Huawei has unveiled a new initiative to train an additional 150,000 talents in Sub-Saharan Africa over the next three years, building on its earlier commitment to equip over 100,000 people in the region with digital skills by 2025. Exceeding its original target ahead of schedule, Huawei has already trained over 120,000 individuals in the past 26 months, marking a 120% achievement. These milestones were announced at the LEAP Summit 2024: ICT Talent and Sustainable Development for Sub-Saharan Africa.
LEAP, standing for leadership, employability, advancement, and possibility, was co-hosted by Huawei and the African Telecommunications Union (ATU), as an official partner program of Mobile World Congress Shanghai 2024. The event drew more than 200 guests, including high-ranking ministers, ambassadors, and officials from various African nations in the Sub-Saharan region.
The need for digital skills in Sub-Saharan Africa is critical, with projections from the World Economic Forum indicating that over one billion individuals worldwide will require upskilling or reskilling by 2030. In the Sub-Saharan region alone, the International Financial Corporation estimates that over 230 million jobs will demand digital skills by the same year.
In his address, Jeff Wang, Senior Vice President and President of Public Affairs and Communications at Huawei, outlined the company’s approach to inclusive and future-oriented talent development, highlighting the success of the LEAP Digital Talent Development Program launched in 2022.
Hover Gao, President of Sub-Saharan Africa at Huawei, emphasized the collaborative effort that enabled positive progress in talent development across African countries, acknowledging the contributions of government agencies, academia, and industry partners.
John OMO, Secretary General of the African Telecommunications Union (ATU), stressed a human-centric approach to technology, underscoring the role of digital skills in empowering individuals to participate fully in the digital economy.
Hon. Minister Counselor He Hongyan from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China highlighted the significance of China-African cooperation in talent development, aligning with the goals of the China-Africa Cooperation 2035 framework to foster digital talent and drive inclusive development.
Siddharth Chatterjee, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in China, emphasized the importance of a multilateral approach to addressing the digital skills gap globally, aiming to harness digital technologies for sustainable development.
Hon. Dr. Tatenda Annastacia Mavetera, Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, Zimbabwe, emphasized the power of collaboration in unlocking ICT potential across Africa.
Huawei’s TECH4ALL Digital Inclusion Initiative featured prominently during the summit, focusing on long-term education strategies to promote connectivity, enhance capabilities, and support STEM education for digital upskilling and reskilling.
Additionally, Huawei launched the Digital Intelligence Talent Development Program in Sub-Saharan Africa, offering free courses and certifications through the Huawei ICT Academy to bolster digital skills among students and professionals. The initiative also includes a Digital Badge program to validate and showcase skills acquired through these programs, enhancing employment prospects.
Huawei’s LEAP program, initiated in 2022, aims to cultivate digital leadership, build a skilled ICT workforce, and promote digital literacy across Sub-Saharan Africa, encompassing various activities from training and certification to capacity building and skills competitions.
