of fiber-optic network. The infrastructure will be climate-resilient, renewable-powered, and built around seven national rings, 37 metropolitan loops, 77 regional networks, and multiple edge data centers.
Isaac K. Kassouwi
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Madagascar launched the first cohort of the Skills4Job program to equip young people with key digital skills.
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The initiative, aligned with the 2023–2028 Digital Strategic Plan, started with 51 participants in Toamasina.
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The government aims to train 40,000 people by 2028 as part of broader efforts to reduce youth unemployment.
The Malagasy government launched on Thursday, October 2, the first cohort of the “Skills4Job” program, designed to equip young people with essential digital skills and improve their readiness for the labor market. The program began with 51 participants in the port city of Toamasina and will gradually expand nationwide.
According to Stéphanie Delmotte, Minister of Digital Development, Posts, and Telecommunications, the free training provides participants with the tools needed to face the challenges of tomorrow’s digital economy.
This initiative aligns with the country’s Digital Strategic Plan (PSN) 2023–2028, which aims to make Madagascar a key player in Africa’s digital economy through advances in telecommunications, e-government, and digital inclusion. The World Bank estimates that about 230 million jobs in sub-Saharan Africa will require digital skills by 2030 as the continent continues its digital transformation.
In September, the Minister of Technical Education and Vocational Training, Marie Marcelline Rasoloarisoa, announced plans to train 40,000 people in digital skills by 2028. Earlier, in February 2024, Madagascar signed a partnership agreement with the United Arab Emirates to train one million young people in new technologies.
Youth employment remains a major concern in Madagascar. According to Afrobarometer, more than four in ten Malagasy aged 18 to 35 were unemployed and actively seeking work in 2024. The study identified lack of adequate training or preparation (30%), lack of experience (27%), and mismatch between school qualifications and market needs (16%) as key barriers to employment.
• Algérie Télécom opens Sétif Skills Center to youth innovators
• Facility offers free AI lab, ICT training, expert workshops
• Part of nationwide plan to boost youth skills, digital strategy
Algeria's state-owned telecommunications company, Algérie Télécom, signed a framework agreement on Saturday, September 27, with the Directorate of Youth and Sports for the Sétif region. The national operator has committed to making its "Skills Center" available to young people, students, innovators, and emerging project developers in the region, which has an official population of 2.1 million.
"This creative structure will provide collaborative spaces, training workshops supervised by national and international experts, and an artificial intelligence laboratory free of charge, giving young people the opportunity to acquire skills and materialize their innovative ideas," the historical operator said in a statement on its Facebook page.
The Sétif Skills Center, inaugurated last February, is the first in a series of similar centers the government plans to open across several provinces to provide young people with free training in advanced technologies. Other centers have already opened in Annaba and Oran. These hubs offer training in fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), cloud computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), cybersecurity, and other information and communication technology (ICT) specialties.
This announcement follows a meeting approximately two weeks ago between Minister of Post and Telecommunications Sid Ali Zerrouki and Youth Minister Mustapha Hidaoui on strengthening cooperation between their departments. The ministers stressed the authorities' commitment to placing youth at the core of the national digital strategy by developing programs to enhance young people's skills, stimulate their creativity, and encourage their innovation capacity. They also underscored the importance of implementing concrete projects that leverage the technological expertise of the telecommunications sector while building on initiatives driven by youth establishments.
Isaac K. Kassouwi
More...
• Morocco, OpenAI discuss partnership to boost national AI strategy
• Talks focus on research, innovation, and localized AI ecosystem
• Follows Mistral AI deal to build skills, startups, and safeguards
The Moroccan government is exploring a major collaboration with the U.S. artificial intelligence (AI) company OpenAI. The potential partnership was the central topic of discussion during a meeting between Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, Morocco’s Minister of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, and executives from the San Francisco-based firm. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 80th U.N. General Assembly.
According to a ministry statement published on Facebook on Thursday, Sept. 25, the discussions with OpenAI focused on cooperation in research and innovation and developing an artificial intelligence ecosystem tailored to the unique characteristics of Moroccan society.
The Moroccan government has made AI a core pillar of its national digital transformation efforts, which are designed to accelerate social and economic growth. Through its "Digital Morocco 2030" strategy, the government aims to leverage AI's potential to quickly digitize public and private services, attract international tech players, support local startups, and develop necessary skills and infrastructure. The strategy also focuses on consolidating data registries, deploying use cases to improve services, and conducting multi-disciplinary reviews of the societal, legal, and economic implications of AI.
This push to build its AI capacity follows a deal signed on Sept. 12 between the ministry and French AI company Mistral AI. That memorandum of understanding aims to strengthen local AI skills through training, applied research, and knowledge transfer. It also seeks to stimulate the national ecosystem by promoting the growth of startups and industrial projects based on AI solutions tailored to Moroccan business needs. Finally, the Mistral partnership commits to promoting the ethical and inclusive use of AI, ensuring data protection and public trust.
