NEWS
MTN Uganda equips 503 young people with digital skills
MTN Uganda has graduated 503 young people from its
ACE digital-skilling programme, supporting efforts to develop a workforce equipped to participate in the country’ s growing digital economy.
The latest cohort brings the total number of people who have completed the programme to more than 1,190, including people with disabilities and refugees.
Participants were trained through a hybrid learning model covering computer and online essentials, digital marketing, e-commerce, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
Graduates are now eligible to progress to the ACE Career & Enterprise track, which provides advanced digital and entrepreneurship training aligned with MTN’ s Ambition 2030 strategy.
George William Egaddu, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of MTN Foundation, said the programme was designed to help young people translate access to technology into economic opportunities.
“ At MTN Foundation, we believe that investing in young people is an investment in Uganda’ s future. Digital access creates the opportunity, but it is skills that enable people to turn that access into livelihoods, businesses and solutions,” Egaddu said.
The digital-skills initiative comes as Uganda seeks to expand its economy tenfold to $ 500 billion by 2040. ICT, science, technology and innovation have been identified among the key drivers of economic transformation under the country’ s Fourth National Development Plan.
Uganda’ s demographics are also increasing the need for skills development and employment opportunities. Three-quarters of the country’ s population are below the age of 30, creating a significant pool of potential workers and entrepreneurs as Uganda looks to accelerate technology-led economic growth.
African public officials offered free AI training
The African Development Bank Group, together with the
UNDP AI Hub for Sustainable Development, Google and Apolitical, has launched a free artificial intelligence training programme for public officials across Africa.
Launched on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the initiative aims to help government officials understand AI and apply the technology across public services.
Delivered through Apolitical’ s Government AI Campus, the programme provides access to courses covering AI fundamentals for public servants, AI leadership in government and smarter procurement using AI. The training has been developed by Stanford University Online and SDA Bocconi School of Management, with Google and Apolitical providing the learning platform and content.
Ousmane Fall, Director for Industrial and Trade Development at the African Development Bank Group, said:“ AI is changing how we work. It promises major productivity gains if users fully understand its application. Building that understanding in government has been neglected and this partnership helps us put that right,”
The initiative follows recommendations from the Bank Group’ s Africa’ s AI Productivity Gain report, which projected that inclusive AI deployment could add up to $ 1 trillion to Africa’ s GDP by 2035. The report identified skills and trusted governance among five key enablers required to realise these potential gains.
The self-paced training is open free of charge to serving government officials and public servants in the Bank’ s regional member countries working in areas including AIenabled public services, digital infrastructure, public-private partnerships and innovation. •
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