• Gabon will invest CFA5 billion ($8.9 million) to modernize digital skills training through a partnership between ARCEP and INPTIC.
• The two-year renewable program will upgrade infrastructure, create specialized laboratories, and expand training in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing, data management, and telecommunications.
• Authorities aim to reduce dependence on foreign expertise and position INPTIC as a regional digital training hub for Central Africa.

The country's telecommunications regulator, the Electronic Communications and Postal Regulatory Authority (ARCEP), and the National Institute of Post, Information and Communication Technologies (INPTIC) signed a CFA5 billion ($8.9 million) subsidy agreement in Libreville on June 1 to modernize training for digital professions.

The agreement took place in the presence of Digital Economy, Digitalization and Innovation Minister Mark Alexandre Doumba and Higher Education Minister Charles Edgar Mombo.

The partners structured the agreement as a renewable two-year program. The initiative will rehabilitate the institution's educational infrastructure, acquire new technological equipment, and develop specialized laboratories.

In addition, the funding will support the launch or strengthening of academic programs in strategic fields, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data management, cloud computing, networks and telecommunications, as well as digital entrepreneurship.

Through the project, Gabonese authorities aim to align training programs more closely with economic needs.

Officials said the agreement includes reforms to INPTIC's governance and management mechanisms. The partnership will also provide the institute with access to ARCEP's sector data and market analyses, enabling it to anticipate changes in digital professions and evolving skills demands from businesses.

The investment forms part of Gabon's national digitalization strategy, particularly the component dedicated to human capital development.

Authorities now view the availability of local digital talent as a critical requirement for supporting the digital transformation of government administration, businesses, and public services.

The challenge has become increasingly urgent as demand for digital professionals continues to grow across Africa.

According to the International Finance Corporation (IFC), nearly 230 million jobs in Sub-Saharan Africa will require digital skills by 2030. Organizations in both the public and private sectors are actively seeking specialists in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data management, and cloud computing.

By strengthening INPTIC's capabilities, Libreville aims to reduce the country's dependence on external expertise. At the same time, authorities want to position the institution as a leading regional center for digital skills training in Central Africa.

Samira Njoya