Isaac K. Kassouwi
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Government to launch Morocco Digital for Sustainable Development at UNGA
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Initiative backed by UNDP to strengthen digital governance and AI adoption
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Morocco ranks 4th in Africa on UN e-government index, above global average
Morocco will officially launch an Arab-African center of excellence in artificial intelligence and data science during the 80th United Nations General Assembly, which begins on September 23. Backed by the UN Development Program (UNDP), the Morocco Digital for Sustainable Development (D4SD) hub aims to promote inclusive digital transformation across Arab states and African regions.
The initiative stems from a memorandum of understanding signed in July between Morocco and the UNDP, on the sidelines of the National AI Forum. According to the UN agency, the partnership will help countries improve digital public services, encourage responsible AI use, and build institutional and regulatory systems to support digital transformation and sustainable development.
UNDP highlighted Morocco’s leadership in digital governance, AI, and data science. The country ranks 90th worldwide and 4th in Africa in the 2024 UN E-Government Development Index (EGDI), with a score of 0.6841 out of 1, above both the African and global averages. In September 2023, Morocco also launched its “Digital Morocco 2030” strategy to consolidate its progress and accelerate socio-economic development through digital innovation.
The initiative comes as digital benefits remain unevenly distributed across Africa. According to UNDP, countries still face systemic barriers such as weak infrastructure, limited AI capacity, low investment in digital innovation, and uncoordinated regulatory frameworks.
- Mozambique launches ThinkLab incubator to support digital startups
- Twelve firms in health, AI, transport, finance join first cycle
- Part of broader strategy for inclusive digital transformation by 2030
Mozambique's communications regulatory authority, INCM, has launched the ThinkLab, a new incubator designed to support local startups and entrepreneurs in the digital sector. The launch took place in Maputo and was attended by Communications and Digital Transformation Minister Américo Muchanga.
"A nation without innovation is a nation of dormant minds. ThinkLab is a laboratory for projecting digital solutions for the most urgent national challenges. It is also a collaborative platform where the private sector, academia, and the government plan and project the future we want, together," Muchanga said.
Twelve startups were selected for the first incubation cycle. They operate in various sectors, including health, transport, finance, IT, and AI. Through ThinkLab, the regulator aims to provide them with technical and regulatory support, resources, training, and mentorship. The initiative also facilitates connections with experts and investors. The goal is to ensure project viability, encourage access to funding, and build a collaborative ecosystem that brings together startups, businesses, universities, and regulators.
The INCM hopes the project will help drive digital transformation, a key priority for Mozambican authorities. To that end, the government launched the "Internet For All" initiative last March to democratize internet access by 2030. This effort is seen as "a fundamental pillar of the government's overall digital transformation strategy, creating an inclusive digital environment that will enable citizens, businesses, and public institutions to interact and innovate, thus contributing to the emergence of an accessible and inclusive digital economy."
According to pan-African investment firm Renew Capital, Mozambique's startup ecosystem is still in its early stages. However, the firm notes that the country's vast natural gas reserves, abundant mineral resources, and strategic geographical location make it a promising market to watch in Africa. The challenges mentioned include a regulatory framework still under development, inadequate infrastructure—particularly in internet connectivity—and a significant skills gap in technology professions.
Isaac K. Kassouwi
• Cameroon launches digitalization program to modernize local governance
• 240 of 374 municipalities signed on; key challenges remain
• Goal: boost transparency, online services, and investment appeal
The United Councils and Cities of Cameroon (UCCC) unveiled its "Program for the Digitalization of Councils and Cities" (PDCV) in Yaoundé on Thursday, September 11. The initiative aims to modernize local governance by providing municipalities with shared digital tools and online services for citizens.
The PDCV is structured around four main pillars: a shared digital platform for municipalities and the UCCC, the creation of an integrated suite of digital services, enhanced digital skills for municipal staff, and program coordination and monitoring. The stated goal is to make local governments more transparent, efficient, and better connected with their constituents.
The project is part of Cameroon’s broader digital transformation strategy, which includes the gradual dematerialization of administrative procedures and the interconnection of public services. As part of this effort, 374 municipal websites have already been developed. However, for these sites to become fully operational, each municipality must sign a memorandum of understanding with the UCCC. So far, 240 municipalities have taken this step, while 134 have not yet signed, according to the association.
Ultimately, the PDCV is expected to increase the visibility of local governments, facilitate citizens' access to online administrative services, and make regions more attractive to investors. However, several challenges remain, including inadequate ICT infrastructure, a limited internet penetration rate of 41.9% as per DataReportal, a lack of skilled personnel, energy instability, and insufficient municipal financial resources. The program's success also hinges on the effective implementation of the General Code of Decentralized Territorial Collectivities, which allocates 15% of state revenues to decentralization.
Cameroon faces significant challenges in digital governance. According to the 2024 United Nations E-Government Development Index, the country ranks 155th out of 193, with an index score of 0.4294, well below the global average of 0.6382. This program represents a strategic opportunity to bridge this gap and firmly establish Cameroonian administration in the era of smart digital governance.
Samira Njoya